Centre for Primary Care Seminar – Dr Pauline Nelson - Aligning skill-mix changes with the goals of general practice: A qualitative comparison of three ‘new’ non-medical roles in context
| Dates: | 30 April 2019 |
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| Times: | 13:00 - 14:00 |
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| What is it: | Seminar |
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| Organiser: | Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health |
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| Who is it for: | University staff, Current University students |
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| Speaker: | Dr Pauline Nelson |
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General practice is facing a significant workforce challenge with a continued fall in the number of GPs serving an ageing population with complex health needs.
As one solution to easing this pressure, health policy is promoting the introduction of ‘new’ non-medical roles into general practice teams to work alongside GPs. However, the literature has highlighted enablers and barriers to the integration of skill-mix changes into this setting, largely from studies of individual roles in isolation.
In one area of Greater Manchester we conducted an in-depth process evaluation to compare the introduction of three such roles (Advanced Practitioner, Physician Associate and Practice Pharmacist) into locality general practices. Our aim was to understand common implementation barriers and identify any measurable impacts or unintended consequences of the new schemes. The comparative approach involving semi-structured interviews and focus groups with a purposive sample of 38 stakeholders (training/service leads, role-holders and host practice staff involved in the implementation of each role initiative) highlighted key organisational and operational factors that affected skill-mix assimilation beyond individual roles.
Key themes identified were:
1) uncertainty about the purpose and place of new roles in general practice
2) recognition of the need to support the transition of new roles by developing risk management, closing training-practice gaps and managing stakeholder expectations;
3) reservations about the future of new roles in this setting.
This in-depth comparative study offers broad learning about the implementation of skill-mix changes in general practice beyond specific role types. This can inform dialogue and decision-making in relation to general practice skill-mix changes and may increase the likelihood of roles being retained in the future
Speaker
Dr Pauline Nelson
Role: Research Fellow
Organisation: Organising Healthcare Programme - CLAHRC GM and Alliance Manchester Business School
Travel and Contact Information
Find event
Fifth Floor Seminar Room
Williamson Building
Manchester
