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GPs to be trained in ‘leadership’ and redesigning services

GPs will be given protected time away from their usual duties to receive training in leadership and redesigning services, Scottish health secretary Shona Robison has said.

From 2017 GPs in Scotland will have a revised role as ‘senior clinical decision maker in the community,’ focusing on ‘complex care, whole system quality improvement and undifferentiated presentations.’

The plans are part of the Scottish Government’s A National Clinical Strategy for Scotland, aimed at improving healthcare over the next 10-15 years.

There will be a focus on delivering care closer to patients’ homes, improving outcomes through clinicians working across more than one hospital, plus investment in e-health and other technologies.

Ms Robison wants to see the planning and delivery of care to take place increasingly around GP practices, with GPs focusing on dealing with complex cases, and providing expert assessments of new cases.

The strategy states: ‘The proposal that GPs become more involved in complex care and system-wide quality improvement activities will require a refocusing of GP activity.

It is expected that GPs will be less involved in the more routine tasks and provide an opportunity for other health professions in the practice and the wider community team to work to the top of their licence i.e taking on roles that their professional training has prepared them for.

’To achieve this, the training needs of GPs, members of the wider practice healthcare team, and other professionals working across primary care, will need to be considered, and where necessary developed and met.’

Former GP Dr Angus Cameron led the development of the strategy.