Dr Copperfield is not impressed with the RCGP’s triumphalism in delivering the GP improvement plan
Here he goes, banging on about workload again, maybe if he wrote fewer blogs he’d have time to do his work har har etc etc.
Yes, but today I’d like to bung the RCGP into the mix. Because I found their announcement that they have been ‘awarded a significant one-year contract by NHS England to support delivery of the General Practice Improvement Programme by working with hundreds of GP practices across England, as part of the Primary Care Recovery Plan’ almost unaccountably irritating. Why might this be?
Is it the slightly smug and self-congratulatory tone of the announcement?
Is it because it feels like the RCGP has become an agent of the government?
Is it because the blurb contains sentences like: ‘Participating practices will benefit from on-site support from experienced and skilled facilitators as well as group-based learning sessions to facilitate peer to peer learning and sharing of experiences across practices’ – which I doubt will improve my practice, but may well change my views on euthanasia?
Is it the fact that the RCGP’s evident delight at winning a contract rather grates in the context of practices being generally underfunded, and losing enhanced service contracts specifically?
Is it that the announcement might seem to perpetuate the Pavlovian response among many grassroots GPs that the college is an Ivory Towers (aka irrelevant) organisation?
Probably all of the above. But most of all, it’s simply that a General Practice Improvement Programme implies that general practice, and therefore GPs, are the problem, and can be brought up to speed with a facilitator, seminar and PowerPoint. By appearing to collude with that view, the RCGP seems to miss the point that the real problem is a government that has continually underfunded and systematically dismantled general practice, and seems to ignore that fact that general practice doesn’t need improving; it needs rescuing from an unsustainable workload and an undermined position.
How about a college improvement programme? Lesson one: reading the room.
Dr Tony Copperfield is a GP in Essex
Spot on, Tone. The RCGP’s blurb made me want to trepan my skull. But, silver lining, if not corporate manslaughter for making GPs euthanise, then surely for murdering our language, they should be mopping floors at Wormwood Scrubs?
Totally agree – the detached RCGP continues to talk to its own ‘backside ‘ and assist rather than improve the ongoing fragmentation of Primary Care.
By the way -is any one able to deliver an RCGP improvement plan?
Does it come with a gong?
Re the reported RCGP verbiage-Improvement Plan: – Insanity in the midst of madness.
Needs disbanding a reorganisation and move its base to a cheaper city.Still will never get my money now ha ha ha.
RCGP relocates to Stockholm.
RCGP relocates to Stockholm…
Another spot on commentary. Yesterday my GP Registrar after completing his training told me he is going to Australia. No matter how many facilitators, workshops and powerpoints the RCGP uses, we will not retain these doctors unless we pay them properly.
The College should be focussed on the real reasons why UK GP is on the brink – not aiding and abetting this political gas-lighting while gleefully kneeing our profession in the groin
Allow GPs to charge £10 a consultation; patient demand will fall, GP availability will rise.
more gaslighting
GB population is sleepwalking
I totally agree that ‘it’s simply that a General Practice Improvement Programme implies that general practice, and therefore GPs, are the problem, and can be brought up to speed with a facilitator, seminar and PowerPoint.” When will we learn to let go of grants, funding, and awards to stand by the principle?