The General Practice Podcast

Join Ben this week as he explores the cutting-edge implementation of autonomous patient triage in general practice with esteemed guests, Jake Kennerson, at The Groves Medical Centre and Elango Vijaykumar, at NHS Surrey Heartlands. Over the course of this episode, Jake and Elango share their experiences with Rapid Health, a revolutionary triage tool that has transformed their practices. They descri...

Should GPs be added to the Additional Role Reimbursement Scheme? Join Ben & Tara Humphrey from THC Primary Care, as they dissect the details of the new funding scheme specifically allocated for GPs and its potential impact on PCNs. Tara shares her insights on learning from past experiences, avoiding resource dilution, and the practicalities of financial feasibility. Together, they look at the rece...

Join Ben for his first episode back as he talks with Adrian Down & Darren Altus, as they explore the fascinating journey of K2 Healthcare. They focus on the strategic approach to healthcare model implementation, emphasising the importance of tailoring funding and structure around a predefined model. Explore the methods of measuring success, the feedback loop from clinicians, and the long term impa...

Join Ben as he explores the evolving role of pharmacists in general practice, with special guests Ruhina Kassam & Mahmud Mamayusupov from Clinical Pharmacist Solutions. They share insights on the push for pharmacists to become prescribers, emphasising the importance of this shift to meet increasing healthcare demands. Ruhina & Mahmud introduce the DPP Finder service, designed to connect pharmacist...

Join us as we welcome Judy Oliver and Charlotte Cummings from Oliver and Company to discuss the fascinating journey and evolution of integrated neighbourhood teams. Judy and Charlotte share invaluable insights on customising the program to bring together community services, social care, general practice, mental health, and the voluntary sector, emphasising the critical importance of strong inter-p...

In this week's episode, brought to you in partnership with Practice Index, we welcome Adrian Down, the managing partner at Caythorpe & Ancaster Medical Practice. Adrian shares his fascinating journey from a high-paying role in a multinational firm to becoming a practice manager in general practice. He reflects on his transition and discusses the dynamics of equality within his practice partnership...

Join us this week as Ben welcomes Dr. Steph Cook and Dr. Jennifer Greenlaw to discuss the groundbreaking concept of women's health hubs. Steph and Jennifer are both experienced GPs with a focus on women's health, and share their innovative work in Liverpool and Manchester. Discover how these hubs bring together existing services to provide comprehensive care, reducing the need for multiple appoint...

Robert McCartney, an associate at Hemsons, is back again, as they explore his recent work on PCNs and integrated neighbourhood teams. Robert shares his insights into the complexities of creating legal constructs for these collaborations, emphasising the importance of contractual agreements with community services and third parties like pharmacies and charities.  Ben & Robert also touch on the broa...

Join us in this enlightening episode as we reconnect with Dr. Donal Collins, to explore innovative approaches to managing type 2 diabetes. Through shared decision-making, whether it's dietary changes or new medications, we discuss how managing insulin and energy intake can shrink fat cells and reduce inflammation. Donal & Ben explore the strategic decision-making required at various levels—individ...

Join us for an insightful conversation with Dr Christian Hornung, who wears many hats in the realm of primary care. Listen in as we explore a strategic energy savings initiative that began within a PCN and blossomed into a national success story. With the help of an energy consultant, healthcare practices, pharmacies, charities, and private hospitals have achieved significant financial savings.  C...

Join Ben this week, as we celebrate the 400th episode of the General Practice Podcast, by tackling the intricate landscape of the 2024-2025 period for general practices. In this solo episode, Ben discusses the challenges brought on by the continuation of the five-year GP contract with added cuts, addressing issues such as below-inflation pay growth and heightened cost pressures.  Listen in as Ben...

Join us for a fascinating exploration with Agnes Kasprowicz from the City and Hackney Office of PCNs. We look at the journey of City & Hackney Office of PCNs, as they provide support to eight PCNs, acting as a unified voice for the networks and championing their development and impact in their local communities. Discover how these networks have evolved to tackle the unprecedented challenges of the...

In this week's episode, brought to you in partnership with Practice Index, we welcome back the insightful Robyn Clark and Kay Keane, who share their pioneering experiences with the 'Right Care, First Time' campaign.  This episode brings to light the complex skills required of modern patient services teams, the critical need for recognition and appropriate compensation for their work, and how their...

