Call for papers - Primary care workforce and systems

Guest Editors

Laura Jefferson, PhD, University of York, UK
Maria Mathews, PhD, Western University, Canada
Gareth Rees, PhD, Esan University, Peru

Submission Status: Open | Submission Deadline: 20 February 2026

BMC Primary Care is calling for submissions to our Collection on Primary care workforce and systems. This Collection invites submissions focused on exploring the challenges and innovations that shape healthcare delivery. We welcome research on workforce dynamics, integrated care models, and strategies to improve patient access. By examining these critical areas, we aim to contribute to the development of effective solutions that enhance the sustainability and quality of primary care services.

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Meet the Guest Editors

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Laura Jefferson, PhD, University of York, UK

Dr Laura Jefferson is an Associate Professor in Health Policy at the University of York, leading research on primary care health workforce retention and well-being. She is an expert in using mixed and novel qualitative methods in health research to support health policy in rapid timeframes. Using these approaches to respond to workforce challenges during the pandemic, her research on the UK general practitioner workforce has received national and international recognition, with invited talks to health ministries and policymakers. She was awarded her doctorate from the University of York in 2013 for her work exploring gender differences in the working lives of hospital consultants and has continued this interest in gender in the medical workforce through projects investigating gender differences in doctors’ working lives, career progression, and well-being. She is a current fellow of the National Institute for Health and Care Research.

Maria Mathews, PhD, Western University, Canada

Dr Maria Mathews is a Canada Research Chair in Primary Health Care and Health Equity, and Professor in the Department of Family Medicine and the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at Western University’s Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry. She has a PhD in Health Policy, Management, and Evaluation from the University of Toronto and a Master’s degree in Health Services Administration from the University of Alberta. She leads a program of research on primary health care with interconnecting themes of the health workforce; the organization, integration, and delivery of care; and health care in rural communities.

Gareth Rees, PhD, Esan University, Peru 

Dr Gareth H Rees holds a PhD, MBA, and an MCom from New Zealand’s University of Otago and is currently teaching at Peru’s Esan University as a Professor Auxiliar. He is an expert on health workforce planning and policy, and is currently engaged as a consultant with the World Health Organization (WHO) Europe and the 3rd EU Joint Action on Health Workforce Planning (HEROES). His research interests include health workforce planning and policy, health governance, and health quality management.

About the Collection

BMC Primary Care is calling for submissions to our Collection, Primary care workforce and systems. The primary care workforce is integral to the healthcare system, serving as the first point of contact for individuals seeking medical attention. This Collection aims to explore the dynamics of the primary care workforce, including its composition, distribution, and the systems that support it. As healthcare needs evolve, understanding the role of healthcare providers and the models of primary care delivery is essential for ensuring quality care and improving health outcomes across diverse populations.

Addressing the challenges faced by the primary care workforce, such as shortages and burnout, is crucial for enhancing patient access to essential services. Recent advancements in integrated care models and innovative workforce strategies have shown promise in mitigating these issues. By focusing on enhancing training, retention, and support for primary care providers, we can improve the overall efficiency and effectiveness of healthcare delivery, ultimately benefiting patients and communities alike.

In this Collection, we welcome submissions that span a wide array of topics, including but not limited to:

Strategies for addressing workforce shortages
Innovative primary care models
Enhancing patient access to primary care
Integrated care approaches

All manuscripts submitted to this journal, including those submitted to collections and special issues, are assessed in line with our editorial policies and the journal’s peer review process. Reviewers and editors are required to declare competing interests and can be excluded from the peer review process if a competing interest exists.

There are currently no articles in this collection.

Submission Guidelines

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This Collection welcomes submission of original Research Articles. Should you wish to submit a different article type, please read our submission guidelines to confirm that type is accepted by the journal. Articles for this Collection should be submitted via our submission system, Snapp. During the submission process you will be asked whether you are submitting to a Collection, please select Primary care workforce and systems from the dropdown menu.

All manuscripts submitted to this journal, including those submitted to collections and special issues, are assessed in line with our editorial policies and the journal’s peer review process. Reviewers and editors are required to declare competing interests and can be excluded from the peer review process if a competing interest exists.