Talking General Practice

In this week’s episode Emma and Nick discuss the GP contract in England, where it could go next and what the BMA, the government and NHS England might all be hoping to achieve. And they talk about what could happen to the GP jobs that have been added to the additional roles reimbursement scheme in future.

They also explain the RCGP’s decision to say there is no role for physician associates in general practices and look at the college’s new guidance on scope of practice, induction and supervision for those PAs already in post. And they talk about assisted dying in light of the new bill that’s been introduced to the parliament in Westminster this week.

Our good news story this week is about improvements in patients’ experiences of contacting their practice.

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

Useful links

●     BMA sets out terms for major GP contract overhaul in 2028

●     PCNs taking part in NHS England GP operating model pilot named

●     ARRS may not be long-term solution to growing GP jobs, NHS official suggests

●     RCGP physician associate guidance at a glance: catch up on the key points

●     GPs and practices recognised for providing excellent end-of-life care

●     'Green shoots of hope' amid rise in patients who say contacting GP practice is easy

Listen to our special podcast episode - Should assisted dying be legalised?

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Emma speaks to GP Dr Rik Fijten and consultant hepatologist Dr Kosh Agarwal about the NHS in England’s drive to eliminate hepatitis C.

The World Health Organization is aiming to eliminate Hepatitis C globally by 2030 and NHS England wants England to become the first country to do this, with a target to achieve this aim by next year.

In this podcast Rik and Kosh explains how the NHS is doing against this target and the important role that general practice has to play in helping to eliminate hepatitis C.

Rik explains what his role as a hepatitis C GP champion involves and what GPs and their teams can do in their practices to contribute to this work, and Kosh discusses what advances in treatment mean for patients and the transformative impact they’ve had.

They also explain other aspects of the programme that has helped it become a real success story and discuss whether the approach NHS England has used for Hepatitis C could work for other conditions.

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

Useful links

NHS self-testing kits

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GPonline is the media partner for the RCGP annual conference and this is our third and final special episode from the event.

In this episode we look at what health and social care secretary Wes Streeting had to say in his speech to the conference this morning, when he pledged to cut bureaucracy in general practice, called on the profession to step back from collective action and took questions from delegates.

Emma speaks to Professor Margaret Ikpoh, the RCGP’s vice chair for professional development, and Dr Steve Mowle, the college’s treasurer, for their views on what he had to say - as well as what they’re talking about in their own presentation at the end of the conference. And we also hear from delegates about what they thought about what the health and social care secretary said.

Emma also speaks to the RCGP First5 chair Dr Toyosi Adeniji about some of the key issues facing newly-qualified GPs and to Emma Walker the health information manager at CoopaFeel! about the charity’s work on breast cancer awareness and some of the resources they have to support GPs and other healthcare professionals.

This episode was presented by GPonline editor Emma Bower and produced by Czarina Deen. Extra reporting by GPonline senior news reporter Kimberley Hackett.

Useful links

●     For full coverage of all GPonline’s news from the RCGP annual conference visit https://www.gponline.com/rcgp

●     Health and social care secretary Wes Streeting: RCGP conference speech in full

●     Funding for GP ARRS jobs will continue beyond March, says Streeting

●     Streeting calls on GPs to step back from collective action

Supported by CoppaFeel!

These special episodes of Talking General Practice at the RCGP annual conference have been supported by Coppafeel!

CoppaFeel! are the UK’s only youth focused breast cancer awareness charity and they're on a mission to get every 18-24 year old checking their chest.

They educate people on the signs of breast cancer and encourage them to check their chests monthly, so that if they notice something unusual for them they are empowered to contact their GP and advocate for themselves. They provide resources and e-learning to health professionals to support them in encouraging breast awareness with their patients.

For more information visit https://coppafeel.org/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

GPonline is the media partner for the RCGP annual conference and this is the second of three special episodes from the event in Liverpool this week.

