UK primary care teams and social determinants of health intervention: a qualitative study

Hewett, Angela D. and Connabeer, Kathrina and Hewett, Fraser and Huckerby, Clair and Bridger, Emma K. (2026) UK primary care teams and social determinants of health intervention: a qualitative study. BJGP Open. ISSN 2398-3795

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Abstract

Background

Although inequalities in social determinants of health (SDOH) are linked to poor health, they are often overlooked in healthcare. Primary care networks (PCNs) are an example of neighbourhood-level multidisciplinary teams (MDTs), established in part to address SDOH at locality. Further research is needed to understand how UK primary care health care practitioners (HCPs) understand and manage patient SDOH through these teams.

Aim

To explore how UK primary care HCPs view SDOH and how they perceive working in PCN MDTs influences their ability to address them.

Design & setting

A qualitative study undertaken in general practice in the UK.

Method

25 primary care HCPs (GPs, GP trainees, nurses, pharmacists, care coordinators and social prescribers) were recruited via purposive sampling (males=10, females=15). One-to-one semi-structured interviews were conducted between April 2023-May 2024.

Results

Thematic analysis revealed three key findings. First, participants described how primary care is uniquely positioned to address SDOH through community proximity and integrated MDT services. Second, they expressed helplessness to change SDOH, citing barriers outside their clinical sphere of influence. Finally, they raised concerns over tensions between rising expectations of primary care and insufficient structural resources, including staffing, estates and training, to tackle complex SDOH issues.

Conclusion

MDTs were widely viewed by HCPs to improve the ability of general practice to address SDOH in community-based services due to the unique remit of multidisciplinary roles, and the extra time that some roles are allocated for patient consultation. However, further resources are crucial for these teams to achieve meaningful impact.

Item Type:	Article
Identification Number:	10.3399/BJGPO.2025.0216
Dates:	Date Event 10 March 2026 Accepted 14 May 2026 Published Online
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Social determinants of health, primary health care, general practice, multidisciplinary teams, health inequalities
Subjects:	CAH02 - subjects allied to medicine > CAH02-06 - allied health > CAH02-06-01 - health sciences (non-specific) CAH04 - psychology > CAH04-01 - psychology > CAH04-01-01 - psychology (non-specific)
Divisions:	Life and Health Sciences > Psychology
Depositing User:	Gemma Tonks
Date Deposited:	17 Jul 2026 13:42
Last Modified:	17 Jul 2026 13:42
URI:	https://www.open-access.bcu.ac.uk/id/eprint/17117

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