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ABSTRACT
The COVID-19 pandemic has presented both challenges and opportunities for those working in health and social care in the United Kingdom (UK). With much focus on secondary and acute care at this time, there has been less communication and understanding about the impact on primary care. This discussion paper is based on the experience of one of the authors working as a general practitioner/family doctor during the pandemic and rapid changes are described during this time (April 2020). Two important themes emerged from this experience focusing on the importance of supporting one another and new roles and ways of working. It can be argued that the challenges presented by COVID-19 have expedited positive and potentially sustainable change in UK primary care that has been needed for some time. The authors discuss the implications for future working and make a series of recommendations for primary care relating to the importance of supporting the workforce, remote consultations and communication, regular team meetings, and development of integrated care. It is suggested that many of the challenges highlighted can be addressed by placing a greater emphasis on the use of interprofessional education (IPE) to underpin and support effective collaborative working.
Acknowledgments
The authors wish to acknowledge and thank Professor Liz Anderson for advice in the preparation of this discussion paper.
Declaration of interest
The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of this article.
Additional information
Notes on contributors
Richard Gray
Dr Richard Gray, Honorary Fellow and Immediate Past Chair of The Centre for The Advancement of Interprofessional Education (CAIPE); Past President of the General Practice with Primary Healthcare Section of the Royal Society of Medicine; General Practitioner in Brighton, UK (1978- 2010).
Chris Sanders
Dr Chris Sanders, The Centre for the Advancement of Interprofessional Education (CAIPE) board member; General Practitioner partner in Leicester and educator at the University of Leicester. He has a keen interest in interprofessional education, holistic healthcare and sustainable living.