In the health news

Last year, the RCGP’s press team secured almost 20,000 media hits across print, broadcast and online outlets. The College regularly features in the news to be the voice for general practice on issues that matter to members, including GP workload and workforce, health inequalities and preventive health. We’re frequently quoted in articles covering wide-ranging clinical, health policy and wider societal issues. In the health news’ is our regular round-up of media coverage featuring the College and its spokespeople, and will be updated on a weekly basis.

10 March 2026 

Walk in clinics 

RCGP Scotland featured across the Daily Record and other Scottish print coverage such as the Herald and syndicated publications with a strong response to plans to expand GP walk-in clinics. Dr Chris Provan, Chair of the College in Scotland, warned that stand-alone clinics risk widening health inequalities and diverting funding from existing GP services. 

He stressed that improving access should focus on strengthening core general practice and community teams, rather than creating parallel services that could fragment care. 

Assisted dying 

The College in Scotland also featured in the Morning Star and The Herald (print) coverage on assisted dying legislation and concerns raised during parliamentary scrutiny. 

Weight-loss jabs (Mounjaro) 

The College featured in Pulse coverage examining the growing use of weight-loss medications such as Mounjaro. Vice Chair for Policy, Dr Munro Stewart, in response to reporting from the Select Committee, highlighted that while new treatments may benefit some patients, prescribing and monitoring must be clinically supervised and properly resourced to ensure patient safety and avoid shifting additional workload onto already stretched GP services. 

Jess’s rule 

The College featured in ITV News coverage on the Welsh campaign to improve care for patients with suspected endometriosis. 

Dr Rowena Christmas, Chair of RCGP Wales, emphasised the importance of timely recognition, clear referral pathways and improved support for patients experiencing diagnostic delays for conditions such as endometriosis. 

Private doctors  

RCGP data featured online on BBC News looking at the role of private doctors within the wider healthcare system.  

26 February 2026

GP contract

The College secured  coverage across Daily Mail and Telegraph, in response to the government’s announcement of the new GP contract. In her response College Chair Professor Chair Victoria Tzortziou Brown noted that while the details of the contract are for the BMA, as the doctors’ union, to negotiate, it does include some steps forward in tackling the workforce crisis in general practice, but much more needs to be done. 

You can read our statement here.

Health Foundation polling

The College featured in The Guardian (print and online), Daily Express, Daily Mail, and Healthcare Leader defending GPs after Health Foundation polling showed that some patients are not   contacting their GP surgery because they think they’d be unable to get an appointment. Victoria explained that GPs are just as frustrated as patients when they can’t access the care they need. She highlighted how improving access to general practice remains top of the public’s list of priorities for the NHS, and the only way to address this is with investment and support for general practice and GPs. 

You can read our statement here.

Walk in clinics

The College in Scotland featured in coverage across The Herald (print), BBC News, The Scotsman and a number of local outlets in response to plans for new walk-in GP clinics. Dr Chris Provan, RCGP Scotland Chair, cautioned that while improving access is vital, stand-alone walk-in models risk duplicating existing services and diverting funding from core general practice.

Dr Chris Williams also spoke live on BBC Radio, stressing that investment would be better directed towards strengthening existing GP teams and community services to deliver sustainable improvements in access and continuity of care.

Assisted dying

The College in Scotland also featured in The Pharmaceutical Journal and The Herald coverage on assisted dying legislation in Scotland. We reiterated our established position on assisted dying, emphasising the need for careful ethical consideration, robust safeguards for clinicians, and protection of patient trust, while recognising the sensitivity and complexity of the debate for GPs.

Weight loss jabs

The College featured in Daily Mail and The Pharmaceutical Journal coverage following a Health and Social Care Select Committee session in Parliament on weight management.

At the committee Dr Munro Stewart, College Vice Chair for Policy, stressed that obesity treatment must be integrated, clinically supervised and properly resourced to ensure patient safety and avoid shifting responsibility onto already stretched GP practices.

