{"id":1438,"date":"2025-10-02T10:53:02","date_gmt":"2025-10-02T09:53:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dauk.org\/gp-leads-attend-labour-conference-debate-on-gp-access\/"},"modified":"2025-10-02T10:53:02","modified_gmt":"2025-10-02T09:53:02","slug":"gp-leads-attend-labour-conference-debate-on-gp-access","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dauk.org\/gp-leads-attend-labour-conference-debate-on-gp-access\/","title":{"rendered":"GP leads attend Labour Conference debate on GP access"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">DAUK\u2019s GP co-leads attended a fringe event at the Labour Party Conference on general practice access.\r\n\r\nDr Sarah Jacques and Dr Steve Taylor ensured GPs were represented and their voices heard in a debate on the future of primary care.\r\n\r\nThe session was hosted by Rebuild General Practice and Cogora Group. It launched a <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/Zb83TvKI4I\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">new report by Pulse on GP access<\/a>.\r\n\r\nChaired by Pulse editor-in-chief Jaimie Kaffash, the panel featured Dr Samira Anane, deputy chair of the general practitioners committee (GPC); Dr Lisa Harrod-Rothwell, chief executive of Londonwide LMC; Dr Simon Opher, Labour MP for Stroud and a GP; and Rosie Beacon, research manager and head of health at Re:State.\r\n\r\nSenior GP leaders including GPC chair Dr Katie Bramall-Stainer; Dr Annie Farrell, a GP Liverpool LMC chair, and incoming Royal College of GPs chair, Dr Victoria Tzortziou-Brown, were also present.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">General practice<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Discussion focused on the pressures facing general practice, with speakers warning that current contract demands risk undermining continuity of care and patient safety.\r\n\r\nDr Anane noted general practice\u2019s strong record of embracing innovation.\r\n\r\nBut she stressed the need for robust safety frameworks before artificial intelligence tools are widely adopted in primary care.\r\n\r\nDr Harrod-Rothwell highlighted the irreplaceable human dimension of general practice, warning that \u2018AI tools can provide facts but cannot give the full picture of a patient\u2019s physical and mental needs\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">GP access<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ms Beacon suggested patients should not always expect to see a GP.\r\n\r\n\u201cI don\u2019t need to see a GP if I have a UTI,\u201d she said, arguing that appointments should be reserved for those with more complex needs.\r\n\r\nHer remarks drew strong pushback from GPs present, including DAUK\u2019s Dr Jacques, who warned that apparently simple symptoms can mask serious conditions.\r\n\r\nDr Jacques later challenged Ms Beacon directly on her knowledge of GP skills. She was also challenged on the risks of fragmenting care through schemes such as Pharmacy First, and on the limits of AI in capturing clinical nuance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Continuity of care<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Dr Jacques said: \u201cIt was vital for us to be in the room to challenge misconceptions about the role of GPs and to remind policymakers that continuity of care and safety must remain at the heart of general practice.\r\n\r\n\u201cEngaging in these debates ensures that the frontline voice of GPs is not lost in discussions about future reforms.\u201d\r\n\r\nMeanwhile, DAUK co-leads also recorded interviews for the <em>Pulse<\/em> Podcast.\r\n\r\nThey also spoke with newly-elected Green Party leader Zac Polanski about NHS policy, extending an invitation for collaboration on DAUK\u2019s greener NHS campaign.\r\n\r\nDAUK committee members are all volunteers and campaign on issues facing frontline doctors in their own time. Please support our work by <a href=\"https:\/\/dauk.org\/membership\/\">joining DAUK<\/a> or donating to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gofundme.com\/f\/support-the-work-of-the-doctors-association-uk-dauk\">our GoFundMe<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>DAUK\u2019s GP co-leads attended a fringe event at the Labour Party Conference on general practice access. Dr Sarah Jacques and Dr Steve Taylor ensured GPs&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":203,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[65],"tags":[656,22,304,23],"class_list":["post-1438","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-dauk-news","tag-dr-sarah-jacques","tag-dr-steve-taylor","tag-gp-committee","tag-gp-crisis"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dauk.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1438","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dauk.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dauk.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dauk.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dauk.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1438"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dauk.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1438\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dauk.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/203"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dauk.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1438"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dauk.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1438"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dauk.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1438"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}