This week Emma speaks to Dr Lisa Harrod-Rothwell, chief executive of Londonwide LMCs and a GP in Islington, North London. Londonwide LMCs represents local medical committees, GPs and practices in 27 of the capital’s 32 boroughs.

In this conversation, Lisa explains exactly what Londonwide LMCs does and some of the key challenges facing general practice in London, including workforce issues, premises problems and health inequalities.

She also talks about the London region of the NHS’s vision for a neighbourhood health service and the role Londonwide LMCs played in shaping that plan. Lisa explains the importance of general practice being at the table for planning discussions, the need for a function-first approach to service delivery, and the potential for a neighbourhood NHS to support and value general practice.

This episode was presented by GPonline editor Emma Bower. It was produced by Czarina Deen.

Useful links

Londonwide LMCs

PCNs could be forced to re-align with neighbourhoods under London health plan

Most London GP practices 'feel unable to deliver safe care'

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This week Emma and Nick discuss what the spending review had to say about the NHS and look ahead to what we know about the government’s 10 Year Health Plan, which is expected to be published in the coming weeks.

In this episode they talk about what that plan could mean for the future of general practice and the NHS in England, how the government might aim to meet its ambitions of creating a neighbourhood NHS and ‘bringing back the family doctor’, and where a new GP contract could fit into all of this.

Our good news story this week is about those GPs who received honours in the King’s Birthday Honours last weekend.

This episode was presented by GPonline editor Emma Bower and deputy editor Nick Bostock. It was produced by Czarina Deen.

Useful links

GPs recognised in King's birthday honours

NHS 10-year plan 'make or break' for general practice

GPs could run 'run local hospitals,' says Wes Streeting

'GP-centric' 10-year NHS plan will protect partnerships

10-year plan to overhaul GP incentives and 'completely reimagine' NHS

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Emma speaks to Dr Caroline Taylor, chair of the National Association of Primary Care and a GP in Calderdale, West Yorkshire.

The NAPC has been at the forefront of developing the neighbourhood approach to health and Caroline is a big advocate for this model. In this conversation, Caroline explains exactly what a neighbourhood is, how general practice should fit into this model and the benefits of this way of working for patients, GPs and practices, including increased job satisfaction.

She also talks about how neighbourhood models could help shift care out of hospitals and into the community, the role of Community Health and Wellbeing Workers, a model the NAPC has been involved in rolling out nationally and the potential impact ICB cuts could have on developing neighbourhoods.

Caroline also has some practical advice for GPs and others on how to get neighbourhood working off the ground in their area,

This episode was presented by GPonline editor Emma Bower. It was produced by Czarina Deen.

Useful links

On GPonline

●     'GP-centric' 10-year NHS plan will protect partnerships

●     10-year plan to overhaul GP incentives and 'completely reimagine' NHS

●     How community health and wellbeing workers could help general practice

●     ICBs are downsizing – what does this mean for primary care?

National Association of Primary Care

NAPC report on creating integrated neighbourhood teams

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This week the GPonline team talks about the pay rise GPs and other doctors have received this year, what GPs think about this year’s contract deal and the prospect of more strikes from resident doctors.

And they look at what’s happening in Northern Ireland after the government imposed the GP contract there.

They also discuss the ongoing GP jobs crisis after the BMA raised fears that up to 1,000 GP registrars could find themselves struggling to get a job when they complete GP training this summer, what the union wants the government to do about it and some data on GP funding that shows why we are in this situation.

Our good news story is about NHS England launching a 'world-first' vaccine programme for gonorrhoea this summer.

This episode was presented by GPonline editor Emma Bower, deputy editor Nick Bostock, and senior news reporter Kimberley Hackett. It was produced by Czarina Deen.

Useful links

Wes Streeting: This year's pay deal is an investment to improve the NHS

Extra £100m needed to deliver 4% Gp pay rise

DDRB recommends new gp cost index to help shape contract uplifts

Up to 1000 newly-qualified GPs face unemployment this summer, BMA warns Streeting

Practice funding data reveals root cause of GP unemployment crisis

Funding uplifts that match inflation top priority for GPs in new contract

England launches ‘world-first’ gonorrhoea vaccination programme

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The government is expected to publish its 10-year Health Plan in June and neighbourhood health will form a key part of the plan.

In an interview with the Telegraph last month health and social care secretary Wes Streeting highlighted a scheme from Brazil, that has been piloted in London, and involves community health and wellbeing workers providing outreach work. Could a model like this be part of neighbourhoods? There have been suggestions from several quarters that the scheme will be included in the 10-year plan.

Talking General Practice spoke to doctors involved with this model back in 2023, so we thought it would be a good opportunity to revisit that now.

So in this episode Emma speaks to Dr Matt Harris and Dr Connie Junghans-Minton about the initiative and how it is improving the use of health services among patients in London, which will hopefully result in better health outcomes.

Matt, who's now a clinical reader in public health medicine at Imperial College London, saw the scheme in action first hand when he worked as a GP in Brazil, and it was his idea to bring the model to this country. He explains how the scheme works and why he thought it could help people in the UK. Meanwhile, Connie discusses how her practice introduced the initiative for some of their most deprived patients, and the impact it has had.

