Are GPs specialists?

#GPFUQ 11  Are GPs Family Doctors anymore? More than 50% encounters are family orientated in some way, and family problems are discussed in about 25% of encounters .

#GPFUQ 12 What are the 4 essentials of being a GP? 1. good relationships with patients 2. skilled clinicians 3. a resource to a defined community, 4. being adaptable professionals

#GPFUQ 13 What’s the perfect GP? There are no perfect GPs or practices, just  imperfect ones. Some are more imperfect than others. You can you spot the differences if you know what quality looks like.  See #GPFUQ 4

#GPFUQ 14 What’s a modern GP need? Common sense medical wisdom, enjoys patients trust of patients and provides continuity with personalised care

#GPFUQ 15 What are the biggest problems for GPs?  Time & performance management. Having the time and knowledge to cope  with the increasing demands of patients for help managing their chronic medical conditions, their self limiting conditions and their anxiety and depression.

#GPFUQ 16   What's specialist about being a GP? You can classify your usual way of working using four assessments based on your skill level and personal philosophy. Do you have basic or advanced skills, and do you have a simple or complex approach to problems? You can usually assess yourself by recognising what sort of patient you are comfortable with, and what sort of feedback you get from patients, staff and other doctors about your performance. Depending on your approach you will tend to fit one of four distinct profiles. 
The basic simple profile is ‘the mechanic’. You have basic skills, dispense medications and direct advice. Your encounters are problem-focused, and at times you can seem abrupt, ignorant of emotional distress and not patient centred. 
The basic complex profile is ‘the counsellor’. You are bio-psychosocially orientated with basic skills and you offer advice. You explore the patients backgrounds, concerns and spiritual dimensions of illness in a patient centred fashion. 
The more advanced simple profile is ‘the investigator’. You are bio-medically focused but when the occasion warrants you have a repertoire of detective skills that allows you to sense patient cues of emotional distress that shed light on the patients condition. 
Finally the more advanced complex profile is ‘the healer’. You use the full breadth of bio-psycho-social skills taking into account cultural and existential dimension and integrate most aspects of care seamlessly. You appear comfortable with different patients in different situations. 
When you know your style, if you want to change it to treat the person, not the just the disease you will need consultation skills advice. This can be a difficult process but rewarding to cope with difficult consultations better.