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.

21 October 2025

Scottish Government announcement on GP drop-in centres

The SNP announced plans to introduce 15 new drop-in centres, staffed by GPs and district nurses, at their Annual Conference in Aberdeen last week. RCGP Scotland Vice Chair Chris Williams featured in The Telegraph, The Times, STV Online, BBC Online, Daily Record, Edinburgh Evening News, The Herald and the Scottish Daily Mail outlining that it was unclear how this plan could be achieved with the current workforce constraints on Scottish general practice.

Chris also gave interviews to BBC Radio Scotland and STV News exploring workload and workforce constraints. A write up from this interview was featured in The Sun and it was cited during a political discussion on BBC One Scotland’s Debate Night.

NI Winter Health Plan

RCGPNI Chair Ursula Mason featured in The Irish News, as well as a range of regional publications via PA Media, responding to the NI Government’s plans for winter preparedness. Ursula also gave interviews to BBC Northern Ireland Sunday Politics and BBC Radio Ulster, raising her concerns that the Government had barely consulted with GPs on the winter plan, who will be crucial in its delivery, and highlighted the pressures facing general practice.

NHS App diagnosis

RCGP Chair Kamila Hawthorne featured in The Independent responding to reports from patients receiving diagnoses for major conditions through the NHS App or via text. Her comment outlined our concern that some patients are receiving diagnoses, distressing or sensitive news about their health remotely when this should be handled in person.

GP unemployment

We featured in Pulse and GPonline encouraging GPs to sign an open letter which will be sent to the Government, calling for a clear road map to train, recruit and retain GPs in the forthcoming Ten Year Workforce Plan.

Sign the joint letter to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care

Welsh manifesto

RCGP Wales secured coverage for the launch of their manifesto at RCGP Annual Conference, calling on the Senedd to take responsibility for GP partner premises liabilities, in GPonline.

Complaints against GPs

We secured coverage in Pulse responding to the 2024/25 data for complaints against the NHS, finding that number against GPs and general practice had reached a record high.

End of life care

GPonline covered the College’s ceremony at the Annual Conference for the joint RCGP and Marie Curie Daffodil Standards Awards for GPs providing outstanding end-of-life care.

Prostate cancer screening

Medscape did a write-up of a session on prostate cancer screening hosted at the RCGP Annual Conference.

13 October 2025

Annual Conference - GP workload

In advance of College Chair Kamila Hawthorne's address to delegates at the RCGP Annual Conference in Newport, we distributed a story via PA Media previewing the speech and new research from the College.

The data showed that nearly three-quarters of GPs reported that patient safety is being compromised by high workload, as well as widespread concerns over the new neighbourhood health services. Kamila used her speech to call for an increase in core GP funding and introduce a Primary Care Investment Standard which would sustain yearly funding increases, in order to support a shift of care from hospital to community.

The story secured coverage in The Telegraph, Daily Express, Daily Mail, Independent, GPonline, Healthcare Leader, Medscape, The BMJ and a range of regional titles. The news was also discussed on LBC News and Sky News Radio, for which Kamila gave a pre-recorded interview.

Kamila's speech was also covered by write-ups in GPonline and Pulse

Read the full speech

GP funding

We responded to the DHSC’s press release – which was placed exclusively with the Mirror – announcing the news that the Government will be conducting a six-month review of the Carr-Hill funding formula. Our contribution resulted in coverage in Pulse, GPonline, Nursing in Practice and Pharmacy Business explaining that a review of the funding formula has long been a policy ask of the College and the importance of addressing health inequalities.

Read our response

Minister of State for Care Stephen Kinnock MP then gave an address at the closing plenary on the first day of conference - covered by GPonline and Pulse – promoting the news.

Partnership model

A write up of RCGP President Richard Vautrey's address on the final day of conference featured in GPonline. Richard's speech explained the value of the partnership model for GPs and patients alike and celebrated the contributions that general practice makes to the NHS.

Continuity of care

RCGP Wales Chair Rowena Christmas's conversation with author Polly Morland on her book A Fortunate Woman, which is based on the experiences of Rowena, secured coverage in GPonline. The discussion centred on the value of continuity for patient care and the importance of the doctor/patient relationship.

PSA Testing

RCGP Scotland Vice Chair Chris Williams featured in Medscape commenting on the awareness and testing of high-risk groups for prostate cancer.

100km your way

RCGP Physical Activity Lead Hussain Al-Zabaidi featured across BBC Radio services with an interview on the charity Sport in Mind's 100km Your Way, encouraging people to become more active.