We were delighted to welcome over 150 NI GP Tutors today to the annual GP Tutors meeting today. Such attendance demonstrates the ongoing and growing commitment of GP educators to nurture the next generation of doctors coming through the Queen’s medical undergraduate programme. We were absolutely delighted to welcome the CMO Prof Sir Michael McBride and Professor Neil Kennedy as keynote speakers and for the messages of appreciation, encouragement and support they gave. With the help of Dr Laurence Dorman, Chair of RCGP Council Northern Ireland and Dr Drew Gilliland (retired QUB Academic GP Colleague) we selected and announced the runner-up and winner of the Robin Harland Prize for excellence in undergraduate education to, respectively, Dr Karen Poland of Montalto Practice in Ballynahinch and Dr Miriam Dolan of Maple Healthcare in Lisnaskea.

The programme included a talk by Dr Mairead Corrigan, the QUB Equality and Diversity Lead, a short video by Dr Richard Mayne on reducing sedentariness in General Practice (for your health’s sake), an update by the QUB team on the QUB modules in GP, and summary of the matters of clinical placements and payments from Eveline Burns and Edel O’Hara respectively.

We were treated to a tour de force presentation of the activities of the QUB GP Society over the last year by their President Mr Davog McCaffrey; well worth a watch-back in the session recording. The formal programme was completed by a wonderful presentation from Dr Sian-Lee Ewan on behalf of the Ulster University Graduate Entry Medical programme which opened the doors to its first students last week. We are looking forward to working closely with them over the coming months and years.

Dr Grainne Kearney summed up the afternoon programme with the following words:

Reflecting on the afternoon’s meeting, the themes I noted were that of Innovation, both in order to manage in COVID times and in spite of COVID times, in the commitment to Inclusion. I heard Flexibility; how adaptations were made with incredible Efficiency in uncertain times to continue to welcome students to learn. I witnessed Community, everyone working together to ensure students would know Primary Care regardless of their future career pathway and Pride in doing it so well. Looking at these words in the round – innovation, inclusion, flexibility, efficiency, community and pride – I recognise the traits of General Practice and of GPs. So, thank you to our GP tutors for actively modelling these for the next generation of doctors.  

Thanks to all the GP Tutors, Practice Managers and their Practice Teams without whom we could not train our students in the way that we do.

You can watch the event recording at the link below

Recording of annual GP tutor update 1st Sept 2021

You can view the presentation at the link below

GP Tutor meeting presentation 1st September 2021

best wishes

Nigel

Professor Nigel Hart MD MMedSc FRCGP

Associate Director for General Practice and Primary Care