Engagement with other organisations

Why is it important for SAPC to engage with other organisations?

Our engagement work supports the aims of the society: to advance primary care through education and research; build and support a vibrant academic primary care workforce; and, create impact through supporting collaborative action. Our engagement activity has an important role in:  

  • Communicating the aims of SAPC
  • Obtaining wider support for and sharing information about the work we do
  • Developing collaborations with organisations who have shared and complementary interests

How do we engage with stakeholders?

  • We have observers on the SAPC Executive Committee from the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) and the NIHR Clinical Research Network (CRN).
  • We have observers from SAPC on: 
    • Medical Academic Staff Committee (MASC)
    • Scientific Foundtion Board (RCGP) 
    • BJGP Editorial Board
    • Heads of Department and Heads of Teaching meetings
    • RCGP Council meetings
    • International Committee – meets at NAPCRG
  • We hold an annual national conference, regional conferences and special interest group meetings.
  • We have special interest groups from other professions including Dentists and Pharmacists (@ 2021).
  • We have a number of groups working with different members of the discipline to identify and address career support needs: Academic Clinical Foundation doctors and Primary Health Care Scientists (PHoCUS members and academic GPs).
  • Policy engagement is primarily through activities of a senior leadership group comprising members of SAPC executive committee, Heads of Department, Heads of Teaching, RCGP, NIHR, SPCR and Deaneries.
  • We work with organisations individually to promote each other’s work (e.g. publications and events)

Who we engage with?

  • Academics in primary care.
  • Academic organisations, for example, the NIHR School for Primary Care Research, the North American Primary Care Research Group (NAPGRG), the Australasian Association for Academic Primary Care (AAAPC), the Scottish School for Primary Care, the European Forum for Primary Care and Society for Social Medicine. We aim to continue to strengthen links with medical schools to promote general practice and academic primary care.
  • Policy makers (e.g. Health Select Committee Primary Care Inquiry Report) through the Heads of Department and Heads of Teaching groups.
  • Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) and other bodies. We have a long standing relationship with the RCGP, the professional membership body for family doctors in the UK and overseas. RCGP aims to improve patient care, clinical standards and GP training. Working closely with RCGP is imperative in building and supporting a vibrant primary care workforce. A major piece of work on implementing GP scholarship between SAPC and RCGP called WISE GP, led by Prof Joanne Reeve, has been flourishing since 2018. Heads of Teaching also work closely with RCGP on promoting GP careers. We aim to widen our engagement with other health care professional bodies (e.g. Royal College of Nursing, Royal Pharmaceutical Society). Do get in touch if you have ideas for collaborative working.
  • Media. We have a good working relationship with the British Journal of General Practice

August 2021

If you are interested in working with SAPC, please contact SAPC office office@SAPC.co.uk or Co-chairs Dr Rupert Payne r.a.payne@exeter.ac.uk or Dr Duncan Shrewsbury d.shrewsbury@bsms.ac.uk