Prioritizing resources for GPs in deprived areas found to be essential for care

Prioritizing resources for GPs in deprived areas found to be essential for care


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General practitioners (GPs) in deprived areas should be prioritized for resource, in order to allow them to provide effective care to some of the most unwell and vulnerable patients in society.

In areas experiencing high levels of poverty, factors including a lack of access to and time with GP services impacts patients’ engagement in health care, their self-management and, ultimately, their overall well-being. The new findings come from research led by the General Practice and Primary Care Team at the University of Glasgow.

Working closely with patient groups in some of the most deprived areas of Scotland, the research team found that community factors—experiences of belonging, stigma from outside the community, and experiences of community-based systems not working—had a direct impact on health.

Currently, people living in areas with high poverty rates are far more likely to not only experience multiple long-term conditions, but also develop them at a younger age. Despite the increased rates of illness, particularly mental health, GP practices in these areas currently receive no extra resources. GPs therefore have no choice but to see more people, with more problems, in less time, which makes providing appropriate care extremely challenging.

Published in the British Journal of General Practicethe new study found that high quality person-centered care—which includes trusting relationship with practitioners, continuity of care, power shared equally between patients and doctors—could influence how people with multiple long-term conditions manage their health.

Throughout the study, researchers spent significant time in one community in the West of Scotland which experiences high levels of poverty. People in this area described how the impact of wider shared experiences influenced their experience of health care, and often resulted in anger or disengagement from services.

Researchers say this work highlights the importance of prioritizing and resourcing high-quality care in General Practice to narrow existing health inequalities. Furthermore, that person-centered care could be particularly important for populations experiencing poverty because it may be able to mitigate the impact of wider negative community experiences.

Dr. Marianne McCallum, GP Clinical Academic Fellow in General Practice Primary Care at the University’s School of Health and Well-being, said, “This study provides further evidence to suggest that relationships and continuity really are the ‘silver bullets of general practice’ and this is particularly so in communities experiencing poverty.

“This study also emphasizes the need to ensure that GPs working in these areas are properly resourced to allow them time to provide this essential care.”

More information:
Marianne McCallum et al, Multimorbidity and person-centred care in a socioeconomically deprived community: a qualitative study, British Journal of General Practice (2024). DOI: 10.3399/BJGP.2024.0286

Provided by University of Glasgow


Citation: Prioritizing resources for GPs in deprived areas found to be essential for care (2025, January 6) retrieved 6 January 2025 from

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