Useful links

Telegraph story - NHS sent door-to-door to tackle sickness crisis

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This week Emma speaks to Dr Caroline Watson, who is chair of the Royal College of GPs Secure Environments Group and has over a decade of experience working as a GP in prisons in England. Caroline is currently clinical director of Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Trust Secure Services and works as a GP at HMP Bedford.

Caroline explains how she got involved in working in secure environments, what working in these environments entails, and the challenges faced by GPs working in them. She also discusses the complexities of prescribing in prisons, the common health issues seen in prisoners, and the multidisciplinary teams that GPs work alongside.

Caroline shares her insights into the rewarding aspects of working in secure environments and the role of the RCGP Secure Environments Group in championing improved healthcare for people in contact with the criminal justice system – and she offers some practical advice for GPs interested in this career path.

This episode was presented by GPonline editor Emma Bower. It was produced by Czarina Deen.

Useful links

RCGP Secure Environments Group

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(Please note in this episode we mistakenly refer to a report on GP partner numbers as being produced by the Health Foundation. It was in fact produced by the Nuffield Trust)

This week Emma and Nick discuss falling numbers of GP partners and what this could mean for the future of general practice.

They talk about what went on at the UK LMCs conference last week, where the BMA launched a new report highlighting the value of a GP and there were debates on GP unemployment and the employer national insurance increase.

And they look at the latest on plans to cut back ICBs, after an NHS England blueprint suggested this could mean some big changes for primary care.

Our good news story this week is about a pilot in general practice in Manchester that is aiming to cut falls among older patients

This episode was presented by GPonline editor Emma Bower and deputy editor Nick Bostock. It was produced by Czarina Deen.

Useful links

In charts: How the loss of GP partners is accelerating

Viewpoint: Is the partnership model really in decline?

BMA dossier defines 'value of a GP' in push for fresh investment

LMCs hear harrowing stories of GPs impacted by unemployment crisis

National insurance hike is 'death sentence' for some GP practices, LMCs warn

ICBs told to 'merge functions' as blueprint outlines primary care shift

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This week Emma speaks to Professor Dame Helen Stokes-Lampard, who is a GP and the national chief medical officer in New Zealand.

Helen took on her new role as chief medical officer six months ago, however many UK doctors will know her from her previous roles as chair of the Royal College of GPs, a post she held from between 2016 and 2019 and as chair of the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges during the pandemic from 2020 to 2023. Before her move to New Zealand she was also a GP partner at a practice in Staffordshire, a professor of GP Education at the University of Birmingham and a member of the NHS England board.

In this conversation Helen explains what prompted her to take such a big step in her career and move to the other side of the world, how the health system in New Zealand compares with the UK and what it’s like working as a frontline GP there. She also talks about the emotional impact of leaving her practice - and her life - in the UK.

Helen offers some practical tips to other GPs taking on leadership roles, and those considering moving to work in another country, based on her own experiences, and gives her view on the UK government’s decision to scrap NHS England.

This episode was presented by GPonline editor Emma Bower. It was produced by Czarina Deen.

Visit GPonline for all the latest news affecting general practice and other resources to support GPs https://www.gponline.com        

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The GPonline team discusses the key news stories affecting general practice.

This week Emma and Nick look at the new advice and guidance directed enhanced service, which will pay practices for GPs making use of local advice and guidance systems. Nick explains the huge variation of uptake of advice and guidance across England and what this could mean for practices delivering the enhanced service. You can find out about uptake in your local area in our story here https://www.gponline.com/will-gps-earn-advice-guidance-des/article/1915073

They also talk about public sector pay reviews and whether the government is likely to agree to fund any recommendations for this year if they are over and above the 2.8% that has been planned for.

And they discuss the state of GP premises and whether there is any chance that the government will stump up the money needed to improve premises in the coming years.

Our good news story is an update on a story we discussed a couple of weeks ago about enhanced services in Lancashire and Cumbria.

This episode was presented by GPonline editor Emma Bower and deputy editor Nick Bostock. It was produced by Czarina Deen.

Useful links

Where will GPs earn most from the advice and guidance DES?

Kinnock warns of 'fiscal constraints' as government considers public sector pay rises

NHS leaders demand capital funding boost for primary care

GPs win £14m funding boost after LES boycott threat

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This week Emma speaks to Dr Katie Bramall-Stainer, the chair of the BMA England GP committee, about what the future holds for general practice

Katie explains why this year’s contract deal is the start of a long journey of recovery for general practice and the basis on which to create a more positive future for the profession.

Now that the government has agreed to negotiate a completely new GP contract, Katie explains what her priorities will be in those contract negotiations and how the BMA will be making the case for greater investment in general practice.

She talks about whether general practice should be directly reimbursed for staff costs, what should replace the Carr-Hill formula and whether it’s now time to define what core services in general practice actually are.

Katie also explains why GPs need to keep up the pressure in their area to secure better funding for local enhanced services, how she thinks neighbourhoods could impact on general practice and also why she feels more hopeful about the future than at any other point since she qualified as a GP.

This episode was presented by GPonline editor Emma Bower. It was produced by Czarina Deen.

Useful links

Full GPonline coverage of the 2025/26 GP contract

Define GP core services or risk unfunded work transfer from hospitals, LMCs to warn

BMA guidance on the 2025/26 GP contract

BMA safe working guidance

Patients first – Why general practice is broken and how can we fix it - BMA manifesto

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