GP of the Year Announced
RCGP Scotland has awarded
the very first ‘GP of the Year’ and ‘Practice Team of the Year’
accolades at a Gala Awards evening on the 5 December in Edinburgh.
These unique new awards recognise excellence in General Practice
and celebrate the outstanding contribution of GPs and Practice
Teams across Scotland. The black tie event was attended by VIPs
from the College, the Scottish Government and fellow healthcare
organisations, including key members of the Health and Sport
Committee of the Scottish Parliament.
‘GP of the Year’ is a patient nominated
award which allows patients to nominate their GP in their own
words. The winning GP was Dr. May Walker-Love from
Cumbernauld Medical Practice, nominated by her patient Mrs Sheik,
who said:
“Dr. Walker-love has been a pillar of strength
for us, because of her caring and empathetic manner. She went out
of her way to help us organise everything from health visitors,
nurses, hospice care and also contacted another family whose child
had the same rare condition as my own. I can honestly say that
without her help coping would have been far more of a challenge.
She did and continues to do whatever is humanly possible to ease
our burden.”
The awards have been created by Dr Ken Lawton,
Chair of RCGP Scotland, in order to highlight the excellent quality
of care in General Practice across Scotland. Dr Lawton believes
that:
‘Quality of patient care is a priority for GPs in
Scotland and it is important to recognise the success stories of
General Practice at its best. Creating the opportunity for patients
to nominate their GP for an award gives us an important insight to
the dedication of grassroots GPs who play an important role not
only in treatment, but as a valuable member of the community.’
The Gala also raised over £2000 for Depression
Alliance Scotland. Director of the charity Ilena Day said:
“Depression Alliance Scotland are absolutely
delighted with this donation from a great new event. It was very
heartwarming to hear the patient stories first hand and I’m
positive this work will go from strength to strength.”
Enquiries:
Josie Westley at jwestley@rcgp-scotland.org.uk
or 0131 260 6801.
0712/09
Double Celebration as Bruntsfield Medical
Practice Receives the 100th QPA Award
Dr Ken Lawton, Chair of RCGP
Scotland, was on hand to present the 100th Quality
Practice Award plaque to the Bruntsfield Medical Practice on
26th November. To date, 84 practices in Scotland have
been successfully awarded the QPA with 16 gaining re-accreditation,
an excellent achievement for both the Bruntsfield Medical Practice
and general practice in Scotland as a whole. This is the second
time that the Bruntsfield Medical Practice has been awarded the
QPA, having first achieved the award (which is valid for 5 years)
in 2002. Dr Lawton said, “It is a great achievement for Bruntsfield
Practice to receive the QPA award for a second time, all members of
the practice team should be extremely proud”.
The busy Edinburgh based
practice, comprises eight GPs, a Practice Nursing Team and a group
of front of house and practice management staff. Bruntsfield is an
excellent example of a modern medical practice that has embraced
the arrival of new computer systems, electronic records and
prescribing. The ethos of the practice is to constantly strive for
excellence in continuity care and lack of complacency.
To have reached a total of
100 awards across Scotland is a major achievement for QPA which
continues to go from strength to strength. An avid supporter of the
Quality Practice Award, Dr Ken Lawton said, “quality has always
been high on the agenda of GPs in Scotland and RCGP Scotland
recognises this with the Quality Practice Award for those that
reach the highest standards”.
Note for editors - QPA
Background
The Quality Practice Award
was first conceived in Scotland in 1996 by GPs from North-East
Scotland as a practice-wide version of Fellowship by Assessment
(FBA). QPA was designed to recognise the commitment of the entire
practice team in providing quality of care for patients and staff.
Set at a very high standard, the award is an excellent benchmark to
set General Practice as the cornerstone of primary care.
For more information on QPA
please visit the  QPA
Website
Enquiries:
Josie Westley at jwestley@rcgp-scotland.org.uk
or 0131 260 6801.
12/12/08
 Back to
Top
Christmas Aid from RCGP
Scotland
On
9th December RCGP Scotland held a lunch event for
Edinburgh Women’s Aid, a refuge service for women and children
suffering from domestic abuse. The refuge provides temporary, safe
accommodation along with other crucial services such as counseling.
Staff at RCGP Scotland bought at least one Christmas present for a
mother or a child at the refuge. A gigantic bag of presents was
then presented to the charity.
Dr. Ken Lawton, Chair of the college in Scotland said:
“This year, instead of buying traditional ‘secret santa’ gifts for
each other, the staff at RCGP Scotland opted to give to Edinburgh
Women’s Aid. This is an immensely worthy cause, and I’m delighted
that we as a College have taken part. During the presentation of
gifts the Women’s Aid guests gave an overview of the turbulent
experiences some of the families have, particularly during the
festive season. This was a real eye-opener and makes all the staff
at RCGP Scotland very happy to be able to support this invaluable
charity.”
Notes for
editor - RCGP Background
The Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) is the academic
organisation in the UK for general practitioners. Its aim is
to encourage and maintain the highest standards of general medical
practice and act as the ‘voice’ of general practitioners on
education, training and issues around standards of care for
patients.
The College in Scotland came into existence in 1953 (one year after
the UK College), when a Scottish Council was created to take
forward the College’s interests within the Scottish Health Service.
After a number of years of increased activity (and political
devolution in Scotland), the College bought premises in 25 Queen
Street, Edinburgh, in 1999 to house its expanding Scottish
operation.
Enquiries
Josie Westley at jwestley@rcgp-scotland.org.uk
or 0131 260 6801.
12/12/08
Back to Top
|