Speaking at the Ian Murray Scott Lecture today (14 September), at the Queen's Hotel in Aberdeen, RCGP Chair Professor David Haslam, said: "GPs may be generalists as doctors but they are still the real experts in patients."

Haslam argues that while many traditional GP duties are being transferred to other professionals such as nurses and pharmacists, GPs still have a key role as clinical co-ordinators.

"With an ageing population the role of the GP will become even more important in primary care. More than half of patients aged 65 or over having two or more chronic conditions and the GP is the only health professional who can co-ordinate such complex care effectively in order to minimise the risks of fragmentation of care and the adverse complications that this can lead to."

However Haslam also sees the future as a healthy partnership between GPs and their patients. "GPs will need to devote considerable time and effort to tailoring care to patients' complex individual needs and patients will expect to be involved in decision making. The super patient - armed with 'Google knowledge' - is already here," he said.