Family Doctors Launch Healthcare 'Vision'

Northern Ireland's GPs have unveiled their own, unique 10-year vision of how best to tackle healthcare challenges head on.

Seeking to provide patients with continued access to the best possible services, the general practitioners' document, 'The Future of General Practice" is a strategy, compiled jointly between the British Medical Association (BMANI) and the Royal College of General Practitioners in Northern Ireland (RCGPNI).

It examines current health service challenges such as diminishing resources and increasingly complex health needs of patients.

In addressing these challenges, family doctors promise to keep general practice patient-focused and at the heart of our health service.

A patient information leaflet entitled 'You and your GP' has also been developed to highlight central role that general practice has in healthcare.

Speaking at the launch in the Long Gallery, Stormont, Dr Brian Dunn, Larne GP and Chairman of the BMA's Northern Ireland general practitioner committee said: "Neither doctors nor patients alike can countenance a health service without general practice.

"Primary care is the cornerstone of the health service within the UK. It offers high quality care, and is constantly evolving to improve access and choice available to patients.

"This strategy offers the first genuine, strategic vision into how general practice can tackle challenges within our health system, whilst remaining focused its future development to ensure a high quality service to the benefit of patients," he said.

Dr David Johnston, Chairman of the RCGP in Northern Ireland added: "As a practicing GP and in my role as Chairman of RCGP in Northern Ireland, I regularly see examples of high quality healthcare, enthusiastic and innovated teams of staff, and satisfied patients.

"GPs deal with uncertainty on a daily basis; we are flexible and dynamic in terms of how we deliver our patient-focussed services.

"These core skills will ensure that general practice succeeds and that every patient will have access to high quality care, in their community, which really improves their health," he explained.

The foreword to the strategy has been written by the Stormont Minister for Health, Michael McGimpsey, who acknowledges the vital role that GP practices play in the delivery of front line primary health services in Northern Ireland.

To meet such challenges, GPs will continue to adhere to core values – key principles that ensure quality of service, value for money and an excellent patient experience.

Dr Dunn explained: "Not only are GPs the first point of contact for the majority of health problems, we provide ongoing care to patients and their families over many years.

"We want to see this continue, and believe that it is possible through actions such as continuing to improve service and accessibility, working in partnership with, for example, Trusts and Commissioners, and having sustained investment in premises, information technology and the primary care workforce as a whole," he explained.

Other innovative ways to ensure that GPs remain at the forefront of patient care were outlined by Dr Johnston, who said: "Within Northern Ireland, about 15% of all practices in Northern Ireland are single-handed (one GP), with 48% of practices having two or three GPs.

"There is therefore scope to improve the organisation of general practice, for example by practices working together in a federated approach.

"Education and research is central to the development of local health services, and we believe that general practice must take the lead in developing the capacity needed to undertake high quality, meaningful research in primary care, that can be translated into best practice."

(BMcC/GK)