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Londonwide LMCs' Annual Conference calls for new models of care to stay true to the values of general practice and ease pressure on GPs

On 27 April 2017 we held our annual conference – ‘Under Pressure: stabilise, transform and sustain general practice for London’. The day provided a an opportunity for leaders in the profession to share their thoughts and insight, along with workshops on some of the important issues facing GPs and practice teams.

Keynote: Dr Michelle Drage, Chief Executive of Londonwide LMCs

Michelle argued in her keynote speech that form must follow function in new models of care based firmly on the values and tenets of general practice, saying:

“If we are to transform, then let us not do it at the expense of our values, or compassion for ourselves. Let it be a transformation based on the values and value of General Practice and not in the image of others who Just. Don’t. Get. It.”

Michelle’s other points included:

• There is an ongoing GP State of Emergency in the capital.
• Patients need community-based general practice supported by properly funded social care.
• Practices should have the autonomy to tailor services to meet their local population needs, especially in London.
• Multispeciality Community Providers (MCPs) should be a vehicle for GP and community-based medical, social and mental health services to focus on coordinating care delivery.
• There is no place for new models of care driven by political imperatives where providing ‘at scale’ takes up disproportionate resource and providing care comes in second place.
• And improving the experience of providing care should be added to the Triple Aim of improving patient experience, improving population health and reducing costs.

Agenda

Speakers on the day included (click link for full presentation):

• Chair's opening remarks - Dr Phil Hammond, writer, broadcaster, comedian and form GP
• General practice under pressure - Dr Michelle Drage, Chief Executive, Londonwide LMCs (presentation)
• London’s health - today and tomorrow - Dr Nav Chana, Chairman, National Assosiation of Primary Care (presentation)
• PPG - what’s the agenda? - Clarimed (group sketch)
• What really makes a difference: working under pressure? - Cath Bishop, Olympian and Diplomat (presentation)
• Place based care - more than general practice - Professor Graeme Betts, Managing Director, Adult Social Care, Buckinghamshire Local Authority (presentation)

Presentations from workshops are provided upon completion of the follow-up survey. 

Media coverage

Dr Drage’s speech was covered by the BMJ and GP Online and GP Online also ran coverage on a former RCGP chair’s warning that GP’s first priority must be their own health,  that future workplace planning must more closely match skill levels to patient needs and a claim by conference chair Dr Phil Hammond that the Tories are relaxed about health as they believe the election is already won.

Social media 

A number of attendees provided Twitter commentary on the day, which can be viewed on the hashtag #GPUnderPressure.

Last updated : 24 May 2017

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