In this episode Emma speaks to Dr Victoria Tzortziou Brown, the RCGP’s vice chair for external affairs and Dr Micahel Mullholland, the college’s honorary secretary about what went on at the conference this morning, in particular what RCGP chair Professor Kamila Hawthorne had to say in her speech. They also talk about health inequalities, continuity of care and what the college wants to see in the government’s 10-year plan for the NHS.

Emma also speaks to the college’s safeguarding lead Dr Joy Shacklock about the RCGP’s new safeguarding standards, which have been launched at the conference today, and what they mean for GPs and their teams. And she talks to Dr Catherine Millington-Sanders the college’s clinical lead for palliative and end-of-life Care about the RCGP and Marie Curie’s Daffodil Standards and how they can help practices improve end of life care.

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

Useful links

●     For full coverage of all GPonline’s news from the RCGP annual conference visit https://www.gponline.com/rcgp

●     RCGP safeguarding hub

●     'Devastating inequality' in GP provision is growing, RCGP chair warns

●     Professor Kamila Hawthorne: RCGP conference speech in full

●     GPs need a flexible new contract to build services around patients, say charities

Supported by CoppaFeel!

These special episodes of Talking General Practice at the RCGP annual conference have been supported by Coppafeel!

CoppaFeel! are the UK’s only youth focused breast cancer awareness charity and they're on a mission to get every 18-24 year old checking their chest.

They educate people on the signs of breast cancer and encourage them to check their chests monthly, so that if they notice something unusual for them they are empowered to contact their GP and advocate for themselves. They provide resources and e-learning to health professionals to support them in encouraging breast awareness with their patients.

For more information visit https://coppafeel.org/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the first of three daily episodes we’re producing from the RCGP annual conference Emma speaks to college chair Professor Kamila Hawthorne.

Kamila talks about the RCGP council’s recent vote to oppose a role for physician associates in general practice, why funding for general practice needs to change to better reflect deprivation and the current challenges new GPs are facing finding work.

She also explains her views on whether the new Labour government will make a positive difference to general practice, what the college wants to see happen to improve GP retention and whether incentives for continuity of care are a good idea.

GPonline is the media partner for the RCGP annual conference, which takes place in Liverpool on 3-4 October. For all the latest news from the event visit www.gponline.com/rcgp

Supported by CoppaFeel!

These special episodes of Talking General Practice at the RCGP annual conference have been supported by Coppafeel!

CoppaFeel! are the UK’s only youth focused breast cancer awareness charity and they're on a mission to get every 18-24 year old checking their chest.

They educate people on the signs of breast cancer and encourage them to check their chests monthly, so that if they notice something unusual for them they are empowered to contact their GP and advocate for themselves. They provide resources and e-learning to health professionals to support them in encouraging breast awareness with their patients.

For more information visit https://coppafeel.org/

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

Useful links

Full coverage from the RCGP annual conference

RCGP votes to oppose role for physician associates in general practice

Details of GP ARRS plans revealed in updated network contract DES

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

GPonline editor Emma Bower and deputy editor Nick Bostock discuss the review of the NHS by Lord Ara Darzi, the government’s response to the report and what happens next - including what might be in the new NHS long-term plan.

They also look at another report Lord Darzi was involved with - the IPPR think tank’s final report from its Commission on Health and Prosperity and what that could mean for general practice and the NHS.

And they’re talking about health and social care secretary Wes Streeting’s war of words with the BMA over collective action.

Our good news story this week is also very good news for the government as junior doctors - who are now called resident doctors - voted to accept the new pay offer which brings to an end 18 months of industrial action.

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

Useful links

Darzi report at a glance: read a summary of the key findings and advice

Hardwire NHS finances to 'lock in' expansion of GP services, says Darzi review

Streeting welcomes 'oven-ready' NHS reform plan that criticises GP model

Streeting hits out at GP 'sabre-rattling' and 'unnecessary threat of collective action'

Four in five GP practices already taking collective action, BMA says

Collective action sets up NHS winter plan clash as GPs told to 'avoid hospital admissions'

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Emma speaks to Alex Matheson from the LGBT Foundation about the charity’s Pride in Practice programme, which helps GP practices improve the experiences of LGBTQ+ people accessing primary care services.

