WONCA EUROpe workshop

The Deep End Ireland team presented an engaging workshop at WONCA Europe 2024, titled “Do you work with socially disadvantaged patients? Why you need a Deep End group and how to set one up.”

We outlined what the concept of the Deep End is, why a Deep End group is needed, how the Deep End supports its members and also advocates for patients, and the activities of Deep End Ireland to date. We dedicated most of the workshop to small group discussions where participants had the opportunity to share their experiences. The following questions were put to the groups:

• How do you find like-minded GPs to start a group?​

• How to make unions/academic groups/government organisations aware of your group?​

• How to map Deep End Practices?

There were delegates present from countries all over the world including New Zealand, USA, UK, the Netherlands, Spain and Sweden. This diverse gathering allowed for rich discussions about the similarities and differences between our health systems. Most countries already have some form of mapping in place for identifying which practices would fall into the Deep End, largely owing to their universal registration systems. Across the board, there was a strong consensus that forming a Deep End group would provide invaluable support to GPs who are striving to serve areas of deprivation effectively. The workshop encouraged delegates to contemplate the practical logistics of how to initiate this important process. We sincerely hope that this event will inspire an expansion of the Deep End movement to even more countries, fostering greater collaboration and support for those dedicated to this vital cause.