Celebrating the exceptional potential of general practice.

Abstract

This essay is inspired by the book The Exceptional Potential of General Practice: Making a Difference in Primary Care , edited by Professor Graham Watt and with 55 contributors from 11 countries.1 The origin of the symbol of General Practice at the Deep End was from a drawing 25 years ago by Julian Tudor Hart that showed patients and doctors at the deep end of the swimming pool trying to keep afloat. That sketch led to the logo of GPs at the Deep End, serving the 100 most deprived communities in Scotland, now followed by similar projects and logos in Ireland, Yorkshire/Humber, and Greater Manchester,2 and celebrated during a 2-day meeting at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow on 14–15 February 2019. Presentations were primarily from practitioners whose views and descriptions of work in deprived communities came from their experiences in the neighbourhoods where they practise. The gathering was a …