Primary Care Research & Teaching Blog – Page 16 – A blog by academics from the Centre for Academic Primary Care (CAPC), University of Bristol. Opinions expressed are those of the authors and not of CAPC, the University, research funders or partners.

Do we really need primary care academics?

Posted on May 15, 2015June 2, 2015 by capcbristol

By Gene Feder
GP and Professor of Primary Care
Centre for Academic Primary Care

I recently took part in a debate hosted by the Centre for Primary Care and Public Health (QMUL) where I argued that the future quality of the NHS depends on academic primary care.

The vote at the start of the debate: in favour 16, against 11, abstaining 2.

My pitch was based on the challenges of developing integrated health (and social care) for our aging population, a patient-centred shared decision-making model of medical practice, and turning back the commercially (and specialist) driven tide of over-diagnosis and over-treatment. The future quality of the NHS requires those challenges to be met and will depend on a vigorous primary care-based system. And that will (in part) depend on the work of primary care academics. I reminded the audience that I was using the term “academic” to mean having to … Read more

Research and activism – the challenge of remaining connected

Posted on May 15, 2015June 2, 2015 by capcbristol

By Dr Alison Gregory
Research Associate
Centre for Academic Primary Care

It’s easy to lose enthusiasm for your job if you’ve been doing it for many years, but when I attended the annual conference of the European Network on Gender and Violence last week, I was struck by the level of passion the delegates continue to have for their work, even after decades of working in their field.

The network was set up to support the exchange of ideas and to encourage collaboration among scholars and professionals who address violence, gender, violence prevention and related issues across Europe.

Nadia Khelaifat and I attended the meeting as young scholars from the Centre for Academic Primary Care (CAPC) at the University of Bristol to talk about our PhD work in the areas of domestic violence (DV) and migrant women, and the impacts on the friends and family members of DV survivors. In … Read more

GE2015: What are the main parties promising for primary health care, and what does it mean?

Posted on April 30, 2015June 2, 2015 by capcbristol

By Dr Alyson Huntley
Research Fellow
Centre for Academic Primary Care

Provision of primary health care is always in the headlines and is a priority for all the political parties. Of particular concern is the number of GPs and nurses in practice, and patients’ real and perceived access to them. Expansion of primary and community health as an alternative to A&E is hotly debated as resources are carefully allocated. An ageing population coupled with high expectations of the general public mean that timely and appropriate primary health care provision is a major issue for any potential government.

All the five main parties pledge improved NHS health care personnel provision in their manifestos. Whilst there is mixed evidence that the number of GPs in practice influences A&E attendance, we do know that care from the same GP (continuity of care) does help reduce it. However, there is a very clear … Read more