TY - JOUR T1 - General practice after COVID-19: lessons learned JF - British Journal of General Practice JO - Br J Gen Pract SP - 268 LP - 269 DO - 10.3399/bjgp21X716009 VL - 71 IS - 707 AU - Vasumathy Sivarajasingam Y1 - 2021/06/01 UR - http://bjgp.org/content/71/707/268.abstract N2 - The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a detrimental impact on human populations across the world, with colossal changes to our personal, social, and professional lives. However, there have been some abrupt and unexpected positive shifts in human behaviour in response to the pandemic. Along with the rest of the population, clinicians have rapidly adapted to the new ways of working and climbed a steep learning curve. Working differently has certainly brought some challenges but also some unforeseen opportunities and scope for innovation, making it more positive than initially thought.The pandemic has broadened the public awareness of the importance of health. People are now more aware that nothing really matters when health is lacking, and this raised awareness is the driving force towards healthier habits; children and families are taking handwashing, personal hygiene, and other prevention measures seriously. We need to embrace these affirmative behaviour changes and ‘new ways of working’, and reflect on how we can build on some of these methods to endure beyond the pandemic. Our prime aim is to improve our primary care system with a view to support and sustain the trusted relationship with our patients. In addition, staff need to be satisfied with these new methods, and we should work together with the aim of improving staff morale and general wellbeing. Sustainable staff wellbeing is also associated with improved performance.A key part of the NHS Long Term Plan is digital-first primary care; patients using digital and online tools for faster and improved access to advice, support, and treatment. The intention of total triage and remote consultations is to improve patient access while reducing workload pressures in general practice. According to the figures from NHS Digital, around 80% of GP consultations were delivered face-to-face before the pandemic, the rest mostly by telephone. During the pandemic, … ER -