GP and ex-Bake Off star James Morton urges sustainability in new healthcare role

Doctor and former Bake Off contestant James Morton is aiming to help tackle the issue of over-prescribing in the NHS in his new role at Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS).

The GP has been elected as the new vice-chair of the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) Council, which is part of HIS.

He is keen to help address over-prescribing in the NHS – an issue that is said to cost the health service £300 million in waste in the UK each year.

Dr Morton aims to ensure that clinical guidelines and advice put prevention and non-pharmacological treatments ahead of those medicines that do not help improve the health of the patient in the long term.

The doctor is advising people who take medications regularly to consider having a review with their GP at their next visit to ensure their healthcare regime is the right one for them.

He said: “There are so many things we can all do to help our own health and to cut down on over-reliance that might lead to waste in the NHS.

“I would ask people, particularly those who have been on medicines for a long time, to have a look at what they are taking and review it with their GP to ensure they’re not taking them unnecessarily.

“I want to emphasize that this is not about saving money, but about improving health and encouraging people to have more involvement in their own health.”

SIGN develops guidelines, based on the most recent medical research, to help health and social care professionals make decisions – with their patients – about care, and make sure people get the best care available, wherever they live.

Dr Morton, who lives in Glasgow with his wife and two young children, practices sustainability in his own GP practice in the city’s southside, by cycling to see patients.

The GP was a runner up in the third series of the Great British Bake Off in 2012 and will return to TV screens later this month as part of the Great British Bake Off Hogmanay special.

He said: “Sustainability is an issue for all of us as the vast majority of our carbon footprint is preventable.

“For GPs, like myself, we need to look at prescribing as at least half of medicines that we prescribe are not taken as prescribed. This is a huge waste.

“For example, we understand the messaging with regards to antibiotics, and not to over-prescribe to cut down on antibiotic resistance, but we can certainly use the climate and sustainability argument to add some further emphasis to the good practices we already should be following.

“I want us to try to engage with patients to motivate them to improve their health and prevent illness in future where possible through social prescribing.

“That means sometimes rather than giving someone medicines, working in a garden or taking part in an exercise class can have greater benefits.”

Safia Qureshi, director of evidence and digital at HIS, Scotland’s health and care improvement agency, welcomed Dr Morton in his new role.

She said: “We are delighted that James is supporting us with our focus on sustainability.

“Our guidelines already have a keen focus on sustainability – for example, emphasising effective non-pharmacological treatments, such as our guideline on management of depression, and our forthcoming guideline on type 2 diabetes.

“We want our guidelines and advice to provide the best evidence that will empower people to be fully involved in decisions about their health and wellbeing.”