Other research by Pulse[ii] magazine highlighted a growing number of GPs are taking early retirement, adding to the GP shortage. Pulse found 62 per cent of GPs who retired in 2016/17 did so before the age of 60 - having made up just 33 per cent of cases in 2011/12.
Northants GP is the latest NHS healthcare provider to join an innovative recruitment campaign to proactively address this shortage. The ‘Best of Both Worlds’ recruitment campaign launched last year and unites the University of Northampton, Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, Northampton General Hospital, Kettering General Hospital (KGH) and St Andrew’s Healthcare in a joint bid to attract more doctors and nurses to live and work in Northamptonshire.
The campaign aims to showcase the benefits of relocating to Northamptonshire, including the varied career opportunities and better quality of life.
This next phase of the campaign is seeking to recruit 30 GPs to work for practices across the county - some of the most advanced practices in the UK, with extensive diagnostic facilities that enable GPs to cater for more of their patients’ needs without referral.
The vacancies include roles for GP Partners and GPs – with full-time, part-time and job share positions being advertised on the Best of Both Worlds website. Some of the larger practices offer the opportunity for a portfolio career, enabling GPs to diversify their skill-set and specialise in a wider range of clinical areas. Northants GP is also keen to attract young GPs and offers extensive training throughout the county, with opportunities for them to develop specialisations.
Sharon Firmin, Northamptonshire LMC Manager, says, “We have nearly 30 GP vacancies and are ideally looking for GPs that want to spend their entire career in Northamptonshire. For those looking to relocate the county has a great deal of career development and training opportunities. GPs can choose a practice that suits them best, whether that’s an idyllic country practice, a challenging city surgery or something in between.”
“The standard of General Practice is particularly high here and there is a welcoming GP community which meets regularly. We are federating more of our practices, which means GPs can work across practices, and have a greater say in how the practice is managed, as well as how their career progresses.”
“As a place to live, Northamptonshire is hard to beat. It’s culturally diverse, with good schools, affordable housing and plenty of rural open space. It also has excellent transport links, with four international airports within an hour’s drive and London less than 60 minutes by train,” adds Mrs Firmin.
For more information on the vacancies visit: http://bestofbothworlds.uk.net/northants-gp/
[i] https://www.bma.org.uk/news/2018/january/bma-survey-paints-worsening-pic...
[ii] https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/02/01/gps-retire-early-amid-clampd...