Look after yourself

As well as taking care of your patients, you need to make sure you look after yourself. To help your time as a GP registrar run smoothly:

  • Register with a local GP outside your practice, rather than one of your colleagues. The GMC advises that, wherever possible, you should not prescribe for yourself.
  • Make sure your finances are in order – use direct debits to simplify payments. For your MPS subscription, your commissioning body or practice should reimburse the difference between the relevant subscription for a 12-month period and the annual hospital subscription rate. (Your practice manager may be able to help with this.)

Time management

Learn to say no – you will find yourself pressured by constant demands

At the start of your time as a GP registrar, you may find that you are given plenty of time to complete tasks – consultations may last slightly longer and your workload may be lighter.

As time goes on, the pace will speed up, until you are expected to operate at the speed of a normal GP. Be aware that this will happen, and plan accordingly. Learn to say no – you will find yourself pressured by constant demands, eg, to “just see another patient” or by the practice nurse to sign a prescription. Don’t be afraid to say no, or, “No, I can’t deal with it now but I can deal with it in 10 or 15 minutes”.

If you do say yes, don’t cut corners. If you agree to sign a prescription for a patient, you must give it your full attention, and possess all the relevant facts to make a sound, clinical judgment.

Don’t judge yourself too harshly. Develop a support network and keep in touch with your peers. Their experience and advice may be very useful to your current situation, whether they are fellow GP registrars or working in secondary care.

No time for doctors to fight flab

Young doctors take much less exercise than the national average, and well below recommended levels. Only 21% of junior doctors followed Department of Health guidelines of 30 minutes of moderate exercise five times per week, compared to a national average of 44%.

Fifty-eight per cent said lack of time prevented exercise, followed by lack of motivation, and tiredness after work. Br J Sports Med. 43:153 - 154 (2009)

Advice from MPS

MPS spends most money on claims, but we spend most of our time giving advice. We are here to help, and a call when you are first faced with a problem can help you to find the best solution. You can call us at any time on 0845 605 4000, although if your query is not urgent, it would be more appropriate if you call during office hours.

Take time off

  • Have a lunch break
  • Learn to appreciate when you are overworked, tired or stressed, and give yourself a break to recharge your batteries.
  • Go on holiday
  • Learn ways of coping with stressful situations. Talk to friends, exercise or take up a hobby.

No time for doctors to fight flab

Young doctors take much less exercise than the national average, and well below recommended levels. Only 21% of junior doctors followed Department of Health guidelines of 30 minutes of moderate exercise five times per week, compared to a national average of 44%. 58% said lack of time prevented exercise, followed by lack of motivation, and tiredness after work. Br J Sports Med, 43:153–154 (2009)

Advice from MPS

MPS spends most money on claims, but we spend most of our time giving advice. The legal issues that arise in primary care are becoming increasingly complicated. Consent, access to medical records, prescribing – the subjects that we have covered in GP Registrar – can all produce dilemmas that are difficult to untangle. We are here to help, and a call when you are first faced with a problem can be used to plot the best course forward, rather than later on, when perhaps you have taken inappropriate action.

You can call us at any time on 0845 605 4000, although if your query is not urgent, it is simpler if you call during office hours.

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