Horrific events around the world continue, industrial action not resolved for junior doctors and the BMA referendum for GPs showing much dissatisfaction. Alongside cut backs in every aspect of healthcare make for a really challenging time. Even with this, I am still inspired by my wonderful colleagues who continue to come into the surgery with such energy and positivity as they know the changes being made in our practice are to help patients, make it a better working environment and to make us a better team. I am incredibly lucky to have such a great team and also recognise the toll the work takes on them. Identifying areas of gratitude is something which may well be considered cheesy by many but having seen patients experiencing the most hideous of situations share the things for which they are hugely grateful is definitely inspiring. Finding gratitude for what we do have seems like one of the most important but hardest skills of all.
Giving feedback is something which we have been told some aspects of how to cover well but I am not sure I have come across recommendations on receiving feedback before. The CoACH approach from Dr Jane Fryer therefore is really interesting and challenging. It can be easy to be in quite a passive mindset when receiving feedback – it is being done to. However, being open to that feedback is so much more powerful than simply deciding if it is right or not and will inevitably offer more personal growth.
How confident are you with consulting by telephone or video? We had always spoken to patients on the phone but the pandemic brought along a seismic shift in virtual consultations, for which there has been a certain amount of concern too. For me each has its place. With such a pressure on access, moving towards a triage process seems a sensible next step too. In order to do this well, it is important to carefully consider the different skills needed. This way of working will come easily to some, but naturally be more challenging for others. Is peer learning sufficient or does there need to be something more formalised. The article by Dr King et al discusses these issues and offers some pointers to consider for video consulting.
An area which is much less discussed than ought to be, is covered in the article by Drs Woodhead and Hibberd – Sexual health in people with a learning or intellectual disability. Anyone who has done an annual health check should be considering this aspect. However, it is not unusual for it to be considered as unnecessary and an assumption made there would not be any sexual activity. There are many complexities for consideration for this conversation. As always, capacity must be assumed for all. There is a responsibility on us to help reduce stigma and empower our patients to make informed choices to live fulfilled lives. We also know that people with an intellectual disability are incredibly vulnerable and consideration of being more likely to experience sexual abuse or exploitation is essential. This can make it a difficult line to walk.
You may have already seen the April Special Issue which is focusing on Global Primary Care. What does this mean to you? Is it something you already feel interested by and would like to explore more or perhaps not really thought about but slightly curious. A good friend is a family doctor in San Francisco and I always find it fascinating to understand the different ways healthcare is set up, patient expectations and how it feels as a healthcare professional there. Without question just because something works well elsewhere it doesn’t mean we can automatically set up the same service in the UK and it will be as successful. However, I think we can learn much from different approaches especially looking at addressing the health inequalities affecting our populations. As GPs in training there are many opportunities for exchanges and working with WONCA (World Organisation of family Doctors) there are lots of networks to explore, as described by Ramsay et al. If this is something which you think you could be interested in it is worth starting the conversations early as they will be in great demand.
Having recently been to Denmark I was delighted to read Richard’s fantastic editorial, Hygge, this month, I genuinely believe that it is crucial to look for the joy in what we do and there is much to learn from the happiest GPs in the world!
Single Best Answer
General practitioner trainees in the United Kingdom have reported receiving limited formal education on global health.
When considering global primary care training, what are the MAJOR global primary care challenges? Select ONE option only.
A. Cardiovascular diseases and diabetes
B. Infectious diseases and emergency care
C. Mental health and substance abuse
D. Multiple chronic conditions, health of migrant people and primary care system strengthening
E. Paediatric care and geriatric care
Answer DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/17557380241233133e
