About this action

Many GPs are passionate about advocacy but lack the practical skills or confidence to influence policy effectively. Training in media engagement, public speaking, and policy brief writing enables healthcare professionals to advocate for systemic change. Advocacy also plays a role in reducing burnout, as clinicians who engage in policy influence often feel a greater sense of agency and impact in their work. GPs witness daily how structural inequalities affect patient's health but may lack confidence or skills to advocate effectively for change. Building advocacy capacity transforms GPs from observers to active agents addressing the root causes of health inequalities. Approaches to implementation: - Share templates for advocacy letters to housing, benefits, and immigration services - Consider training in media engagement, public speaking, and policy brief writing - Provide training on different levels of advocacy: individual patient, practice population, and policy - Connect GPs with existing advocacy networks like Deep End groups - Create protected time for advocacy work within job plans - Document and share successful advocacy examples to build confidence Key benefits: Empowers GPs to address social determinants affecting their patients' health, builds collective voice for policy change on health inequalities, and positions general practice as a force for social justice beyond clinical care.