• Francesca H Dakin, Nina Hemmings, Asli Kalin, Lucy Moore, Emma Ladds, Rebecca Payne, Rebecca Rosen, Richard Byng, Joseph Wherton, Sietse Wieringa, and Trisha Greenhalgh.
• Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford.
• Br J Gen Pract. 2025 Feb 12.

BackgroundThe introduction of remote and digital forms of working in UK general practice has driven the development of new routines and working styles.AimTo explore and theorise how new forms of work have affected general practice staff.Design And SettingMulti-sited, qualitative case study in UK general practice.MethodUsing longitudinal ethnography by researchers in residence, we followed 12 practices for 28 months (September 2021 to December 2023). This core dataset was supplemented by workshops and stakeholder interviews. Data analysis applied theories from the sociology of work, organisation studies, and internet studies.ResultsStaff made significant efforts to adapt to and embed digital services into their work. When technologies work well they can offer improved convenience, efficiency, more comprehensive patient care, and workplace fulfilment for staff. However, for many clinical and administrative staff, compromises and frictions embedded in digitalised workplace routines and processes could also lead to job dissatisfaction, worsened wellbeing, and misalignments with professional values and identities. We found that this workplace suffering caused relational strain between team members and had an impact on team cohesiveness and coordination.ConclusionThe digitalisation of working routines in UK general practice poses a unique challenge to the workforce, risking technostress, workplace suffering, and increased relational strain within and between teams. To embed the benefits of digitalisation, we must first improve practice teams' readiness for change, which includes strengthening practices' relational structures that provide support during periods of adaptation. Practices must be empowered to determine a locally appropriate configuration of digital tools and given the resources and time to adapt working routines.© The Authors.

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