GPs

Resources for GPs

GP Training/Education

If you are interested in becoming a GP trainer please see more information on the GP Supervisor Course Page.

GP Retention Scheme

The National GP Retention Scheme is a package of financial and educational support to help doctors, who might otherwise leave the profession, remain in clinical general practice.

With a change in the GP Contract this year, you can do additional GP Sessional/ Locum Sessions on top of your contracted GP Retainer sessions. These sessions are out of the scheme and do not attract any of additional benefits of the NRS e.g. educational support or practice reimbursement monies.

NHS England » National GP Retention Scheme guidance

From 1 April 2023, the formal four-session cap that a retained GP can work per week has been removed. Reimbursement will remain for up to four sessions but this does not preclude a contractor from directly employing or engaging a member of the GP Retention Scheme, at their own expense, for service sessions which are in addition to the maximum four sessions for which the contractor is eligible for payment under the Scheme.

Resources

For Employers

Improving Staff Retention: This guide supports line managers and employers to consider the key areas which affect workforce retention. (source: NHS Employers)

Learning to Supervise a Retainee GP: Various free courses for Supervisors (source: BMA)

Career Diversification

Support with career planning and transitions in training: A range of workshops covering a variety of themes around career transitions from utilising a strengths based approach in maintaining balance to unlocking the potential of OOPs and much more (source: Professional Support Unit, HEE)

Careers Coaching

Mentorships: The mentoring scheme is a coaching and mentoring service for our primary care colleagues across South East London where you can have a careers-focused conversation with a qualified Mentor. (source: SELWDH)

The GP Retention Fellowship Pilot

As we approach the midpoint of the 'Retention Fellowship Pilot' we thought we'd share some preliminary findings. This study asks the following question: Does the introduction of a 'GP Fellowship Retention Scheme' in SEL reduce stress, burnout and intentions to leave the profession amongst participating GPs?

What does the study involve?

The pilot involves participants running bi-monthly ‘Holistic clinics’ of 20min appoints plus 1 hr admin for their practice's 'complex patients' (as defined by the Fellows and their practices).

What the Retention Fellow GPs are saying

I absolutely look forward to my Holistic Clinic... it has made a difference in terms of feeling less burnt out and I actually feel during those sessions that I'm not rushing, I'm able to give them [patients] a lot more time and a lot more care and attention. And I think the patients have noticed that as well.
I'm more relaxed, I don't feel pressured - that alone makes me feel more relaxed
You're making better management decisions as you step back, are less reactive and more proactive
My 'frazzle score' is significantly lower compared to a normal or duty Dr day
They are rewarding because after almost every consultation I feel I have done what I am meant to have done.
The highlight clinic of my week
We've got a few quite good successes with a few of the patients where we've struggled for many years… That's been a bit of a highlight for us, for me
If you book the right patients in then you are actually saving appointments in the long term
Usually the [MH or LD] assessments are piecemeal... so I get to see them holistically now, they are template driven so you get to cover everything in the domains, sometimes even extend the time to capture blood tests... to catch up with relatives as well, as often people come in accompanied, so you get a better picture of the patient than the usual snapshot
DNA Levels for the Holistic clinics are low
It felt really fulfilling to be able to work with a patient who did actually want to engage but because of life he was really finding it difficult.

For more information contact:

Dr Induja Bandura i.bandara@nhs.net
Training Program Director, Bexley GP Training Scheme.

OR

Dr Karen Cleaver karen.cleaver2@nhs.net
Research and Academic Lead. Primary Care Workforce Academy. South East London Workforce Development Hub.
Visiting Professor, Faculty of Education, Health and Human Sciences University of Greenwich.