Launch of General Practitioners with a Special Interest (GPwSIs) website launched

Thursday 8th September saw the official launch of the general practitioners with a special interest (GPwSI) website at http://www.gpwsi.org.uk/. The site has been developed to provide a resource for general practitioners (GPs) and Primary Care Trusts (PCTs), bringing GPwSI information together on one easy to access site and providing a guide to setting up GPwSI services.

In order for Primary Care Trusts to meet their Local Delivery Plan targets, as set out in the 2000 NHS plan, alternative models of service delivery that bring additional high quality and affordable capacity have become essential. The development of GPwSIs, healthcare professionals offering specialist services in the primary care setting,  provides an exciting opportunity to offer a range of specialist services, which until recently have traditionally been provided within the secondary care setting.

This website was developed as a result of an Advisory Board which was held in January 2005, which brought together primary care physicians from a range of key therapy areas to identify the needs and priorities for supporting GPwSIs, the outcome of which is this website.

The GPwSI website outlines the background to the development of the GPwSI service, starting with the 2000 NHS Plan and the Department of Health guidance on GPwSIs. The site also lists the competencies and accreditation needed to become a GPwSI, and the training and learning opportunities currently available in the UK for GPwSIs.

(6/10/05)