Public Health & General Practice

General practice and primary care are the front line of the National Health Service in the west of Scotland, with about 600 general practices providing first contact care and a gateway to secondary care services.

Health care in the west of Scotland is dominated by the high prevalence of severe socio-economic deprivation, with associated high levels of co-morbidity, defined as the number, severity and complexity of health and social problems within families. The challenge is to provide holistic, comprehensive and co-ordinated care for such patients. By reversing risks and preventing disease complications, general practice and primary care have the potential to improve health and reduce inequalities.

The University section of general practice and primary care is small, but aims to support primary care development in the west of Scotland and beyond, via an integrated programme of undergraduate teaching (involving about 170 teaching practices and over 200 GP tutors), postgraduate professional development (via the new Master of Primary Care Degree and associated activities), primary care research and the development of academic careers.

The Section pursues a broad range of research, mainly concerned with the delivery and organisation of health care, including inequalities in health care, the management of long-term conditions, e-Health and changing skill-mix. In keeping with the generalist nature of general practice and primary care, these projects span a wide range of topics and specialities, including cardiovascular medicine, cancer, respiratory impairment and mental health.

A contribution the Medical Fund means our work can continue in improving general practice and primary care, through research and training programmes.