Rebuild General Practice

Client: British Medical Association, General Practice Defence Fund

In late 2021, General Practice came under attack. Unlike other NHS allies, GPs were subjected to a vitriolic front-page campaign from the Daily Mail, Daily Telegraph, The Express and in turn the Government.

The premise? GPs were accused of being overpaid, underworked, and refusing to see patients face-to-face. The reality was that post-Covid, GPs were seeing more patients than ever before. As a result of this negative campaign, GPs across the UK reported severe stress, burn-out and increasing abuse from patients. “Rebuild General Practice” launched to reveal the reality of the GP crisis. Demand was outstripping supply. There were simply not enough doctors and patient safety was at risk. Led by GPs, the campaign’s mission was to change the narrative and secure cross-party and Government commitments to address the root cause of the problems – the GP workforce crisis. Because in the end, everyone wanted the same thing – the best possible care for patients. Over a period of six months, the campaign changed the narrative in the media and among the public, and moved the dial politically. Previously hostile right-wing press softened their tone and covered the campaign extensively, and key political supporters backed the campaign asks in Parliament. Finally, in November 2022 campaign supporter and now Chancellor Jeremy Hunt announced a workforce plan for General Practice and the NHS – just what Rebuild General Practice had been calling for.