GPwSI
We all know that general practitioners form the core of primary care, responsible for the management of patient care outside of hospitals and referring to hospitals for specialist treatment.
But something that is not talked about enough are GP's with a special interest, otherwise known as GPwSI or GPSI.
This is a fully trained general practitioner that gained additional skills allowing them to offer services that have been traditionally offered in secondary care. Consultant GPs are required to pursue ongoing education through the CPD system, hence why a medical career is often described as a lifelong educational journey, no matter what field you enter. So in 2000, GPwSI was introduced to support further general practitioner training and have specialist care more locally.
The royal college of general practitioners (RCGP) have defined a number of frameworks to help practitioners develop and maintain their specialist knowledge and skills necessary for particular roles. Examples of specialisation include, and are not limited to, dermatology, cardiology, palliative care, substance misuse or endoscopy. More often that not GPwSI's run clinics on specific days or hold minor surgeries.
GP's also can be involved in medical education; teaching medical students and foundation trainees through small group teachings, tutorials or workshops. Which in the meanwhile is crucial in maintaining this specialist proficiency.