For the third year running, general practice has been stretched to its limits but has once again gone above and beyond to deliver outstanding services. Following a tough round of judging, we are delighted to announce the winners of the 2022 GP Awards, run by Pulse’s publisher Cogora
GP of the Year
Professor Michael Holmes, GP partner, Haxby Group; chair Nimbuscare; chair of RCGP Trustee Board
Dr Mike Holmes impressed the judges with his collaborative and innovative efforts to improve the health and wellbeing of patients at a local, national and international level.
Described as a ‘visionary leader’ by his nominee, Dr Holmes’s contribution to the Covid pandemic response and recovery has been nothing short of outstanding.
Having built a GP-led Covid vaccination service in York, he also set up satellite clinics to reach patients who couldn’t travel to the vaccination centre, as well as services for the homeless community and those with learning disabilities. They have administered almost 600,000 jabs to date.
Within his own practice, Haxby Group, Dr Holmes found the time to deliver clinical services and act as a mentor for medical students and trainees. He also set up a scheme to offer grants to people who want to apply for medical school and led the GP Foundation scheme.
He said: ‘It’s flattering to be nominated by the team. This isn’t an individual award because we couldn’t possibly deliver the services we want without the team.
‘I’m incredibly proud of how we worked together to get through the pandemic in a sustainable way. That is, delivering a vaccination service while keeping general practice going.
‘Work hard. Work as a team. Collaborate with other practices. Collaborate with other teams.’
GP Team of the Year
Dr Abhi Mantgani and Miriam Primary Care Group
Delivering general practice services to more than 15,000 patients in some of the Wirral’s most deprived boroughs, Miriam Primary Care Group (MPCG) has consistently diversified its offering.
From the beginning of the pandemic, Dr Abhi Mantgani and the group ensured that patients had uninterrupted access to face-to-face services in a safe environment. They even extended GP access to 8am until 8pm all year round and delivered a minor injury walk-in service.
MPCG was the only service that remained open with face-to-face access. And at the same time, it also championed Covid hubs as well as testing and vaccination services.
Its GP Covid Hub became a model to deliver care for suspected Covid patients, preventing admissions and reducing pressure on the local hospital. More than 10,000 face-to-face consultations were conducted as well as more than 1,000 home visits to ease pressures on the local health system.
Dr Mantgani said: ‘I’m so proud that this award reflects the hard work of my fantastic team. It’s the result of what my practice has been doing for years.
‘We are not a GP-centred practice. We provide a number of PCN services, we have volunteers. It’s all teamwork – and it’s important to include all these people when you deliver your services.’
GP Trainee/Rising Star
Dr Solomon Lebese, GP trainee at Symphony Healthcare Services
Although still a trainee, Dr Solomon Lebese is described by his nominee as a ‘hardworking and inspiring colleague’ who has gone above and beyond to make a ‘tangible difference’ to the wider healthcare community.
As well as excelling in his day-to-day work, he is involved in many local, regional and national initiatives. In participating in the PESC and local trainers’ workshops, he has inspired prospective trainers to broaden their horizons, consider the needs of IMG trainees and challenge their thinking.
On top of all that, he consistently gets glowing feedback from his supervisors and colleagues.
His nominee said: ‘In 20 years as a GP educator, these are some of the most consistently high MSF/PSQ scores I have ever seen. It is clear he is destined for great things.’
Dr Lebese said: ‘I feel thoroughly honoured to have won this award. It’s amazing to get recognition for all the hard work we do.
‘I live my passion. My aim in life is to brighten the corner where I am. No matter what I do, I always try to make a difference.’
Clinical Improvement Award: Long-term Conditions
UCLPartners Proactive Care Team
UCLPartners developed a suite of Proactive Care Frameworks to help primary care restore and transform the management of long-term conditions as we emerge from the pandemic.
Frameworks have been built for atrial fibrillation, hypertension, high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, severe mental illness, asthma, and COPD. All these also focus on multimorbidity.
The innovation has been welcomed by GPs and has been adopted into two national programmes.
Laura Boyd, director of implementation for cardiovascular health, said: ‘We’re overjoyed. We’ve worked with GPs across the country since the start of the pandemic; the response has been amazing.
‘It’s all about helping GPs to do their jobs better. Hundreds of them are using our search tool in their day-to-day work. And as it’s not a blueprint, so it can be adapted. We also provide implementation support.’
Clinical Improvement Award: Mental Health
NHS Primary Care Gambling Service
The NHS Primary Care Gambling Service, the first of its kind in the country, was launched in London in 2019. It aimed to raise awareness of gambling harms among healthcare professionals and provide a free treatment service to those suffering harm by focusing on a holistic, multidisciplinary approach.
The service offers a range of support, which can be provided face-to-face, online or over the phone. Over the past 18 months, it has helped 120 patients nationwide.
As well as supporting patients, the service has also developed a competency framework in gambling addiction for primary care staff.
Dame Clare Gerada, medical director, said: ‘We’ve had a paradigm shift of moving away from a secondary care model to a generalist-led intermediate service, delivering more for less. It’s Friday today: if you present today, you will be seen by Thursday, as opposed to what we inherited which was an 18-month waiting list.
‘And we have no exclusion criteria – gambling is a secret stigma, and in particular with men, there is a very high rate of suicide. We’ve got to really make it easy for people to present to us: we’ve got no barriers; GPs can just say please see this patient. There’s no complicated referral. Patients can self-refer; loved ones can refer.’
Clinical Improvement Award: Public health & Prevention
The Integrated Motivational Proactive Anticipatory Care Team
The Integrated Motivational Proactive Anticipatory Care Team (IMPACT) uses local population health intelligence to identify patients diagnosed with long term conditions, such as diabetes, COPD and asthma, who are not engaging with healthcare provision.
Care coordinators complete a co-produced personalised care and support plan, referring to evidence-based interventions to prevent deterioration and promote health and wellbeing using a biopsychosocial frame of reference. This takes a holistic ‘what matters to me’ approach, which is sensitive to the wider determinants of health that influence self-management and engagement with services.
So far, IMPACT has provided a care plan to 622 patients and of those, 409 have had a review of their care plan and have been discharged.
For a full list of the winners and photos from the night, click here
