UP FOUR
‘Wise and gets things done – her influence behind the scenes is immense,' is how one Pulse panel member describes Dr Amanda Howe.
A GP in Norwich, professor of primary care at the University of East Anglia and honorary secretary at the RCGP, Dr Howe has been instrumental in developing the college's plans for the future.
The charismatic and outspoken academic has most recently authored the college's report into generalism. She is currently involved in research on commissioning and funding, and has also submitted a report to the Department of Health on the involvement of sessional doctors in commissioning.
More recently, she prompted debate when urging GPs to consider half-hour appointments as routine for patients with complex health conditions.
She says: ‘All disciplines [of medicine] need a generalist. Doctors these days are over-specialised. You need someone in each discipline who is a generalist, and all specialisms need to think about breadth. Let's train people to be generalists and then they can be sub-specialised afterwards.'
Dr Howe has also been a strong voice for women in medicine and has campaigned for more flexibility in the profession to accommodate women's careers.
