Engagement and partnerships

Our engagement work supports the aims of the Society: to advance primary care through education and research; to build and support a vibrant academic primary care workforce; and to create impact through supporting collaborative action. Partnerships enable the Society to amplify its impact, including through exchange of ideas and expertise, influencing national strategies, promoting learning and visibility across the sector, and pursuing shared goals with organisations that have complementary interests.

SAPC engages with stakeholders through a range of formal and collaborative activities. It maintains reciprocal observer links with key bodies such as the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) and the NIHR Research Delivery Network. The Society also fosters collaboration through its national and regional conferences, and its Special Interest Groups. We have a number of groups working to address career support needs of different disciplines. Policy engagement is primarily through activities of our senior academic members, including those from the SAPC Executive, HoDs and HoTs, many of whom have additional roles such as with NIHR or Deaneries. We also work with other organisations to promote each other’s work (e.g. publications, events).

Academia

Collaborating with Universities and other academic bodies to share ideas and expertise, and to build a diverse and impactful academic workforce

Professional

Working with professional bodies to promote education, scholarship and evidence-based practice, and to grow the discipline of APC

Health service and policy

Working with partners to ensure academic practice aligns with and informs the needs of practice and policymakers

Commercial

Working with industry and commercial partners to support the integration of robust methodology and share expertise on research delivery in primary care

We additionally work closely with patients and the public – please see our dedicated page for more information.

Academic partners

SAPC works with a range of academic partners. This includes academic organisations, such as the NIHR School for Primary Care Research, the North American Primary Care Research Group (NAPGRG) and the Australasian Association for Academic Primary Care (AAAPC). Through our HoDs and HoTs groups, we also aim to strengthen links with medical schools to promote general practice and academic primary care. We have a good working relationship with the British Journal of General Practice.

Professional partners

We have a long-standing relationship with the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP), the professional membership body for family doctors in the UK. 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. Collaborations between SAPC and RCGP have included building the GP scholarship initiative known as WiseGP, our HoTs team working with RCGP to promote GP careers, and supporting the work of the RCGP Scientific Foundation Board.

We have also been working to widen our engagement with other health care professional bodies, including the BMA Medical Academic Staff Committee, and colleagues in pharmacy, nursing and dentistry. Do get in touch if you have ideas for collaborative working.

Health service and policy partners

Research and education undertaken by SAPC members aligns closely with the needs of the wider health service. We have close links to the Research Delivery Network, which supports delivery of research with NHS organisations, and many members will also work directly with local trusts and integrated care boards (ICBs) to facilitate this. Senior SAPC members, particularly from our HoDs and HoTs groups, additionally directly support organisations such as NICE or advise on policy, such as through contributions to inquiries held by the UK Parliament’s Health and Social Care Committee.

Commercial and industry partners

Many of our members share their academic expertise with a range of commercial and industry partners, including software companies, data providers, medical device manufacturers, and the pharmaceutical industry. We recognise the importance of commercial research collaborations, so please connect with us to discuss opportunities!