'Naming and shaming' individual GPs and practices 'unhelpful, demoralising' and damages trust, says new RCGP Chair

Responding to media coverage commenting on the individual working arrangements of some GP practices Professor Kamila Hawthorne, Chair of the Royal College of GPs, has issued the following statement:

“Different GP practices will work in different ways to tailor the care they deliver to their local populations – and are currently doing so in the face of intense workload and workforce pressures. This will include ensuring both appropriate in-person and remote services are available to meet the healthcare needs of patients. ‘Naming and shaming’ GP practices and individual GPs because of the ways they are working, especially with little or no context as to the circumstances behind this or nuances of the situation, is unhelpful, demoralising and simply works to deteriorate trust between patients and their GP teams.”

Further information

RCGP Press office: 020 3188 7633
press@rcgp.org.uk

Notes to editor

The Royal College of General Practitioners is a network of more than 54,000 family doctors working to improve care for patients. We work to encourage and maintain the highest standards of general medical practice and act as the voice of GPs on education, training, research and clinical standards.