Yesterday we had the pleasure of hosting a roundtable with Dr Simon Opher MP.

With significant pressure placed on primary care services and the Government’s push towards community-centred care, we gathered industry leaders, GPs, and MPs to discuss what needs to change to best deliver this shift.

What might work?

There is a substantial role that can be played by pharmacists, dentists, optometrists, and other providers in primary care but rarely are they integrated together effectively.

GPs and industry representatives all agreed on the need for a joined-up system of primary care, with clear communication enabling providers to signpost accessible, no-cost services available to patients beyond their GP practice.

Our key takeaways:

• We all agree that GPs play an essential role in the health care system. The central hub of support, with a provider who can piece together a patient’s full care history, is crucial for linking up clinical care.

• Wider use of Pharmacy First would relieve further pressure on GPs (so long as its signposted correctly) and the framework for the service could be mimicked for optometry.

• Successfully reforming primary care should allow patients increased access to the appropriate support in the right places; we debated whether there was scope to have community pharmacy as the official front door of primary care.

• Managing high demand for care must look beyond increasing provider supply. Providing effective education on how to navigate care effectively, including self-care is essential for managing patient demand.

With speculation bubbling about what will and won’t be included in the 10-year health plan, do we need a primary care strategy to enable this change? What are your thoughts on the bullets above?

Grateful to have spent the afternoon around a table of committed changemakers.

If you’re interested in coming to similar events, please get in touch with Associate Partner, Emma Turnbull [email protected]