As the new Federal Government looks at overhauling Medicare, we must look to world-best practice, which is GP-led. multidisciplinary care. Evidence from research presented at GP22 by Prof Jens Søndergaard demonstrated that a relationship with your GP improves quality and length of life. The Danish system is held up as one of best practice – the happiest and healthiest health system in the world. The GP is the beating heart of the Danish health system; the hospital system is only a minor part. In Denmark, funding is based on 70% fee for service, and 30% of funding is flexible to support chronic disease and GP-led teams. The research shows this system works.
The UK system is broken and in crisis; the capitation model has failed by trading off continuity for access.
Seeing your GP shouldn’t be like phoning a call centre or booking an Uber driver who you’ll never see again – relationship-based care is essential for patient safety and patient experience (House of Commons report)
