The Health Foundation (an independent charity aiming to improve healthcare) has recently published a report entitled “The Challenge and Potential of Whole System Flow” which is about the coordination of all systems and resources, across a health and social care economy. This week Ben talks to Penny Pereira, one of the report’s authors, about why flow is important and, particularly, why it is relevant to general practice.

The second in our occasional series looking at the role of physician associates addresses the broader national picture as well as containing some useful advice for general practice on how to find and attract PAs. This week Ben talks to Jeannie Watkins, President and Chair of the Professional Standards Sub-Committee at the Faculty of Physician Associates at the Royal College of Physicians. You can also listen to our first podcast in this series, where Ben talks with two current physician associates about their role, here.

Leg Clubs are an innovative way of treating people with leg ulcers. Patients with leg problems become members of a club, which meets in a community setting and provides a mix of clinical interventions and social support. Amanda Brookes, an NHS manager from Wiltshire, has introduced a Leg Club into general practice and, in this podcast, explains to Ben how the club works and some of the astounding results they have delivered.

Mark Newbold is managing director of Our Health Partnership, a super partnership of 32 GP practices in Birmingham covering a population of 280,000. This is the third time we’ve checked in with Mark to talk about OHP’s progress and he tells Ben about their in-house locum system, quality support for practices, new locality structure and potential growth. Our first podcast with Mark can be accessed here and our second (from May 2016) can be accessed here.

Ria Agarwal and Andy King are both physician’s associates, a role which remains controversial in general practice. In our latest podcast we begin an occasional series about this role by talking to Ria and Andy about the scope of their role, their route into becoming PAs and their contribution to the practices in which they work.

Jennifer Skillen is the Chair of the Patient Participation Group at Romney House Surgery in Tetbury, Gloucestershire. Jennifer is introducing a range of technical solutions to the thorny issue of how to positively engage patients in general practice. She tells Ben about the “virtual” PPG and its impact on the surgery.

Laura Sharpe and Paula Beare work for the successful City and Hackney GP Confederation which is formed of 43 GP practices. In this podcast they explain to Ben how they gained GP commitment to the confederation, how the confederation operates and the ambitious plans they have for the future.

In his latest audioblog Ben Gowland calls on GP leaders in CCGs to make sure the GP Forward View money makes its way to general practice. He believes that the door is open and, as CCGs begin to disappear, it is one way that GP leaders can ensure their legacy.

Rajiv is a potential GP of the future and, as a doctor in training, he has been involved in a number of fascinating initiatives including a student-led research model. He gives Ben his views on the challenges facing medicine today including the new junior doctors’ contract and how he believes this affects the choices that junior doctors make. He also explains the student-led research model and how this has inspired him and other doctors in training.

This is the final episode in our short series of podcasts looking at the changes that can have the highest impact on general practice. In this episode we look at how CCGs can better support general practice.

Based on our work with CCGs across the country Ben looks at what CCGs need to do as part of their GP Forward View plans which must be in place by December 23rd. He suggests ways in which CCGs can get general practice on board and warns against a number of things they should avoid doing.

This podcast links in to our new book “The Future of General Practice: Real Life Case Studies of Innovation and New Ways of Working” which is available to order from our website here.

This is the third in our short series of podcasts looking at the highest impact changes practices can make to help them manage the current crises in general practice and prepare for the future. In this episode look at the new models of care and how they might impact on general practice. Based on our work with practices across the country Ben looks at the benefits of the new models, the risks and how, practically, practices should approach partnerships. This podcast links in to our new book “The Future of General Practice: Real Life Case Studies of Innovation and New Ways of Working” which is available to pre-order from our website here. If you order before October 10th you’ll get 20% off the recommended retail price.

This is the second in a short series of podcasts looking at the highest impact changes practices can make to help them manage the current crises in general practice and prepare for the future. In this episode Ben Gowland talks about operating at scale; what is it? What are the benefits? And, practically, how can you do it?

Ben’s analysis is based in part on the various case studies that Ockham Healthcare has developed from across the country. This podcast links in to our new book “The Future of General Practice: Real Life Case Studies of Innovation and New Ways of Working” which is available to pre-order from our website here. If you order before October 10th you’ll get 20% off the recommended retail price.

This is the first in a short series of podcasts looking at the highest impact changes practices can make to help them manage the current crises in general practice and prepare for the future. In this episode Ben Gowland talks about the introduction of new clinical roles into general practice, based in part on the various case studies that Ockham Healthcare has developed from across the country. The series links in to our new book “The Future of General Practice: Real Life Case Studies of Innovation and New Ways of Working” which will shortly be available from our website www.ockham.healthcare

Dr Robin Miller is a Senior Fellow at the Health Services Management Centre of the University of Birmingham. He has been researching the relationships between general practice and social workers and has gained interesting insights into how this relationship has struggled in the past and how it might develop in the future. In our thirtieth podcast he explains all to Ben.

A fascinating episode this week with Dr Tracey Vell, LMC lead in Greater Manchester. Greater Manchester is one of six areas working on a draft of the MCP contract and Tracey tells Ben about the progress being made, about the incentives for local GPs to get involved and about the surprising levels of engagement amongst GPs across the area.

In the final episode of our short series of podcasts on GP Locum Chambers, Ben talks to Richard Fieldhouse, Chairman of the National Association of Sessional GPs and one of the first GPs to set up a locum chambers. A number of challenging questions from listeners about locum GPs and chambers have arisen during our series of podcasts and Ben puts these more difficult questions to Richard.

Ben talks to Jenny Stone, an accountant with a firm which has considerable experience in advising and supporting practices through mergers. She explains the steps that practices have to take and exposes some of the hidden difficulties that merging practices can experience.

The MCP contract framework is raising a number of questions in general practice. Ben thinks it has more important implications than the GP Forward View and is keen to explain why.

Ben talks to the third of our GPs working in locum chambers. Charlotte Hattersley has managed to develop the ideal life – a portfolio career in the English Lake District. She tells Ben how she has achieved this, how GP locum chambers have helped and how the common perception of locums is all wrong.

Ben talks to Maureen Baker, Chair of the RCGP and Megan Stodel, Senior Research Officer at the RCGP on the financial analysis they undertook on the GP Forward View. The discussion unpacks some of the headline financial commitments in the GPFV and tries to establish how much will be coming to who and when.

Ben talks to Rebecca Rosen, a GP and author of a new report from the Nuffield Trust called “Is Bigger Better? Lessons for large-scale general practice”. They discuss the benefits of working at scale including the impact on staff and patients and the surprisingly limited impact on quality. Rebecca also has advice for practices thinking of working at greater scale and for CCGs who are supporting the development of General Practice.

Caroline Chill was a GP partner for 24 years before leaving in 2012 to pursue a portfolio career. Intending to locum only as a “stop gap” she discovered and joined her local locum GP chambers and has now worked through the chambers for four years. She tells Ben about how the chambers works for her and how it has allowed her to regain her enthusiasm for medicine.

Ben talks to Ruth Robertson one of the authors of a new King’s Fund report on GP involvement in clinical commissioning and the roles of CCGs. The report is the culmination of four years’ research working with six CCGs. They discuss relationships between GPs and CCGs, avoiding conflicts of interest and the likely future for clinical commissioning.

Charmi Rogers is a Paramedic Practitioner working in a GP Practice in Haywards Heath. In this podcast she tells Ben how her role in dealing with on-the-day demand has grown and the consequent impact on the practice and its GPs. Also, in a first for the Ben Gowland Podcast, she answers four questions posed by you, the listeners, via Twitter.