Dr Matt Mayer has previously been highlighted for his work campaigning for locum GPs and staff welfare. His next mission, he says, is to reduce workload for GPs across the UK.
He was appointed last September as the BMA GP Committee lead for UK policy on general practice workload – and the appointment couldn’t have been timelier.
The profession is seeing increasing numbers of patients as demand rises, while community services and hospitals are also creaking at the seams.
Since starting in his new role, Dr Mayer has raised the alarm over NHS England’s attempt to collect ‘potentially misleading’ GP appointment data.
When the request went out to practices from NHS England, Dr Mayer raised concerns about the quality of data and whether it would be possible to draw any firm conclusions, given the variability of systems across practises.
He also reminded practices their involvement was voluntary – a detail NHS England had omitted in its correspondence.
Dr Mayer has also overseen the creation of new guidance for GPs about placing limits on workload, and has gathered associated statistics from LMCs.
Over the coming months he wants to develop tools to empower practices to resist workload hikes, and collaborate with NHS England to put a stop to GPs taking on extra activities that should be handled elsewhere.
As a portfolio GP based across south and central England, he is also well placed to continue representing locums in his role as executive member of the GPC sessional subcommittee.
Meanwhile, he has joined Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire LMCs as chief executive.
Dr Mayer does not hesitate to credit the GP Health Service for helping him in his achievements. ‘The service offers free mental health support to any GP that needs it, he says, ’and has helped and supported too many friends and colleagues of mine. I myself wouldn’t still be a GP if it weren’t for their help.’
Why influential: Leading efforts to decrease GP workload
What others say: ‘Unafraid to have difficult conversations. Stands up for grassroots GPs and their working conditions’
Random fact: Never wears a tie – unless attending a funeral – ‘because I feel like I’m being strangled’
