Knowledgebase
The GP locum tutor
An anoymous survey of GP locums finds that the majority of respondents were very happy with their role and recommended a GP locum career to students thanks to flexibility, workload autonomy and patient care, and reduction of admin and bureaucracy. But GP locums also said they faced isolation, disrespect and difficulty accessing knowledge updates
Read more >Life after VTS: my journey to life as a GP locum
Like many highly skilled professions, a career in general practice can be a journey with obstacles to overcome, barriers to navigate and choices to make. NASGP member Tina Sumner describes how she came to be working as a GP locum and how NASGP has helped her in that journey.
Read more >Systems to improve continuity of care
Following on from her previous article Dis-continuity; putting care into context, Dr Sara Chambers explores the idea that sometimes continuity of care is deployed to paper over the cracks where 'continuity of management' and 'information' is lacking or even absent, and why the locum's perspective needs to be part of a future solution.
Read more >Management and information continuity of care
Continuity of care, as defined by care given continuously by one doctor, is one of the most oft talked about modalities of care provided by GPs; it’s the one we feel that’s under threat, the one we’re trying to defend, and the one the government has picked up on to protect and promote. It enables us to build therapeutic relationships, and many patients and GPs value it. Indeed, 50% of our consultations are for chronic conditions, where relationship continuity clearly plays a significant role.
Read more >When a locum cancels a session
No matter what the reason, the sudden unavailability of a doctor or nurse is at the very least upsetting for patients, and in some cases can have serious adverse consequences on patient care. Practice staff go frantic having to rearrange appointments or find alternative cover.
Read more >Does continuity of care need a reality check?
Continuity of care, defined by care given continuously by one doctor, is one of the most frequently talked about modalities of care provided by GPs; it’s the one we collectively feel that’s under threat, the one we’re trying to defend, and the one the government has picked up on to protect and promote.
Read more >Who wouldn’t want to be a locum?
Walking into an unknown practice to see 30 unknown patients and departing four hours later, leaving not only those patients but also the staff with positive impressions, is a challenge. But for those who can develop the flexibility, being a locum is not just satisfying, it offers an interesting way of life.
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