In this week’s blog, Dr Simon Thornton reflects on his experience at last years GP Placement Capacity Symposium held jointly between Newcastle, UCL, Southampton and Bristol Universities, and thinking about the continued impact of the discussions held.
It’s now a year since the inaugural GP Placement Capacity Symposium, held on 12th June 2024. The event, hosted online, brought together over 100 delegates from medical schools across the UK in a shared effort to address one of the most pressing issues in undergraduate medical education: the growing difficulty in securing enough GP placements for students.
Across the UK, medical schools have been responding with creativity and determination to navigate placement shortfalls. The symposium was the brainchild of Dr Mike Harrison, NIHR doctoral fellow at the University of Newcastle, working in collaboration with colleagues from UCL, the University of Southampton, and the University of Bristol. Their aim, to provide a platform to share the innovations that are helping ease the strain on GP placement capacity.
The event itself was a lively showcase of 11 elevator-pitch presentations, followed by thoughtful Q&A. Innovations ranged from the technological—such as using smart glasses for remote teaching from Ukraine—to political advocacy, including efforts to engage MPs on the realities facing undergraduate GP education.
Several strong themes emerged from the symposium and have continued to shape discussion and development since:
1. Space and Time Constraints
These were—and remain—some of the most fundamental barriers to expanding GP placement capacity. In response, we saw examples like the Sunderland initiative using sessional GPs and vacant NHS Property Services buildings for dedicated teaching clinics. Brighton’s model, offering students out-of-area placements across the UK, continues to offer flexibility and relieve pressure on local practices.
2. Expanding the Supervisory Pool
With fewer GPs and a more diverse primary care workforce, schools have had to think differently about who can deliver teaching. Newcastle reported promising outcomes from involving GP trainees in student education, now contributing 5–10% of teaching. They also shared an innovative frailty clerkship led by a nurse practitioner—an example of how interdisciplinary models can support supervision. This year at Bristol, we’ve hosted our first pair of GP trainees in the GP teaching team.
3. Embracing Technology
Smart glasses made headlines during the symposium, allowing students to experience remote consultations not just within the UK, but internationally offering a scalable solution to some logistical placement challenges.
4. Rethinking Timing
St George’s highlighted their use of out-of-hours placements—a necessary evolution to cope with daytime constraints. Over the past year, other schools have begun exploring similar strategies, offering students exposure to general practice during evenings and weekends.
5. Cultural and Professional Considerations
Perhaps one of the most thought-provoking points came from a recent survey discussed at the symposium: some GP practices are hesitant to accept students due to concerns around a perceived ‘erosion of professional behaviour’, fearing the placement of a ‘problem student.’ This insight sparked important conversations and research ideas.
Looking Ahead
Twelve months on, it’s clear the symposium did more than just spotlight innovation—it catalysed collaboration and ongoing dialogue. Many of the ideas shared on that day have seeded further projects.
There is, of course, much more to do. But one year after that first national coming-together, there’s a growing sense of momentum—and a shared commitment to ensuring medical students can continue to learn in general practice, despite the challenges.
Let’s see what the next twelve months bring.
You can view the programme for this event at blogs.ncl.ac.uk/gpmeded/conferences/
