Timeliness: reducing waits and sometimes harmful delays for both those who receive and those who give care

Evidence-based healthcare involves using scientific rigour to appraise evidence from a wide range of sources to best benefit the patient or the service. Primary care research can enhance understanding about the causation, prevention and treatment of disease, which can in turn guide effective and relevant health policies and practice.Knowledge of evidence-based health and care choices so that an informed discussion can occur, taking into account the patient's values and priorities

reducing the possibility of harm; using time safely and appropriately – watching and waiting when it is safe to do so; and 'safety netting' to manage and reduce riskAs a GP, you share responsibility for the health of your local population and should understand fundamental concepts in epidemiology. These include: Skills to reconcile different and sometimes conflicting professional roles within the consultation, such as clinician, patient advocate, leader, gatekeeper and resource manager Epidemiology concepts(see also Topic Guides on Population Health and Infectious Disease and Travel Health) All appraisals are likely to be virtual and the duration of the actual appraisals remains the same, eg two hours Recognising that poverty is a common cause of ill health and consider this when interpreting research. For example, a health outcome attributed to a certain characteristic (for example, ethnicity) may be due to an underlying environment of disadvantage

Be aware of individual bias (including unconscious bias) in interpreting data, and follow the GMC's Good Medical Practice guidance in respecting culture, disability, religion, gender, sexuality, social and economic status In response to the impact of a global pandemic, climate change, COP26 and the need to deliver a ‘Net Zero’ NHS, the RCGP felt it was vital that the GP curriculum should be updated to reflect the impact of these Other characteristics to consider (which are not of the nine protected characteristics) include any that increase the likelihood of difficulties for individuals or groups accessing care. These include: Primary care teams are highly sophisticated multi-professional groups. The opportunities for you to participate in shared learning with colleagues have expanded, particularly following the extension of non-medical prescribing and extensive collaborative working on long-term conditions and integrated care.

Equality: providing care that does not vary in quality because of personal characteristics such as gender, ethnicity, geographic location and socioeconomic status

Patients need care that is in keeping with their own beliefs and values, irrespective of the religion or beliefs of the healthcare professional. 8Patients must also receive care that meets their communication needs – both mental and physical; all organisations in England that provide NHS care are legally required to follow the Accessible Information Standard which aims to ensure people who have a disability are provided with information that they can easily read, understand and receive appropriate support to help them communicate.

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Provide patients with information in patient information leaflets (PILs) and other reliable sources of information (for example, NHS Choices and resources bearing The Information Standard quality mark) where appropriate This topic overlaps with others and, in particular, should be considered in conjunction with the following RCGP Topic Guides: This area is about communicating effectively with patients, using recognised consultation techniques, establishing effective patient partnerships, managing challenging consultations, consulting with third parties and using interpreters.