GPs Reaching Out Work (GROW)

Value

£50,000

Partners and collaborators

University of Leeds; University of Manchester – Centre for Primary Care and Health Services Research and Patient Participation in Improving General practice (PPIG) co-research group; University of Limerick – Participatory Health Research Unit; Fairhealth; NHS England Public Participation

Description

Background

The NHS wants general practitioners (GPs) to work differently with the public. GPs are being asked to work with voluntary and community groups to improve the health of people and communities. This is particularly important in areas with the fewest resources, which often have people with the poorest health. However, GPs often feel they lack time and may be anxious about working with groups outside their surgery. This research aims to discover whether this new policy is realistic, by exploring how GPs feel when working with community groups. 

Aims of the research

We want to find out what helps or hinders GPs working with local community groups, particularly the feelings and attitudes of the GPs. This project will;

• Support a group of GPs to work with local community groups,
• Ask these GPs to think about what they found helpful and unhelpful in doing this work,
• Ask the GPs to think about the effect of this work on themselves, their clinical work, how their GP surgery is run, and the community groups they work with.

How we will do this

We will work with up to 20 GPs who all work in deprived areas. These GPs have paid time to take part in further learning one day a week for one year. They will use some of this time to work with existing community groups on local projects. The GPs will keep diaries and will be interviewed about this work.  Every 2 months they will meet as a group to talk about what they have learned.  These meetings will be recorded and a group of members of the public and researchers will comment on their discussion.  These comments will help the GPs think about changes they can make to improve how they work with their local community groups.

How members of the public are involved

A group of public contributors have already helped to design the project and will continue to be involved throughout.  They will meet regularly to discuss the findings and make suggestions to the GPs. They will also help plan who to share the learning with.

How the results will be made known

The GPs will share what they have learned with other GPs, through existing local and nation GP networks, and the community groups they worked with and their networks. Researchers will give presentations at conferences and write academic papers. 

Benefits from this work

We hope that this project may:

• Help GPs and community groups work together better to improve the health of local people,
• Help GPs adapt to a different way of working, and share this with other GPs,

Influence national policy making by showing whether GPs working with community groups is a useful idea.

Impact

To increase resources and support, and normalise the idea of GPs working with local people and communities.

We are using the outputs of the research to target training for GPs and people who want to work with GPs through online training and in-person workshops. We are also talking to NHS England to encourage changes to the GP contract and insurance to make it easier for GPs to work with the public.

Publications and outputs

Publications being written up.

Presented at one international, three national, and one regional conference.

Fictional film co-produced based on the research findings. This is being turned into an online e-learning resource available on the Fairhealth website.

We have used the film to present to a regional group of approximately 50 GPs working in areas of deprivation which can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJ2nwzhrcNw&list=PLf2deIu6aufQ8vyFWpWxs8XW_fUKhpUFB&index=2

This was also written up for a local newspaper: https://manchestermill.co.uk/p/doctors-in-deprivation-prescribing

We have been commissioned to run a workshop for GP trainees in Manchester.

Jess Drinkwater has been filmed talking about the research as part of an NHS England online resource to promote general practices to work with local people and communities.

Project website

https://www.spcr.nihr.ac.uk/research/projects/gps-reaching-out-work-grow