Should clinical pharmacists play an increased role in General Practice? Absolutely, according to Ravi Sharma, a senior primary care pharmacist in the South East. In this episode, Ravi explains to Ben the contribution clinical pharmacists can make to patient care and makes it clear that they shouldn’t be seen as yet another drain on GP time and resources.
Do GP practices have to sacrifice their values if they want to grow in size? Not according to Sheinaz Stansfield who shares with Ben the remarkable story of how her Practice increased in size and used the power of social prescribing to positively impact on their patients’ lives.
This week Ben talks to Sheinaz Stansfield, Practice Manager at Oxford Terrace and Rawling Road Medical Group in Gateshead. The interview begins about achieving greater scale and how merging with another local practice secured their future. But when Sheinaz begins to explain the Practice’s approach to “social prescribing” we enter a world where a Christmas Lunch for vulnerable people and the organisation of a tea-dance become part of an even brighter future for the Practice and its patients.
Ben talks to Katie Slack, Practice Manager at Blue Dykes and Grassmoor Surgeries in Chesterfield about losing ten GPs over two year and how this crisis prompted them to employ other professionals and ultimately improve patient access, satisfaction and staff morale.
The tables are turned and Ben Gowland is interviewed about his latest White Paper, “Five Years to the End of General Practice?”.
The White Paper, which makes three recommendations designed to protect the future of General Practice, is underpinned by in-depth interviews with GPs and a survey of GPs across the country.
How three GP practices in St Austell merged, took on a failing practice and revolutionised the way General Practice was provided in the town; all in less than a year.
Ben Gowland talks to GP Dr Stewart Smith from St Austell Healthcare about snatching victory from the jaws of defeat and the radical redesign of GP services which resulted.