General Practitioners at the Deep End
The GPs at the Deep End Steering
Group developed as a result of work
undertaken by the RCGP Scotland Health Inequalities Short Life
Working Group (established June 2008) to produce a comprehensive,
evidence-based report addressing Scotland’s continuing problem of
inequalities in health.
Prior to developing the report it was agreed that engaging with
the GPs who operate at the frontline of healthcare was
necessary to form a firm evidence-base. As such, an event was
organised in September 2009 entitled General Practitioners at
the Deep End: what can general practices in deprived areas do to
improve their patients health?
GPs at the Deep End Meeting September 2009
This meeting was held on 16 September 2009 in
Glasgow and attended by the top 100 most deprived
practices in Scotland and a further 15 rural practices with pockets
of severe deprivation. All practices were given the
opportunity to participate at the meeting, irrespective of their
RCGP membership status.
Why
the Top 100? (Word 66 KB)
The meeting was planned by a team comprising
Professor Graham Watt (Section of General Practice and Primary Care
at Glasgow University), Andrew Lyon (Converger, International
Futures Forum), Dr Alan McDevitt (Glasgow LMC), Professor Stewart
Mercer (Section of General Practice and Primary Care at Glasgow
University) and Paul Alexander, Policy and Commitee Co-ordinator,
RCGP Scotland.
The event identified some key issues and pressure points for
those GPs who operate in the most deprived areas of Scotland.
Feedback from those who attended was resoundingly positive
and the sense of solidarity and feeling of progress from the
participating GPs was tangible.
As a result of this unprecedented meeting, and the gathered
momentum among the GPs who attended the event, the GPs at
the Deep End Steering Group was formed to address the
issues raised.
A full report of the meeting can be
accessed here in addition to other reports produced by the steering
group.
Contact information and details of
forthcoming events can be accessed here