Annual Conference Summary

Conference highlights opportunities for the future of primary care

Inspirational words about the future of primary care greeted people at the Derby and Derbyshire General Practice Conference 2025.

More than 130 colleagues from general practice attended the event on Thursday 25 October, which was organised by Derby and Derbyshire Local Medical Committee (DDLMC) and Derbyshire General Practice Provider Board (GPPB).

Delegates enjoyed a packed agenda, which was led by keynote speaker Michael McGrath MBE, who is the first and only person with muscular dystrophy to lead expeditions to the North Pole in 2002 and the South Pole in 2004.

His motivational speech set the tone for the rest of the day as delegates, from a variety of clinical and non-clinical roles within general practice, heard from local and national leaders about what to expect over the next few years.

He encouraged those in the room to use the support and services available via the LMC and GPPB to take a progressive and transformative approach to the changes ahead.

Drawing parallels with his personal achievements and the challenges faced by general practice – and primary care as a whole - he said: “Keep your cool, slice up the tasks and enjoy the adrenaline!

“Look at the opportunities before you, and not the limitations. Most importantly, protect your resilience, inspire and support each other, and lead with empathy.”

Ruth Rankine, Director of the Primary Care Network at NHS Confederation, provided an overview of the NHS 10 Year Health Plan.

Acknowledging that general practice already played a vital role in the community, she said the plan provided even more opportunities for care closer to home, for closer working between the NHS and the Voluntary Community Faith and Social Enterprise sector (VCFSE), and for developing relationships with other disciplines in primary care.

She said: “Primary care is bigger than general practice – there’s a big role for community pharmacy, dentistry and optometry.

“There’s a focus on the ‘left shift’ of services from hospitals to the community, and prevention. It’s a chance for local areas to decide what’s needed for their neighbourhoods.

“The opportunity is massive – you’ve got to see it and seize it!”

The following workshops – run by local and national leaders - enabled people to delve deeper into topics of their choice:

· Neighbourhood Working: shaping the future together

· A Digital Revolution: what’s next for Derbyshire?

· Prevention in practice: building healthier communities

· Bridging the Gap: primary and secondary care in practice

Dr Ben Milton, Medical Director, DDLMC, said: “It was great to see so many colleagues eager to get involved in the future provision of general practice in Derby and Derbyshire, and learn more about how the national changes would impact them locally.

“We heard from some fantastic speakers who left us all with food for thought and lots of ideas to take away and explore further.”

Dr Andrew Mott, Medical Director, GPPB, said: “We got to grips with some important topics in the different workshops and discussed in more detail how we can all embrace the ambitions of the 10-year plan, by working closer together and with wider partners to build a strong future for general practice, and ultimately our patients.”

“It was encouraging to see people engaging with both the LMC and GP Provider Board, and we hope they left with an increased understanding of the work we do to support them in the wider health and care system.”

You can check out the DDLMC social media channels for updates from the day: X and LinkedIn.