Hot Topics Interview: Dr Helen Salisbury, GP & BMJ columnist
Feb 28, 2025
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Dr. Helen Salisbury, a GP and BMJ columnist with over 20 years of experience, shares her journey from studying philosophy to practicing medicine. She delves into how general practice has evolved, emphasizing the need for personalized care amidst systemic fragmentation. Helen discusses her transition into medical writing, sparked by a Twitter ad, and highlights the importance of accessible healthcare communication. Lastly, she advocates for a future with more GPs and better patient relationships, emphasizing teamwork in improving the healthcare landscape.
Dr. Helen Salisbury emphasizes the importance of maintaining personal connections in patient care despite the pressures of larger GP practices.
She advocates for improved funding and resources in general practice to enhance job satisfaction and foster deeper doctor-patient relationships.
Deep dives
Journey to General Practice
Dr. Helen Salisbury's path to becoming a GP involved a diverse educational background, starting with a degree in philosophy, psychology, and physiology before transitioning to medicine. Initially focused on hospital medicine, particularly neurology, she found her calling in general practice after deciding to start a family. She trained as a GP at a notable practice in Oxford and has spent over two decades at her current practice, establishing strong relationships with patients and the community. This long tenure has allowed her to witness firsthand the evolution of general practice and the importance of personal connections in patient care.
Changes and Challenges in General Practice
Over her career, Dr. Salisbury noted significant changes in general practice, especially the shift towards larger practices that handle increasing patient volumes, from approximately 5,000 to over 12,000 patients per practice. While larger teams can enhance service delivery, she expressed concerns over losing the personal touch in patient relationships due to the transactional nature of many consultations. The focus on preventative care and managing complex cases also means GPs are stretched thin, potentially diminishing the quality of care provided. Despite the evolution, she remains a strong advocate for maintaining the foundational doctor-patient relationship as a crucial element of effective healthcare.
Vision for the Future of General Practice
Dr. Salisbury envisions a future of general practice where improved funding and resources allow GPs to manage smaller patient lists, fostering continuity and deeper personal relationships with their patients. She believes that a balanced approach to acute and long-term conditions is essential for effective practice, rather than solely focusing on specific issues. This vision underscores the value of having time for thorough consultations, which not only improve patient outcomes but also enhance job satisfaction for healthcare providers. Ultimately, she stresses the importance of collaboration and camaraderie within the practice team, which contributes to a supportive and enjoyable work environment.
Welcome to the Hot Topics podcast with Dr Neal Tucker. This is the fourth in our series of special podcastswhere we talk to interesting and influential people from the world of general practice.
In this interview, we talk to Dr Helen Salisbury, GP & BMJ columnist.
A working GP for more than 20 years, Helen has also reached the wider medical community through her regular column in the BMJ. A fierce advocate for general practice, we talk about her career, how general practice has changed over the past 20 years, what writing for the BMJ involves, her work with the BMA and vision for general practice in the future.
www.nbmedical.com/podcast
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