Annual leave always presents some interesting challenges. From difficulties in finding cover, to staff who squirrel their leave away until the end of the year, there’s always something leave-related to cause havoc. As employers, we tend to think of the cost of annual leave, both in terms of money and time. Every moment an employee…

All new mothers in England are to receive an in-depth mental and physical check-up from their GP in the weeks after they give birth, NHS officials have promised. The postnatal check-up, which takes place between six and eight weeks after giving birth, will cover several topics such as mental health, physical recovery and breastfeeding, and…

Online GP consultations are quicker, more flexible, and more efficient than traditional consulting methods, the largest study of patient views in England has concluded. The University of Manchester research, published in the British Journal of General Practice, found male patients and older patients found online systems particularly helpful, but some respondents still wanted a return…

The Government’s new plan to improve vaccine uptake will fail if adequate funding is not provided to practices, Practice Managers have warned. NHS England says it wants to make getting a vaccine as easy as “booking a taxi” using apps. It plans new community outreach and “one stop” vaccine centres. The Institute of General Practice…

Throughout 2023, employee wellbeing has been a regular source of discussion and debate in GP practices and beyond. The idea of writing about it at Christmas as well seems like such a stereotypically ‘HR’ thing to do – sorry! But, in my experience, this time of year can have wildly different effects on how individuals…

We’re nearly at the end of the year! Catch up on anything you missed across Practice Index in November. Best of our blogs HR Clinic – Performance Management (Questions and Answers) – In our latest HR clinic, Robyn Clark (aka JacksonR) and Susi O’Brien (HR Help advisor) explored how to address performance issues within general…

A row erupted today over plans to introduce regulation for physician associates. There are 1,700 associates working in primary care in England – and under new laws they will be regulated by the General Medical Council. Yesterday the Government said it was about to lay an order before Parliament enabling the GMC to proceed with…