WORKING LIFE


SESSIONAL GP | VOLUME 3 | ISSUE 2 | 2011 | UNITED KINGDOM www.mps.org.uk


EDITED BY FRANCES WARNEFORD IMAGE © RICK WALKER


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6. Work as a team In a busy general practice environment, it can be hard to keep morale up in the face of demanding workloads. You may find staff confiding in you or coming to you for help – sometimes it’s easier to approach you than a partner. During busy periods where the practice is under pressure, it’s easy to forget to be kind and polite. It is during these times when it is especially important to cultivate team-working: try to be supportive of each other.


7. Record-keeping Continuity of care can be more difficult as a sessional GP, particularly if you work part-time or locum sessions. If you are working as a


During busy periods where the practice is under pressure, it’s easy to forget to be kind and polite. It is during these times when it is especially important to cultivate team-working


locum, leave your details with the practice manager so that if there are any learning outcomes from your involvement in a case, they can contact you. Be proactive and email or “task” one of the other regular doctors at the practice if there is a particular patient whom you think needs follow-up. This is where a clearly-documented management plan becomes more important than ever. Remember to document


home visits: it’s easy to go into afternoon surgery and forget to write up lunchtime visits and even easier to forget to write up evening home visits.


8. Timekeeping Remember that timekeeping can be more difficult as a locum, particularly in a new practice, as you may not know how everything works. You may wish to schedule in “catch up” slots to help with this. Telephone triage is an


increasingly useful tool for patients to access their GP. However, it can be a very demanding session, so ensure that you pay due care and attention to each case,


Useful links


■■ National Association of Sessional GPs – www.nasgp.org.uk


■■ RCGPs ‘First Five’ initiative – www.rcgp.org.uk/new_professionals/first5.aspx


■■ BMA – www.bma.org.uk ■■ Neighbour R, The Inner Consultation. How to Develop


an Effective and Intuitive Consulting Style, Second Edition, Radcliffe Publishing, Oxford (2005).


and are not pressured to get through unrealistic volumes of calls in limited time frames. Home visits are time- consuming and it can be stressful if you get lost. Plan where you are going


beforehand: print off a Google map if necessary and don’t rely on your Sat Nav to direct you to your home visit if you’re out in the sticks – I’ve learnt this through personal experience.


9. Mentorship The RCGP is developing an initiative to support new GPs from the point where they complete their training to their point of revalidation, as there is clearly a need


for mentorship and support post-qualification. The NASGP is a valuable


source of advice, and it’s also worth belonging to a local young doctors’ group, if there is one in your area.


10. Housekeeping Dr Roger Neighbour emphasises the importance of “housekeeping” and recognising when you need to take a break between consultations. His book The Inner Consultation is a must- read. It can be as simple as stopping to check lablinks and emails on the computer, and taking ten minutes away from these relentless pressures to eat your lunch.


Dr Chaudhury is a GP partner. She has been qualified for four years, and worked as a locum before becoming a partner.


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