What's it like working in the Deep End Network in Northern Ireland? It's challenging, but ultimately rewarding

Today, we’re speaking to Dr Dan Butler, a portfolio GP completing his PhD at Queen’s University Belfast. 

Title of paper: “Challenging but ultimately rewarding”: A qualitative analysis of Deep End GPs’ experiences

Available at: https://doi.org/10.3399/BJGP.2024.0167

GPs working in the highest need, socioeconomically deprived areas, the “Deep End”, face additional challenges. This paper looks at the NI context and explores why, despite the challenges, GPs choose to work in these areas. The main issues relate to wider healthcare failings and the challenges of patient populations some of whom generally frequently use (‘medicalised’ group) and those who underuse (‘missingness’ group) health services. GPs tend to relate to ‘Deep End’ areas, either due to personal connections or feelings of duty and social responsibility. No amount of General Practice focused funding will ‘solve’ the issues, instead a far greater holistic approach improving the physical conditions people are born, live and work in, is needed.