Iona Heath reflects on international networks in general practice.

International perspectives 

I think general practice in this country has been slow to learn across international borders. But I think we have begun to, and I think – won't be helped by Brexit – but I think there's been a lot of cross-border research particularly with the Netherlands, Denmark, lesser extent Australia, and I think that's been really positive. I think the international networks have developed massively.  The regional WONCA and then the world WONCA thing, and the young doctors’ Vasco da Gama movement thing, for the trainees and the ‘first five’ doctors. I think that's been hugely positive, it's one of the really decent things that's happened for young doctors. I mean, the Dutch College sends a third of their trainees to every WONCA Europe conference which means it completely transforms the age set up of those sorts of conferences. It's full of young people and once that's happened then more young people want to come, ’cause they see that it's, it’s an interesting environment for young people whereas it had become really fossilized at one stage.