Ben is joined, once again by Dr. Neil Modha, a mastermind in revolutionising patient care through innovative practices and strategic partnerships. As the GP partner of Thistlemoor Medical Centre. Neil discusses the fine art of managing workload and curbing GP burnout by staying ahead of the curve with bespoke roles designed to meet patient demands. Neil offers a sneak peek into the promising futur...

Ben is joined by George Gavriel & Bobby Pozzoni-Child, from the Bucks GP Provider Alliance. Their engaging discussion looks at the crucial role of collaboration with the ICB to amplify the GP provider voice and underscores the value of place-based leadership groups as emphasised in the Fuller stock take. Discover the intricate structure of Bucks' GP, the interplay of its practices, PCNs, and the l...

In this episode, we delve into highlights from the second annual PCN Plus live conference, where Ben teamed up with Tara Humphrey, Dr. Andy Foster, and Dr. Hussain Gandhi on Wednesday 17th April. Tune in as they explore life beyond primary care networks, the evolving role of PCNs, and their significant influence on the healthcare landscape. Introduction (00:08)  What have been the main impacts of...

We are joined, once again, by Dr Nigel Fraser, Dr Mike Hearne, and Conor Price. This week they discuss how Herefordshire has taken significant strides in influencing integrated care board decisions through data sharing and analytics, highlighting the critical role of Primary Care Analytics in the evolution of local data systems.  Hear about the national landscape of general practice data analytics...

Join us as we explore the advancements in general practice data and analytics, as Ben sits down with Dr Nigel Fraser, Dr Mike Hearne, and Conor Price. They share their invaluable insights on the early initiatives of data sharing using EMIS and the importance of establishing trust among practices. Together, they unravel the complexities of standardising data to enhance collaborative healthcare and...

With general practice at a crossroads, Practice Index podcast regulars Robyn Clark and Claire Houston join Ben to assess the financial hurdles presented within the latest GP contract. The 2% funding increase is a drop in the ocean against towering inflation and the uptick in the national living wage could well see a situation whereby practices are unable to hire or replace departing staff, calling...

Listen in as we welcome back experts James Gransby from RSM UK and Robert McCartney from Hempsons for an insightful analysis of the upcoming 24/25 GP contract changes and the associated financial pressures. They tackle the stark realities practices are facing, including the modest wage increases and low inflation rate adjustments set against a backdrop of historical underfunding. They examine pote...

Ben welcomes back podcast favourite, Sheinaz Stansfield, Quality Improvement Lead for Oxford Terrace and Rawling Road Medical Group. Sheinaz joins Ben to share her pioneering methods for workforce redesign in General Practice, which include a thorough examination of patient demand and the utilisation of tools to distinguish between activity and demand. Their discussion also looks into how to integ...

Unlock the secrets to compassionate healthcare as we join forces with Kay Keane, Shaun Jackson and Katherine Scott from Urban Village Medical Practice, to discuss primary care's pivotal role in supporting the homeless community. Together, they navigate the complex definition of homelessness, the responsibilities of local authorities, and how healthcare providers can assist individuals in this chal...

In this week's episode, brought to you in partnership with Practice Index, Kay Keane and Claire Houston join Ben for a candid discussion on the financial challenges practices are facing. At the heart of their discussion lies the tension between the escalating costs of running a practice, including the forthcoming minimum wage hike, and the proposed 1.9% budget increase. Kay, Claire and Ben reflect...

Tim Rigg & Jessie Teggin join Ben to discuss 'Out in the Field', a provider of retreats for NHS staff. This episode looks into the transformative journey of healthcare staff towards holistic wellbeing, Jessie and Tim share information about the unique retreats that are aimed at nurturing the wellbeing of healthcare professionals, empowering them to unwind, rejuvenate, along with creating stronger...

Join Andy and Gandhi from eGPLearning and Tara Humphrey for something different this week, as our very own Ben joined eGPLearning's live discussion to explore what is next for PCNs. They look into the future of General Practice, GP contract negotiations and the evolution of patient care. They navigate through the challenges of recruitment, resource allocation, and a modest funding uplift set again...