Prime Minister uses online network to rally doctors around reforms

Jan. 27, 2011 - PRLog -- Following the publication of the Health and Social Care Bill on 19 January, the Prime Minister issued his message to members of Doctors.net.uk on the same day he welcomed to Number 10 a group of 100 GP representatives of the first wave of ‘pathfinder’ practice consortia.  To date, 141 pathfinder consortia have been established, covering more than half of the English population.

In his carefully timed rallying cry, which was yesterday delivered directly to the entire Doctors.net.uk membership of over 182,000 doctors, the Prime Minister referred to the planned changes to the NHS and the widespread opportunities for improved patient outcomes that will result.  (Note to editors: click here for the full text).

Richard Adams, chief executive of Doctors.net.uk, said: “Doctors have automatically turned to our professional resources and discussion fora for assistance in navigating their way through the changes.  

“We’re delighted that the Prime Minister has now chosen Doctors.net.uk to deliver his message and see it as confirmation that the community has become the primary channel through which the Government, the public sector and the health industry can engage with doctors in the UK.”

The vast majority of UK doctors are members of the Doctors.net.uk community, with roughly one in four accessing its resources every day.  Following the announcement of the health white paper in mid-2010, a resource centre was launched to help guide GPs and their hospital doctor counterparts through the changes to the commissioning of healthcare services.

# # #

Doctors.net.uk is the largest and most active network of medical professionals in the UK.

Doctors.net.uk has a membership of 182,000 doctors, with 97 percent saying that the network is their most trusted source of information. It is the online resource most frequently used by them and provides forums for discussion, education and extensive editorial content, including conference highlights to support them in making the best decisions for the care of their patients.

The network was created for doctors, by doctors in 1998. More than 500 doctors now act as advisers and clinical information contributors. Credibility and integrity of all published materials is assured thanks to an experienced editorial team and a code of absolute transparency for all information published.