Our lunchtime seminar this week was given by Helen Lester, Professor of Primary Care at the National Primary Care Research and Development Centre at the University of Manchester. She has been a GP in Birmingham since 1990. Most of her academic work has focused on improving care for people with mental health problems and on quality improvement more generally. Professor Lester is also the academic clinical lead of the Quality and Outcomes Framework (working as the external contractor to NICE), vice chair of the Society for Academic Primary Care and an elected member of College Council. In her spare time, she writes for the British Journal of General Practice as one of the ‘back page’ columnists. Professor Lester spoke about the benefits that we have seen in health care delivery in the UK from the implementation of the Quality and Outcomes Framework. These include a reduction in health inequalities.
The integration of Work Coaches (WCs) & Disability Employment Advisors (DEAs) into UK General Practice (GP) provides an innovative approach to bridging the gap between health & employment services. We now reflect on the findings of our recent study led by Shriti Patani, Lara Shemtob & Kabir Varghese in collaboration with colleagues from the Department of Primary Care and Public Health at Imperial College London. The study explored the benefits & challenges of integrating emplyment support services in primary care from the perspectives of GPs & work coaches. What’s the context? Employment is a critical social determinant of health, with unemployment linked to poorer physical & mental wellbeing & reduced quality of life. Traditionally, individuals seeking employment support access services through Jobcentres. However, barriers including stigma or lack of awareness - especially in people with disabilities or long-term health conditions -...
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