The Royal College of General Practitioners, which represents over 1400 GPs across Northern Ireland, is proud to announce that Dr Laura Bunting, Broughshane Medical Centre, has been awarded GP of the Year 2022.
RCGPNI’s GP of the Year Award is nominated and judged by patients, to recognise the tireless work GPs and their practice teams have done throughout this pandemic, going above and beyond to support patients.
Dr Laura Bunting, 2022 GP of the Year commented:
“I am truly humbled and delighted to have received this accolade. It means so much to me that my patients took time out of their busy days to nominate me for this award and it is heartening to know that how valued general practice.
"I also want to thank the fantastic team at Broughshane Medical Centre for all of their tireless work and support over recent years.
"It is a deeply challenging time for general practice in Northern Ireland and there have been a lot of long days. Receiving this award, and knowing my patients value the care I provide, makes the difficult days’ worth it."
Dr Laurence Dorman, Chair of RCGP Northern Ireland, commented:
“I would like to thank all the patients who took time to nominate our GPs and GP Practices for our Annual Awards. Year on year, we receive a large number of nominations, and this perfectly illustrates the high value people across Northern Ireland place on their local GP practice.
"I also want to congratulate my colleague, Dr Laura Bunting. The person-centred care she provided for her patients had compassion and quality at its heart and this is a richly deserved accolade.”
The patient nomination for Dr Bunting can be found below.
“Dr Bunting has treated me with the utmost care and compassion. She has always made time to see me, even when her schedule is full. She has spoken to me with dignity and respect and has validated my areas of concern, allowing me adequate time to process the information.
"At times when I have not understood my care or results from tests or pathology, she has printed them out and talked me through everything, allowing me to ask the questions I needed to understand.
"Throughout my journey, Dr Bunting has always provided an open and safe space for me to talk about my struggles and challenges. I have felt completely involved in all decisions around my care and she has often gone over and above, to ensure that I have felt comfortable with the pathways chosen.
"Even with telephone appointments still in place at the surgery, if I have requested a face-to-face appointment because I haven’t felt comfortable talking on the phone, I have never been disappointed. In addition to this, I have never once in her company felt rushed or that I have exceeded my time.
"Under her care, I have always felt like she has treated me as she would a friend or a relative, and never as a patient or a number.
"At each appointment, she asks about both my children on a first-name basis, as well as how I am coping with work and socially. In essence, Dr Bunting is the epitome of ‘person-centred care’. She ensures that my social needs are being met on a par with my medical needs, as well as safeguarding my dignity throughout the journey.
"I know that my journey is far from over, and while I still have a long way to go and a number of mountains still to climb, I know that I will get there with support from dedicated and passionate GPs such as Dr Bunting.”
The Royal College of General Practitioners is a network of more than 52,000 family doctors working to improve care for patients. We work to encourage and maintain the highest standards of general medical practice and act as the voice of GPs on education, training, research and clinical standards.