Purpose of an extended role in lifestyle medicine
This framework provides guidance for GPs who provide - or aspire to provide – skilled care beyond that expected of every GP. You may already have a special interest in lifestyle medicine from roles before CCT or developed an interest since becoming a GP. Alternatively, you may want to vary your career and expand your portfolio to offer this as a service or be employed to provide lifestyle medicine for a commissioned service. If you are already practising lifestyle medicine as a GP, this framework offers a benchmark and recommendations for professional development with suggestions for further progression.
As well as guiding GPs who wish to enhance their role in lifestyle medicine, the framework aims to support appraisers in interpreting supporting information presented to them from GPs in this type of role, and potentially help employers to create relevant role descriptions.
The role described in this framework, which we refer to as a GP with Extended Role in Lifestyle Medicine or GPwERLM hereafter, is delivered within a complex care model. Lifestyle medicine is healthcare that is widely used to support people who live with long-term conditions, and it is characterised by an evidence-based, interdisciplinary and person-centred approach.
It is recognised that several variations of this role are likely to exist, often designed around local health population needs, pre-existing services and staff expertise. Therefore, the framework does not seek to establish a rigid uniform model, rather it offers guidance around ‘good practice’ that we hope is practically helpful and universally relevant. The framework should be read in conjunction with the RCGP guide to clinical extended roles (PDF file, 440 KB).
Acknowledgements
RCGP would like to thank Dr Callum Leese, Dr Ellen Fallows, Dr Hussain Al-Zubaidi, Dr Sarah Tamplin and Dr Rob Lawson for their work in the support and the development of this framework.
Framework review
If you notice any inaccuracies in the framework, or have comments or suggestions on any of the content, please let the professional standards team know by emailing professionalstandards@rcgp.org.uk.
Approved framework
Date the framework was approved: April 2024.
Next review
Date for next review: April 2027.