Dr Stout has had a big year since taking over as the BMA’s Northern Ireland GP Committee chair last year, which coincided with the UK LMC conference taking place in Belfast. In a speech to delegates, Dr Stout highlighted the ‘truly frightening’ GP workforce problems in Northern Ireland. He says it was ‘a pleasure to have so many people come and enjoy Belfast and the hospitality’ albeit a little strange to be less than a mile from his practice.
After two years without a Northern Irish assembly, the health service in the country has been under a disadvantage, with the BMA saying the health system ‘cannot cope’ in Northern Ireland. Since taking over as GPC chair, Dr Stout has played a key part in agreeing contingency measures with the Northern Ireland health boards for practices in difficulty. He added another achievement was making progress with multi-disciplinary teams.
The upcoming year, Dr Stout will focus on sustaining GMS services whilst also expanding the GP workforce in the country, which Dr Stout says is ‘going to be crucial to the future model of delivering health care.’
Why influential: Top GP in Northern Ireland
What others say: ‘Hard-working and efficient’
Random fact: Is a big supporter of junior golf in Ireland
