It’s not the time for a recruitment freeze in Primary Care

Standing outside this evening, applauding Coronavirus health workers, and hearing the applause, made me feel proud to have the NHS. It also stiffened my resolve in terms of having a positive impact on what’s going on…

We are still working at full capacity; we’re speaking to hundreds of clinicians and GP Practices every day. We have a good handle on what’s going on within primary care at present. Most of the practices we work with are still recruiting. However there are one or two that have put things on hold. Whilst understandable, especially during this transitional period, it could be very costly over the next few weeks and months.

Here are a few points to bear in mind:

• As soon as Covid-19 peaks and subsides all of your patients who have had cancelled appointments will return. This is likely to be July – factoring in a recruitment process and a 3 month notice, we better get a move on!
• If you decide to wait until July to begin recruiting, your practice would be fortunate to have a GP starting by the second wave of Covid-19, currently estimated to hit in November. We’re currently in the calm before the storm – regrettably GP pressures and workload will soon increase with heavily increased visits and end of life care – act while you can. With CSA cancellations, primary care is going to be circa 1,500 newly-qualified GPs down in August

Not having the right GPs on board or delaying your recruitment efforts will compound the situation. If you are looking for staff, we can help relieve some of the pressure and make sure you have the personnel, to tackle whatever challenges you may face.

How we can help your Primary Care practice

We can work proactively to source candidates, manage the recruitment process, inclusive of arranging interviews (telephone and video conferencing).

Menlo Park has recently been voted by Practice Managers & GP Partners as Recruitment Company of the Year at the General Practice Awards. You’ll be in safe hands.

Please get in touch; let us shoulder some of the burden and work together to get through this.