NASGP Knowledgebase: free GP articles and resources

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Working as a GP

As a GP locum, do I need long-term sickness insurance cover?

Are all income protection policies the same? The blunt answer is a most definite “no”.

Q&A: Dr Kath Speller, portfolio GP and community sub-dean

A portfolio GP Locum and Community Sub-Dean for Peninsula Medical School in Somerset, Dr Speller explains how she started locuming, how she built up her portfolio and her tips for starting out as a locums or portfolio GP.

Acknowledging mistakes confidently as a GP locum

Talking to patients when something goes wrong is a skill that will constantly develop throughout your clinical career, but it can be more challenging to have these conversations as GP locums because of the limited time to establish a relationship with the patient.

Risk management

Video: Starting out with GP locum accounts

Adrian Cousens, director of RSM UK, presented a half-hour event with a Q&A for NASGP on 5 October.

GP locums: reducing the risk of criminal allegations

Medical Protection regularly sees allegations of sexual assault or misconduct arising from patient encounters. Dr Emma Davies, Medicolegal Consultant at Medical Protection, looks at why this can happen to a GP locum and how these issues can be managed.

Clinical webinars and CPD: NASGP’s best-read resources 2023

Read NASGP's top 10 best-read GP resources for 2023.

Working as a GP

NASGP survey 2023: flexibility, insecurity, community

Five key findings from our November 2023 survey of nearly 800 members.

Sessional GPs’ role in parental disagreements

In some cases involving children, a sessional GP will be faced with a scenario involving requests for a child’s medical records from separated parents. Dr Heidi Mounsey, Medicolegal Consultant at Medical Protection, sets out some underlying principles that are usually applicable to most cases.

Referrals: how GP locums can minimise risks

Dr Rachel Birch highlights risks a GP locum can face in the referral process

Remote working from overseas as a GP locum – MPS advice

Dr Sarah Townley, deputy medical director at Medical Protection Society (MPS) advises: 'All GMC registered doctors should be aware of and abide by the GMC Remote Prescribing high level principles if providing services from abroad.'

Significant event analysis for GP locums

SEA can provide valuable learning and sharing of information. However, this may not always be the case for GP locums: Dr Emma Green, Medicolegal Consultant at Medical Protection explains why.

Risk management

2023 NASGP career survey: results in full

We received 91 responses to our 2023 GP survey from 21 April to 30 May, and these are those results in full.

GP safeguarding spreadsheet resource – Dr Rob Howlett

Try Dr Howlett's resource for recording learning.

Discussing colleagues – advice for GP locums

It is likely that remarks made flippantly about your colleague may carry more weight in the eyes of a patient, given they are coming from a trustworthy professional.

How LocumDeck’s Instant Book benefits GPs and practices

Discover how Instant Book users on LocumDeck are earning an impressive 12% more on average than their non-Instant Book peers, and how this powerful tool is revolutionising the GP locum market.

GP locums

Q&A: Dr Julian Treadwell, project lead, GP Evidence

Dr Julian Treadwell has just launched a new website, GP Evidence (gpevidence.org/), developed to make the scientific evidence underpinning guideline-recommended treatments easier to access and understand for practising GPs.

A risky business: medicolegal pitfalls in general practice

A recent lecture on the medicolegal processes that can arise after an adverse clinical incident by Dr Sabira Hughes, Medicolegal Consultant at Medical Protection.

Risk management

Video: Improv skills in GP

Dr Waqar Ahmed presented NASGP’s January event, the first in our series of monthly clinical events for 2023.

What do GP locums need to know about enhanced access?

Dr Priyanka Saigal and Dr Dee Traue, Medicolegal Consultants at Medical Protection Society (MPS), explain the Enhanced Access Programme.

Risk management

Video: Self-employed GP locum accounting

An accountant advises how tax and NIC works for self-employed GPs.

Video: Solution-focused approaches in general practice

NASGP runs lunchtime clinical talks on the first Thursdays on the month. See our news section to sign up for the latest events.

Confidentiality in remote work: advice for GP locums

Julie Baylis, case manager, and Dr Rachel Birch, medicolegal consultant, both at Medical Protection, consider two scenarios.

Working as a GP

Conversations around weight – advice for GP locums

Conversations around a patient’s weight can be challenging, especially for locum GPs who may not have met the patient before. Sinead Lay, Case Manager, and Dr Rachel Birch, Medicolegal Consultant at Medical Protection, discuss this sensitive issue.

Offering patients records access

In just under two months on 1 November 2022, patients with online accounts, such as through the NHS App, will be able to read new entries in their health records

IT systems

Q&A: Polly Morland, ‘A Fortunate Woman’

How the author shadowed a GP during Covid, and why the time is right to revisit John Berger's classic.

Continuity

GP locums and good communication

Dr James Thorpe, Senior Medical Educator and Dr Rachel Birch, Medicolegal Consultant at Medical Protection, explain why good communication is essential in ensuring patients receive safe care from GP locums

Risk management

Five tips for starting out as a GP locum

Ask what matters to you, sign up to LocumDeck, link with practices, listen for opportunities and get new practices on board.

Working as a GP

Advice for remote locum services – Medical Protection

Read MPS's advice for GP locums on remote consulting.

Record-keeping for GP locums: three tips for better notes

Look out for auto-correct blunders and pick up tips from colleagues, Dr Rachel Birch advises.

Starting out as a GP locum in a rural area

I might grumble at being stuck behind a tractor sometimes but I can’t picture working elsewhere now, writes Dr Nicky Hughes.

Starting out as a GP locum: how to choose which practices to work at in your area

What makes a good GP practice for locum work?

‘GP registrars need to meet GP locums – I wish I had’

Starting out as a GP would have been easier if registrars met more locums, writes Dr Veronika Rasic.

Working as a GP

Starting out as a GP trainer

Whether you have a nascent interest in teaching or years of NHS experience, now really is a golden time to polish up skills and invigorate your portfolio.

Starting out as a GP locum: ten tips for your first session

Delegate, arrive early, and never cut corners: Dr Leila Saeed advises on ten things she wishes she'd known.

GP locums

‘We want to put locum myths to bed’: Prof Kieran Walshe, GP locum researcher

Prof Kieran Walshe explains how NIHR-funded research into locums could change work for GP locums.

GP locums

How to approach a practice manager about a salaried GP role

Gary Hughes is a practice manager and partner with 12 years’ experience. He explains how practices like his are coping with the pandemic, how Covid-19 has affected their outlook for using locums, and his advice on how to get a salaried post at a GP practice you like

How GP locums handle ‘difficult’ consultations

Dr Leila Saeed has been a GP locum and a salaried GP in different parts of the UK and spends three days a week as a clinical educator

Skills

Five things sessional GPs want in 2021: NASGP survey results

2020 was the most unusual year for locums yet – not just in terms of the clinical challenges, but also because of lost and cancelled work.

Working as a GP

Q&A: Keeping steady sessional income during Covid-19 when you work as a GP locum

Like many locums, Dr Smith lost work when Covid-19 hit. But by May, he was back to normal. Find out how he coped – and why he helped practices cancel his sessions

How to set up a locum chambers

An experienced Stoke GP, Dr Ojha explains how to start a new NASGP Locum Chambers in an area without one.

Locum chambers

What do you need from the NASGP this year?

What can we do to better support GP locums this year? We’ve launched a new two-minute survey to find out.

Working as a GP

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