Abstract
In this update the authors have concentrated on the evolving nature of the Primary Health Care team. The team is critical in delivering effective and responsive care and accounts for most of the expenses in terms of GP finances. GP practices have been hit with the twin issues of decreasing resources and increasing difficulties in recruiting GPs (either as salaried GPs or partners). This has lead to increased use of GP locums. At the time we update this there is a global pandemic where we are coming down off the second peak. The UK and our NHS is first in the world to offer a vaccine. The ability to deliver against this has been through the formation of Primary Care Networks (PCNs) varying in size upward of over 30,000 patients within the NHS in England. This is about to be tested as the vehicle to respond in offering vaccinations from a community setting. Increasingly policy makers and practices are looking to skill mix as a solution with increased use of nurse practitioners, physician assistants, healthcare assistants and pharmacists. This update offers an opportunity to reflect on how the strength in primary care comes from the collective collaboration to address unprecedented challenges across society at large. Whilst there is certainty that we will overcome the pandemic, at the time of editing this we lack clarity on the Brexit arrangements when employing GPs from abroad. This will become clearer over time. We hope you have a welcome break to refresh your knowledge on this.
With warm wishes
Mo, Niraj, Junaid
From the HOPM team
Let us know what you like and dislike about the handbook so that we can do our best to continue to make it a useful and meaningful aid to managing your practice. Our aim is to provide a more flexible format that can adapt to the ever-changing environment of primary care within days, or even hours, of those changes becoming known. Contact Sarah Larkin, SAGE Publications, 1 Oliver’s Yard, 55 City Road, London EC1Y 1SP, Ⓕ 020 7324 8600; Ⓔ