28.05.20
RCGP: GP input will be vital to local level success
As the UK government unveils its new NHS Test and Trace programme, the Chair of the Royal College of GPs (RCGP), Professor Martin Marshall, outlined the key role which GPs could play in ensuring the process is successful at a local level.
Prof. Marshall said: “The announcement of funding for local authorities to tackle the virus at a local level is an important one and involving general practice in local decision making will be key to ensuring patients are central to any plans.
"GPs' skills will be needed delivering holistic patient care more than ever as the focus of the pandemic shifts to the community, so it would be impractical for GPs and our teams to conduct contact tracing ourselves.
“However, we are keen to support this effort and work with public health colleagues to continue helping to tackle Covid-19 in the community. It goes without saying that those tasked with contacting people who have been potentially exposed to COVID-19, to give them advice and instructions about what measures they need to take are properly trained to do so.
"Throughout the pandemic, patients across the country have followed official advice – often making huge sacrifices and enduring hardship in doing so – and as a result, the NHS has not been overwhelmed and lives have been saved. We would urge them to continue to do so as we move into the next stages of tackling this pandemic."