Working together for strong GP care in North Rhine-Westphalia

What does the state of North Rhine-Westphalia need to ensure GP care - also and especially in rural areas - and how can Witten/Herdecke University (UW/H) contribute to this? These questions were the focus of the discussion between the Governing Bodies and Ina Brandes, Minister for Culture and Science of North Rhine-Westphalia, Karl-Josef Laumann, Minister for Labour, Health and Social Affairs in NRW, Dr Johannes Albert Gehle, President of the Westphalia-Lippe Medical Association, Dr Markus Wenning, Medical Director of the Westphalia-Lippe Medical Association, Dr Dirk Spelmeyer, Chairman of the Board of the Westphalia-Lippe Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians, and members of the Faculty of Health at UW/H.

Outpatient GP care in North Rhine-Westphalia, particularly in Westphalia-Lippe, is facing major challenges. A significant proportion of GPs are over 60 years old, while demographic change means that more patients are expected in the coming years. The state government has therefore already implemented numerous measures to ensure that GP care close to home remains possible. These include the introduction of the rural doctor quota, the GP action programme, the expansion of medical study places, the establishment of the medical faculty in Bielefeld and the establishment of W3 professorships for general practice at all medical faculties in North Rhine-Westphalia. Thanks to these activities, it has been possible to significantly increase the number of recognised specialists in the field of general practice in North Rhine-Westphalia. In addition, the North Rhine-Westphalian Ministry of Health has already provided impetus for the announced reform of the outpatient sector at federal level at the beginning of March 2026. At the same time, the state is supporting activities for a comprehensive reform of the licensing law.

General practice plays an important role in the medical degree programme at the UW/H

In its model medical degree programme, Witten/Herdecke University already places a special focus on general practice as an important pillar of training. The state and interest groups have now gained an impression of the exact structure of the programme in order to sound out possible points of contact for joint steps.

Students at the UW/H have practical placements in general practice from the first semester onwards and throughout their entire degree programme. This means that this discipline is more important in Witten than at almost any other university. Students also complete a mandatory internship of at least six weeks in the field of general practice; in a further stage of their studies, they can voluntarily add another four weeks. A total of four professors work full-time in teaching and research in this area.

To enable this type of practical training, the UW/H cooperates with around 300 GP practices throughout Germany, mainly in North Rhine-Westphalia and also in rural regions. General practice is thus already well anchored in the degree programme at the UW/H; at the same time, work is being done to make the practical training, which has so far mainly taken place in a clinical environment, even more general practice-oriented in the future.

"A focus on content and practice, as pursued by Witten/Herdecke University, can make an important contribution to inspiring even more medical students to pursue further training in general practice and to work as GPs," says NRW Health Minister Karl-Josef Laumann. "As a state, we have initiated numerous measures to strengthen GP care. Another important building block could be a reformed training programme."

Thinking healthcare forward together

In summer 2024, the doubling of medical study places at the UW/H to 84 students per semester was also finalised with the support of the state government. "Good medical care usually starts locally - with GPs. That's why we are strengthening general practice by increasing the number of study places. In the winter semester 2026/27, we will achieve a total of almost 2,750 first-year places for medicine in North Rhine-Westphalia. This corresponds to 15 places per 100,000 inhabitants. This puts North Rhine-Westphalia on a par with federal states such as Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg. Nationwide, we make the largest contribution to the training of doctors - also thanks to the practice-orientated, excellent training at Witten/Herdecke University," says NRW Science Minister Ina Brandes.

The combination of general medical science and practice in primary care at the UW/H is particularly successful in the Institute of General Practice and Primary Care (iamag), which is unique in Germany. The iamag aims to make the profession of general practitioner more attractive through applied teaching and research. In addition, it supports doctors in further training beyond their studies right up to the point when they go into private practice. These young doctors trained at Witten/Herdecke University can pass on their knowledge to the next generation in their own academic teaching practices.

"With our small, dynamic and innovative university, we want to contribute to the important socio-political task of providing adequate medical healthcare, including in rural regions," says University President Prof Dr Martin Butzlaff. "The dialogue with politicians and interest groups shows how important a common approach is in order to bring about positive changes for our country and implement new, forward-looking ideas."