Dear Brent Patient Voice members and friends
“Who would be a doctor?” is the topic of our public meeting and debate on Thursday 15^th November next at the Learie Constantine Centre, 40-47 Dudden Hill Lane, NW10 2ET at 7pm (refreshments from 6.30)

We are focussing on the strains and stresses facing GPs. They are our first and principal port of call when we need to access NHS services. Yet

• Practices are merging or closing;
• Workload problems are leading to burnout or early retirement;
• The NHS wants GPs to do more to relieve the load on hospitals;
• Plans to boost GP numbers are way off target;
• Few GPs welcome extra admin and new organisational structures.

• Will switching to digital help reduce workload?
• What does Primary Care Home mean for doctors and patients?
• How do new roles such as healthcare assistants, community pharmacists and nurse practitioners fit in?

We are fortunate to have recruited highly qualified speakers to lead our debate. They are Dr MC Patel, new Chair of Brent Clinical Commissioning Group, and long-serving Brent GP, and Dr Pauline Foreman, Medical Director for Practice Support at the Royal College of General Practitioners, and also a GP in Hertfordshire.

We look forward to seeing you on 15^th November. Please take this as notice of our AGM from 7 to 7.20pm that day, including reports, minutes and elections to the Steering Group. We urgently need someone to manage our communications and mailshots like this one. Please contact me at robisharp@gmail.com if you can help. I can also supply a flyer for this meeting if you can put up one in your surgery etc.

With best wishes

Robin Sharp
Chair BPV