In this conversation Alex talks about the health inequalities experienced by LGBTQ+ people, in particular around access to services and the discrimination some people experience, and how that ultimately impacts on outcomes for this group of patients.

She also explains how the Pride in Practice programme can help GP practices to improve the care for their LGBTQ+ people, including the importance of training for staff and recording patients’ sexual orientation and gender identity.

This episode is presented by GPonline editor Emma Bower and produced by Czarina Deen.

Useful links

The Pride in Practice programme

Hidden Figures: LGBT health inequalities in the UK - the LGBT Foundation’s report

Gender identity toolkit - developed by the Institute of General Practice Management in partnership with the LGBT Foundation

Monitoring sexual orientation and trans status

MIMS Learning's Tackling Health Inequalities campaign includes free CPD on transgender and LGBTQ+ healthcare

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Please note: In this episode, we mention that the RCGP allows four attempts at GP exams - but in fact the college allows five in exceptional cases.

The GPonline team looks at how much GPs are earning after figures for 2022/23 were published, as well as the uplift to this year’s GP contract and what that could mean for GP partner pay.

They also discuss a report from the Tony Blair Institute - a think tank set up by the former prime minister - about AI and the NHS and what that had to say about general practice.

And they talk about a legal ruling last week that could lead to a change in the rules for RCGP exam resists for GP registrars who are disabled.

Our good news story this week is about a group of practices who are downsizing their PCN.

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

●     Real-terms GP partner income fell 17% in 2022/23, official data reveal

●     GP contract uplift detail confirmed in updated statement of financial entitlement

●     Bring in AI doctors and strip GP practices of sole data controller role, says Blair think tank

●     Landmark legal ruling overturns exam resits rule for disabled GP registrars

●     Practices downsize to smaller PCN to sharpen localised, preventative care

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This week Emma speaks to GP and co-chair of the Society of Academic Primary Care Dr Duncan Shrewsbuy about the role academia has to play in primary care – both in terms of teaching and research.

Duncan explains why we need more research in primary care, how practices can get more in research or start smaller-scale research projects in their own practice, as well as some of the issues around sharing data from the GP patient record for large-scale research projects.

They also explain how changes to the way undergraduates are taught is starting to shift the perception of general practice among medical students and other branches of medicine and offer advice to GPs on how to develop a career in research or teaching.

Useful links

Society for Academic Primary Care

RCGP Research Ready information

More information on CPRD - Clinical Practice Research Datalink

RCGP sets out steps to achieve 'parity of esteem' for general practice

More than half of GP practices in England took part in clinical research last year

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This week Emma and Nick discuss the additional uplift to the GP contract for 2024/25, how it is being applied and what it means for GP practices, GP pay and staff salaries.

They also talk about the government’s emergency intervention that will see £82m added to the additional roles reimbursement scheme this year so that primary care networks can employ newly qualified GPs and what we know about how that will work.

And they look at this year’s GMC State of Medical Education and Practice report and what it tells us about how GPs feel about their job and the number of hours they work, as well as a new study in the British Journal of General Practice that says we need to move away from using ‘sessions’ as a way to define how many hours GPs work.

Our good news story this week is about very low calorie diets and diabetes remission.

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

Useful links

Global sum to rise 7.4% in 2024/25 as final detail of GP contract revealed

Contract uplift won't deliver promised 6% pay rise for GP partners, accountant warns

BMA warns GPs 'now is not the time to waver' over collective action

New GP model pilots could trap practices in PCN DES, says BMA

GP ARRS plan to start from October, NHS officials confirm

GP 'soup and shake' referrals put type 2 diabetes in remission for one in three patients

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