Herald Society logoCongratulations to all those involved in the Deep End GP Pioneer scheme, recently shortlisted as a finalist in two categories of the 2019 Herald Society Awards:

  • Herald Society Team of the Year - sponsored by Wheatley Group
  • Health and Social Care Integration Award

These awards celebrate the dedication, imagination and vital impact of some of the best work taking place in the public and voluntary sectors.

GPPC’s Dr David Blane is the Academic Co-ordinator of the Pioneer scheme, which was set up in 2016 with funding from the Scottish Government’s GP Recruitment and Retention Fund, in recognition of GP workforce issues in deprived areas. The aim was to develop a change model for general practices serving areas of socio-economic deprivation (the Deep End), involving the recruitment of younger GPs, the retention of experienced GPs, and their joint engagement in strengthening the role of general practice as the natural hub of local health systems. 

Early career GP ‘fellows’ work either 4 or 6 sessions in Deep End practices and have 1 session of protected time, which alternates between an academic programme of learning and working on service development projects with the lead GP from their practice. The lead GP in each practice co-ordinates the use of protected time for experienced GPs to work on service development projects (e.g. extended consultations for complex patients). The practices involved meet every 6-8 weeks to share ideas and learning, supported by the overall lead GP for the project, Dr Petra Sambale from Keppoch Medical Practice in Possilpark.

We are delighted that David and the team's important work has been recognised in this way.

First published: 20 November 2019

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