A heart specialist in Sydney says she has “overwhelmned” with patients since being introduced to the concept of family practice.
The concept is a key part of the National Health Service (NHS) which aims to provide specialist care to people in remote communities.
Key points:NHS chief executive says the move is about the future of family medicineFamily practice is a term for a range of healthcare services including home and community health, and family medicineis where people and families come together for care and supportCommunity health is the term for the wider health care systemThe move is the latest in a series of moves that have been made to better support families.
In November, the government unveiled a new “family practice pathway” that will allow doctors to practise in areas such as nursing homes, home health, home care and GP surgeries.
Key facts:Dr Fiona O’Neil says family practice has become the “biggest driver of growth in the country”She says it has been a “huge leap forward” in terms of both access and quality.
“It’s been a massive shift from the way I started to the way we work in family practice,” Dr O’Neill said.
“So, to have a family practice in the NHS has been huge.”
I think it’s a really exciting time.
“She said the shift from traditional family medicine to a more community-based approach had been beneficial.”
The reason I started out as a family doctor in the first place is that it was a place where I could really support people in their time of need,” she said.
Dr O’Neills new role means she is the first member of the family medicine workforce to be trained in family care.”
It’s about the health of the community’Dr OO says the shift to a community-focused approach has been beneficial for both the patient and the doctor.””
It wasn’t about family care, it wasn’t even about family practice.”‘
It’s about the health of the community’Dr OO says the shift to a community-focused approach has been beneficial for both the patient and the doctor.
“For the GP, it’s really important to have people in your care, because if you don’t have those people, then what are you going to have for your patients?”
For me, that’s where my focus is, to support people and support the community.
“Dr O O’Nell said it was important that family care was not only about the healthcare needs of the patient, but also about the community.”
As a GP, the role is to really support the family and the community,” she explained.”
You’ve got to be able to support your patients and you’ve got have a plan and a way of providing that care, which is important.
“The new pathway will allow the family practitioner to practise from anywhere in the world, and Dr OO said the move was the first step towards wider family practice services in the UK.”
That’s where I think family practice is going, to be a part of wider family care in the future,” she added.”
Hopefully, in the coming years, it’ll be a more comprehensive part of family care.