About SAPC
Welcome to the Society for Academic Primary Care.
What is academic primary care?
Primary care plays a key role in coordinating care and the treatment and prevention of disease, with strong relationships between patient and clinician, and close integration with other health services and the wider community. Academic primary care seeks to improve primary care through research and teaching. It provides evidence to understand, evaluate and improve primary care policy and practice. Ultimately, this aims to improve the quality, effectiveness and safety of care and health services for patients and the public.
What is SAPC?
The Society for Academic Primary Care (SAPC) provides a clear voice and a strong presence for academic primary care in what is a complex and ever-changing health service environment. We offer a point of reference and contact for those seeking academic solutions to the problems they face in the provision and study of primary care, and the advancement of academic primary care for the public benefit. We have established partnerships with clinical and academic colleagues, both in the UK and internationally.
A brief history
SAPC Structure
The work of SAPC is led by the Executive team, comprising elected or co-opted members from across the academic primary care community. The Executive is supported by the Heads of Departments group (HoDs), providing representation from all UK and Ireland departments of academic primary care, and the Heads of Teaching group (HoTs), which oversees the strategic delivery of undergraduate primary care education in UK medical schools. Administrative work is undertaken by the SAPC Secretariat, provided by The Association Management Company. SAPC is a membership organisation, registered in England as an incorporated company.
Other initiatives
In addition, many of our members help us deliver a number of other initiatives, including special interest groups supporting research in a number of dedicated areas, and representation for early career researchers and colleagues from across the wider academic primary care workforce.
Executive team
Oversees strategic delivery against SAPC’s priorities and goals
Heads of Department
Oversees strategic delivery of academic activity related to university departments
Heads of Teaching
Oversees strategic delivery of undergraduate primary care education in UK medical schools
Ambassadors
Represent their Institution and act as a point of contact for their department
Special interest groups
Our “SIGs” cover a wide range of clinical and methodological topics
PHoCuS
The Primary Healthcare Scientist group represents interests of colleagues who are not medically qualified
Early Career Researcher group
The ECR group represents the interests of early career primary care academics
Mackenzie group
The Mackenzie group is for SAPC members who have retired from senior academic careers but wish to continue to network and contribute to SAPC’s ongoing work
Legal Status
As of 24th February 2024, SAPC has been registered as a company limited by guarantee. The Articles of Association were approved by a special resolution at the SAPC Annual Scientific Meeting 2024. Company number 15519255.
SAPC Executive
The Executive team has responsibility for the overall strategic direction of SAPC. It is supported by the Heads of Departments (HoDs) and Heads of Teaching (HoTs) groups, and the SAPC secretariat.
Prof. Gary Abel
Chair
Dr Serge Engamba
Treasurer
Dr Hassan Awan
Executive Committee Member, ECA Co-lead
Dr Shoba Dawson
Executive Committee Member, EDI Lead
Dr Umar Chaudhry
SAPC Ambassador Co-lead (Co-opted to SAPC Exec)
Dr Rosina Cross
PHoCus Lead (Co-opted to SAPC Exec)
Dr Stephen Woolford
Executive Committee Member, Comms lead
Dr Babu Karavadra
Executive Committee Member
Dr Jess Drinkwater
SAPC Ambassador Co-lead (Co-opted to SAPC Exec)
Dr Peter Edwards
Executive Committee Member, ECA Co-lead
Dr Emma Healey
Executive Committee Member, Regional Meeting Lead
Prof. Ben Jackson
Co-chair of Heads of Teaching (Co-opted to SAPC Exec)
Halle Johnson
PPI Co-lead (Co-opted to SAPC Exec)
Dr Stephen Woolford
Executive Committee Member, Comms lead
Dr Sarah Mills
Executive Committee Member
Prof. Caroline Mitchell
Executive Committee Member, Mentor Scheme Lead
Dr Rebecca Morris
Executive Committee Member, PPI Co-lead
Prof. Rupert Payne
Website lead (Co-opted to SAPC Exec)
Prof. Joanne Protheroe
Co-chair of Heads of Teaching (Co-opted to SAPC Exec)
Dr Eduard Shantsila
Chair of Heads of Departments (Co-opted to SAPC Exec)
Dr Stephen Woolford
Executive Committee Member, Comms lead
Prof. Duncan Shrewsbury
Charitable application lead (Co-opted to SAPC Exec)
Dr Rachel Spencer
Executive Committee Member, SAPC SIGs Lead
Dr Victoria Tzortziou Brown OBE
Executive Committee Member
Dr Nick Thomas
Observor (RCGP)
Dr Stephen Woolford
Executive Committee Member, Comms lead