Health education and patient care in Scotland has received a boost with news that Greater Glasgow Primary Care Trust is to fund twelve places on the newly established Master of Primary Care offered by the Department of General Practice and Primary Care at the University of Glasgow.

The part-time course which started last year has already been praised as motivational and thought provoking by healthcare professionals who have taken part. An eclectic group including GPs, health visitors, pharmacists, public health practitioners, managers and care nurses are studying a wide variety of themes from better ways of working with patients, colleagues and communities to equipping health professionals with contemporary management techniques.

Sandra McGregor, the course co-ordinator commented, "Many students and staff feel the course can help drive positive change in today's constantly evolving NHS. One student who took part confessed that somewhere along the line she had lost focus on the client and that this course had made her think more about getting consumer feedback and involvement. I think the course really can challenge the healthcare practitioner."

As well as the Masters Degree, the department is also offering standalone 'modules' as part of a scheme of Continuing Professional Development. This allows students the flexibility to attend a variety of courses to increase their skills and competencies when working in Primary Care and to gain SCOTCAT points which may be carried forward to the following year for those staff undertaking the Master of Primary Care.

Again by providing around 45 funded places, the Primary Care Trust in working with the University is hoping that the courses will improve the expertise of their workforce. Students who achieve a place on the modules will be able to study a variety of topical issues ranging from Social Justice and the impact of deprivation and ill health in Scotland to communication skills to improve relationships between patients and all professionals with whom they work.

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First published: 22 April 2003