There’s no shame in being “ȷust a GP”

Rebranding GPs as “consultants in family medicine”1 will lead to further privatisation and “Americanisation” of the NHS and general practice. One historical precedent lies in the adoption by UK dentists in the mid-1990s of the title “Doctor.” That heralded a shift towards private services (including “smile makeovers” and “facial aesthetics”) with significantly reduced patient access for routine dental care. Likewise, new consultants in family medicine may soon find their roles changing to being remunerated for a narrow range of clinical services, including batteries of tests to identify which specialist to refer on to.These commercial implications have been overlooked1 but will be swiftly recognised by a public that is increasingly feeling the absence of access to a GP. General practice has survived because it fulfils important clinical roles in society: managing early illness, triage, psychosocial care, supporting patient journeys, and well judged restraint.2 These roles are possible as consultants but a…
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