Dr Mary McCarthy: New contracts focus on teamwork

In recent years GPs have increasingly come under pressure, doing their best to meet rising demand as a decade of underinvestment and a significant recruitment and retention crisis has left many feeling exhausted. Therefore, this contract was an important chance to make some much needed improvements to the working landscape for family doctors.

Indeed, one of the main takeaways from the contract was a larger focus on team working and collaboration. Most GP surgeries now rely on a variety of clinical and non-clinical staff to help to run an effective service. We have practice nurses, pharmacists, health care assistants, care co-ordinators, practice managers, secretaries, receptionists and cleaners to make sure that practices deliver high quality care to their patients and to enable doctors to work safely.

In fact, we would not function without them.

They are also suggesting that practices should have more help by aiding the employment of allied health professionals. What most GPs would like is more district nurses and health visitors and, though they are not on the approved list yet, there is the hope that they may be added some time in the future.

District nurses based in GP practices would be a real help. We visit the same patients at home for the same problems and better communication and coordination would provide smoother and safer care for frail and elderly patients.

Commenting on the GP contract, the chair of the BMA GP committee, Dr Vautrey said: “This package sets us on the road to rebuilding not only general practice but also the wider primary health care team”

Another idea that the government is promoting is social prescribing. I feel they could find a better name for this. Prescribing sounds like it’s a medical solution to a problem, where, in fact, it is just the opposite. It’s providing contacts with local voluntary organisations that will encourage people to take part in social activities. Shropshire has an abundance of volunteer groups which cater for a huge variety of specialist interests.

In our practice two care coordinators signpost patients to groups like Age Concern, Alzheimer’s Disease Society, Alcoholics Anonymous and many, many more. There are societies that focus on the environment, on libraries, on art, on children, on education or on animals which all provide a wealth of resources and expertise to those who join them. Societies are generous with their time and their skills and all of them welcome new members.

Our communities are full of possibilities and we can make most of these ourselves. Team work helps us to make life easier and better for everyone.

* Dr Mary McCarthy has worked at Belvidere Surgery in Shrewsbury for more than 20 years. She is chairman of the local medical committee and represents Shropshire, North Staffordshire and South Staffordshire on the General Practitioners Committee of the BMA.