The importance of the new BMJ workload control strategy in your practice

The BMJ is proposing a new strategy to help control individual workloads in your general practice strategy 

CREDIT: This is an edited version of an article that originally appeared on British Medical Association

Workload is, arguably, the most important factor in managing working conditions for GPs nationally. We’ve proposed a workload control strategy to address the factors involved.

It is unsustainable, unsafe and unfair for GPs to be working excessive hours at the expense of their own physical, mental and social health. Given that changes to workforce may take years to be realised, workload must be addressed urgently.

Workload has increased because of growing patient need (complex multi-morbidity) as well as a result of the widespread recruitment crisis and a lack of long-term investment in general practice.

The strategy objectives

The BMA is proposing a workload control strategy to enable general practice to improve quality and safety. The strategy aims to publicise reasonable, safe, workload limits and provide practices with practical tools to control workload. The objectives include:

• Agree a range of clear, quantitative, limits to help individuals identify what safe practice looks like for them.
• Produce guidance on safe practice across scenarios, showing common practice working patterns such as telephone consultations and triage.
• Promote system change which allows the provision of safe general practice.
• Propose contractual innovations for practices where rurality, or other factors, hamper system change.
• Introduce an “OPEL Alert” system for use by practices and LMCs.

Benefits of implementing this strategy include:

• improved GP morale and wellbeing;
• locality working with CCGs and practices providing support;
• integrated primary care systems giving general practice a stronger voice.

For more of the details of the BMA strategy, please follow this link.