Dr Judy Bury

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Dr Judy Bury

• Primary Care Facilitator
• (HIV/Drugs)
• Lothian Primary Care NHS Trust

PPT\ SDF Oct 02 Working with GPs
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How to getGPs on board

• Shared care /
• integrated care

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How to get GPs on board

• Do your homework
• Money
• Opinion formers
• Argue the case
• Be flexible and patient
• Specialist service
• Local guidelines
• Training, feedback and support

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How to get GPs on boardDo your homework

• Find out about
• current situation
• history of local service provision
• specialist services - what they offer - length
  of waiting list
• attempts made to involve GPs and why they failed

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How to get GPs on board Money

• - work is
• time consuming
• demanding
• defined as non-core

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How to get GPs on board Opinion formers on-side

• - local medical committee (LMC)
• - LHCCs
• - local GPs

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How to get GPs on board Argue the case

• - acknowledge that work is difficult
• - harm reduction, not abstinence
• - clogged up specialist service

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How to get GPs on board Be flexible and patient

• - whole practices or individual GPs
• - build up gradually

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How to get GPs on board Specialist service

• - throughput
• - good communication
• - rapid access to advice

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How to get GPs on board
Local guidelines e.g. Handbook
MANAGING DRUG USERS IN GENERAL PRACTICE 4th
edition, 2002
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How to get GPs on board Training, feedback and
support

• including practice visits

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WHO can get GPs on board?

• Ideally a GP
• Someone who commands respect
• Independent of specialist service
• Joint visits - go with opinion former, preferably
  a GP

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What can be achieved?

• In Scotland
• 20-30 of GPs are involved in shared care
• In Lothian
• there are 126 practices
• 98 (78) are involved in shared care of drug
  users

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HOW to workwith GPs

• Communication - clear, short letters
• Understand structure of day
• Phone 11 am - 12 midday
• For longer discussion, letter then phone call
• Use Practice Managers