Northern Ireland public urged to say 'thank you' to GPs and practice teams

The Royal College of General Practitioners’ (RCGP) annual GP and Practice Team of the Year Awards honours those who have gone above and beyond to provide outstanding care – and they hope the public across Northern Ireland will spend a few minutes over the next few days to put in their nominations.

The RCGP said GPs continue to work in the heart of communities, to the best of their ability despite increasing workloads and unprecedented pressures.

The GP and GP Practice of the Year Awards are about recognising and acknowledging the huge efforts made to provide the best possible care for patients.

Dr Ursula Mason, Chair of RCGP Northern Ireland, said: "If you feel your local doctor or practice have gone above and beyond for you or your family, consider taking a few short moments to nominate them for either the GP or Practice Team of the Year Award. A nomination from patients can be a real boost to the morale of GPs and practices.”

Nominations are open until Sunday, July 14 and nominations can be submitted in the links at GP of the Year form and Practice of the Year form

On receiving the GP of the Year award in 2023, Dr Sarah Fleming commented: “The fact that a patient has taken the time and effort to nominate me for this honour is so humbling, and I want to thank them sincerely for doing so.

"Being a GP is a challenging but truly rewarding job, and hearing that we are able to make such a positive impact on people’s lives is what makes the more difficult days worthwhile.

"I also want to thank my wonderful colleagues at Ballymoney Family Practice for all their hard work and commitment to caring for our patients.”