GPs to star in BBC documentary
GPs in the Peak District will be the stars of a new TV show airing this September, after allowing BBC cameras to follow them around for the last year.
The two-part documentary ‘The Real Peak Practice’ promises to shine a light on the everyday struggles of general practice including problems with recruiting new GPs and keeping elderly patients out of hospital.
Focused around the Baslow Health Centre, a rural practice where almost one of three patients is over 65, the show is narrated by TV actor Dominic West, especially known for starring in US TV drama The Wire but also a native of the nearby village of Grindleford.
The documentary follows GP partner Dr Louise Jordan in her work at the practice as well as for local end-of-life care charity the St Helen’s Trust, where she is a trustee.
The BBC’s executive producer on the show, Sally Bowman, said its production had been ‘a humbling experience’.
She said: ‘The team at Baslow Health Centre are so dedicated to their patients and determined to do their best in sometimes very difficult circumstances.
‘We know that 90% of patient contacts with the NHS are through their family doctor but television tends to concentrate on the dramas of A&E. Over the past year I’ve learnt that there is just as much drama behind the scenes of primary care and just as many unsung heroes too.’
The show follows rival Channel 5’s series ‘GPs: Behind Closed Doors’ which aired last year.
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Readers' comments (11)
Vinci Ho | GP Partner17 Aug 2015 8:06pm
Interesting
Looking forward to this
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Anonymous | GP registrar17 Aug 2015 11:47pm
what glitters is not always gold mon amigos
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Anonymous | Other healthcare professional18 Aug 2015 2:52am
Is this a MOCKUMENTARY?
or how about a horror film??
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Anonymous | Sessional/Locum GP18 Aug 2015 9:57am
"Over the past year I’ve learnt that there is just as much drama behind the scenes of primary care"
Hmm. I'm a GP and wouldn't claim this.
Although there was that CRAZY episode where we lost a patient's sick note. But it was OK, we printed another one.
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Anonymous | GP Partner18 Aug 2015 10:12am
Seen it.
It pays not to believe all that you see.
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Anonymous | GP Partner18 Aug 2015 11:20am
I assume the editing will not allow for the usual 3 visits, 60 sets of blood results and 150 docman to be done every day during the one hour "lunch break" and piles of excrement and lies being dumped on high by NHSE, DM, BBC etc
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Anonymous | GP Partner18 Aug 2015 11:22am
It will turn out to be another saccharine coated vomit fest with smug music in the background
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Anonymous | GP Partner18 Aug 2015 12:42pm
Depends how they pitch it. I think the series "GPs Behind Closed Doors" was excellent - may not have shown the external pressures or volume of paperwork, but showed the strange presentations and unrealistic demands of some patients, which could not be dealt with by anyone other than GPs, plus the difficulties receptionists face. Should have been compulsory viewing for Jeremy Hunt!
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Anonymous | GP Partner18 Aug 2015 3:30pm
Anyone seen 'Doctors' in the afternoons?
It's even more true to life.
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David Simpson | GP Partner19 Aug 2015 2:22pm
I will put "Doctors" on my PDP for next year's appraisal
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