Realising the full potential of primary care: uniting the ‘two faces’ of generalism

Reeve, Joanne; Byng, Richard

Abstract

Faced with an unprecedented mismatch between presented health needs and resources available, we must rethink both how we deliver healthcare and what care we deliver. Work has already started on the ‘how’: notably with efforts to strengthen access and integration (improved coordination of the comprehensive care needed to meet a diverse range of needs). It is defining ‘what’ to deliver that is proving more challenging. To address emerging problems of over- and under-treatment associated with the undue specialisation of healthcare, we need to strengthen delivery of generalist medical care. Meaning we need to bolster capacity to decide if and when medical intervention is the right approach for this individual (whole person) in their lived context. We need to put the interpretive expertise of the medical generalist back at the core of our primary healthcare systems.

Citation

Reeve, J., & Byng, R. (2017). Realising the full potential of primary care: uniting the ‘two faces’ of generalism. The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners, 67(660), 292-293. https://doi.org/10.3399/bjgp17x691589

• Acceptance Date: Jun 1, 2017
• Online Publication Date: Jun 29, 2017
• Publication Date: 2017-07
• Deposit Date: Aug 16, 2017
• Publicly Available Date: Oct 27, 2022
• Journal: British journal of general practice
• Print ISSN: 0960-1643
• Electronic ISSN: 1478-5242
• Publisher: Royal College of General Practitioners
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 67
• Issue: 660
• Pages: 292-293
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.3399/bjgp17x691589
• Keywords: Generalism, Primary care
• Public URL: https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/454161
• Publisher URL: http://bjgp.org/content/67/660/292
• Additional Information: This is the accepted manuscript of an article published in British journal of general practice, 2017. The version of record is available at the DOI link in this record.