Why are GPs so persistently undervalued?

They are specialists – in general practice – and provide unlimited care for an average of just £155 per patient per year, writes Dr Peter ThomsonBruce Keogh’s first paragraph (The NHS rose to the challenge of Covid, but its next test may be even harder, 18 February) highlights a key barrier to NHS reform: the persistent undervaluing of general practice. The implication that GPs simply manage risk while patients wait to see “specialists” is not accurate and is representative of a recurrent problem.GPs are specialists – specialists in general practice. General surgery is a surgical specialty, General Motors is a specialist transport company and General Electric is a specialist digital industrial company. Do not be confused by the semantics; Jessica Ennis-Hill is clearly a specialist athlete despite the fact she does not individually run the fastest, throw the furthest or jump the highest. Continue reading... https://www.theguardian.com/society/2021/feb/18/why-are-gps-so-persistently-undervalued #gps #doctors #society #health #nhs #older_people