Joint report launch with the Patients Association

Our new College report launched today brings together GP and patient voices to call for the NHS to be easier to navigate - as well as improving access to GP care and continuity.

We secured widespread national coverage across The Telegraph (print and online), The Times, The Independent, LBC (radio and online), Sky News Radio, Doctors.net, Daily Express, i paper, Daily Mail, and syndicated regional outlets following an exclusive Press Association interview with College Chair Prof Victoria Tzortziou Brown.

Victoria emphasised the report’s findings that too many patients feel like the NHS is a ‘maze’, as well as highlighting how much GP time is also spent on bureaucracy. She also stressed the need for more GPs in order to improve patient access to services.

Read the full release and report here.

Weight loss drug incentives

The College secured extensive coverage across Press Association, Daily Mail, Pulse, BBC News, BBC Radio, Sky News, Heart, Smooth Radio, and syndicated regional outlets in response to new measures in the GP contract to promote obesity support and weight loss drugs.

In her comment Victoria stressed that while long-overdue investment in general practice is welcome, GPs do not withhold treatment or prescribe based on financial incentives. She highlighted that while medications can play a role in managing obesity, they must be rolled out carefully to support safety, effectiveness and capacity.

13 February 2026

ADHD

The College has featured in the Financial Times examining shared care arrangements for ADHD patients diagnosed privately, amid rising demand and long NHS waiting lists. Adrian Hayter, Medical Director for Clinical Policy, is quoted making clear that when shared care is not properly resourced, it can create significant capacity, workforce and safety pressures for GP practices already under intense strain.

Gut health and ageing

The College featured in a BBC News ‘In Depth’ piece on gut health, amid growing public interest in microbiome testing and diet-based interventions for long-term health. Whilst she was still College Chair, Kamila Hawthorne spoke to the BBC, making clear that whilst research being conducted in this areas is positive, it is still developing and stressing that good health and healthy ageing are shaped by multiple factors. 

Calls for primary care investment

RCGPNI featured in UTV coverage highlighting how poor access to GP services can lead to avoidable hospital admissions, particularly for older patients. RCGPNI Chair Ursula Mason stressed that underinvestment in community care is putting patients at risk and increasing pressure on hospitals, reinforcing the need for proper resourcing of general practice to deliver care where patients need it most.

6 February 2026

Statins research

The College appeared across national and regional media commenting on a major new study in The Lancet, indicating the potential side effects of statins may not be as severe as thought. RCGP Chair,  Victoria Tzortziou Brown was quoted by ITV News, the Daily Mail, the Independent, LBC, the Mirror, and the Telegraph - as well as by Press Association, leading to regional and online coverage.

Victoria says the study should be reassuring for patients considering statins - but makes clear that whilst they can be beneficial, they won't be appropriate for all patients.

NHS Scotland Waiting Lists

RCGP Scotland vice chair, Chris Williams, was quoted by BBC News on NHS Scotland waiting times, reinforcing College concerns that long delays in secondary care are pushing additional monitoring and follow-up work into general practice, with a direct impact on GP workload and patient access.

BBC Breakfast Scotland also featured the story, reflecting on how a growing proportion of GP time is now spent managing patients waiting for specialist appointments, reducing capacity to see new patients, triage new presentations, and manage chronic disease.

NHS Health Checks

The College was quoted in a Pulse story, which was picked up by Press Association, leading to national and regional coverage including in The Independent, highlighting concerns that NHS Health Checks are being limited by funding caps in more than 70 areas.

Victoria notes that that inconsistent commissioning risks undermining prevention efforts and leaving patients confused about access to checks designed to reduce cardiovascular risk.

GP IT Systems

Digital Health has highlighted RCGP Scotland’s call for urgent action to modernise GP IT systems, Chris is quoted warning that outdated and fragmented systems are wasting clinical time, increasing workload and posing risks to patient safety, and called for sustained investment in modern, interoperable IT.