GP practice improvement: A facilitator's guide to better patient care

Starting work with a new GP practice always brings a mix of nerves and excitement. Will the team be receptive? Are they too busy to engage? Thankfully, I've consistently found practice teams to be incredibly welcoming and genuinely keen to get started on improvement work.

Those first conversations over a cup of tea or coffee aren't just pleasantries - they're essential for building trust and understanding. Before diving into assessments and paperwork, we take time to get to know each other. This relaxed approach helps everyone feel comfortable and sets the stage for productive collaboration. Understanding where practices stand today

During our initial sessions, I introduce teams to the Online Support Tool, which houses the Assessment Tool for Modern General Practice (ATMGP) and the Summary of Achievement document (SOA). The ATMGP is essentially an online questionnaire that explores key areas like patient access, demand management, and capacity planning.

This assessment helps identify genuine opportunities for improvement whilst the SOA brings everything together, creating a comprehensive picture of the practice's journey throughout the improvement programme. These tools give me valuable insight into how the practice operates and often reassure teams about what lies ahead.

Lightbulb moments and quick wins

One of the most rewarding aspects of this work is witnessing those 'lightbulb moments' when teams suddenly realise how much excellent work they're already doing and spot exciting opportunities for the future. Through hands-on facilitation, discussions, observation, and process mapping exercises, we identify practical areas for improvement. Some of the quick wins I've seen include:

• Adding helpful links to practice websites or telephone messages
• Installing QR codes in waiting rooms to help patients access the NHS App
• Updating communication policies and procedures
• Creating staff champion roles to support key focus areas

Real results: the power of process mapping

These small changes often spark motivation and energy within the team. One memorable experience involved a practice's repeat prescription process. By mapping the system, the team uncovered bottlenecks that were not initially obvious. Weeks later, I was astounded to hear they had addressed all issues, optimised medication management, and completed all outstanding reviews, a mammoth task for any practice.

Understanding the challenges GP practices face

This improvement programme has given me tremendous insight into the real challenges practices face around access, capacity, and demand. I genuinely empathise with teams who feel they're already doing everything possible with their available tools and resources to support patient needs.

The satisfaction comes from showing them that by fine-tuning existing systems and workflows, and developing new ways of working, they can reduce duplication, improve efficiency, enhance patient access, and boost staff morale.

The reward of making a difference

It's incredibly rewarding when, after just a couple of visits, a practice lead tells you they're excited about the programme and can already see its value. These moments remind me why facilitation work is such a privilege.

I leave every practice feeling inspired, knowing that even small interventions can create significant impact. Every lightbulb moment and positive change reinforces why being a facilitator is such a meaningful and rewarding role.

RCGP resources

• Practice level support
• Mutual benefit in general practice - a blog post written by Dr Huw Miles.