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Keeping it Personal

Clinical case for change: Report by David Colin-Thomé, National Director for Primary Care

In the latest report on reconfiguring services Dr David Colin-Thome, the National Director for Primary Care, makes the clinical case for expanding the services provided by GPs, nurses, midwives, pharmacists and other key staff in the community. He wants family doctors with specialist skills to handle more minor operations and take responsibility for the traditional six week post-surgery check-up from hospital consultants. More GPs could work from one-stop health centres so patients can get follow-up treatment and tests in a single visit. Pharmacists should take on a wider role and become even more of an invaluable contact point for patients. The report is line with Government reforms to bring care closer to patients and service users.

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