CONTENTS 03 | NEWS 04
Big Interview – Former Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt on his latest role – and the need for more GPs
08
Scotland’s Cabinet Secretary Humza Yousaf in the hot seat
09
A consultation with Dr Emma Wong, Chair of First5 Committee
08
11 | COLLEGE UPDATES 11
In at the Deep End in Wales and conversations with patients in NI
12
The College at 70!
15
New Vice Chair Margaret Ikpoh on her plans for MRCGP
Welcome to GP Frontline by Professor Martin Marshall
17 | OPINION 17
15
The argument for ‘vaccinating the world’
19 | GP LIVES 20
The GP on the SAGE committee during COVID, the couch potato turned long-distance runner, and the GP coroner share their experiences
24 | BACK PAGE 24
Countdown to College/ Wonca conference 2022
17 22
Editors: Daniel Openshaw, Gillian Watson
Reporters: Amy Boreham, Paul Christian, Tanisha Dadar, Lizzie Edwards, Lucy Greenwood, Cliona McNulty, Nicholas Webb Cover cartoon: Martin Rowson
Inside cartoon: Kipper Williams Design: Aura Creative Ltd
Feedback: can be emailed to gpfrontline@rcgp.org.uk or tweeted using #gpfrontline. You can also write to us at GP Frontline, 30 Euston Square, London, NW1 2FB
02 | CONTENTS
W
hat a whirlwind the last few months – indeed two years – have been in general practice. It’s always been a varied and evolving career but the pandemic has tested our profession to its limits. We moved straight out of some of the worst media vilification I’ve seen in 30 years of practice and into Omicron where you all stepped up, once again, to ensure the pandemic response was successful. And you did in droves; it was outstanding to see, a testament to your professionalism. Then 2022 began and everyone has been talking about the future of general practice. It is, as the front cover of this edition of GP Frontline suggests, frustrating to see so many people coming up with ideas about the future of our specialty when they have so little understanding of what general practice does and apparently an unwillingness to listen to the profession. One idea that has been mooted several times is that of ‘nationalising’ general practice. What is meant by that is removing the independent contractor status that general practices have, and all GPs becoming directly employed by the NHS. If people are looking for a ‘radical’ solution, then this is certainly one. But there’s no point in making radical change for the sake of it. The partnership model of general practice is founded on GPs’ goodwill, their understanding of their communities and their instinct to innovate in the best interests of patients. Without it, would we have seen the truly remarkable efforts of GPs and their teams to roll out the Covid vaccination
