What’s a practice really like?
You’ve decided what sort of work you want to do and found a practice you’re interested in – how can you find out what it’s really like?
o locum there for a while
o ask the newest partner
o speak to the partner that’s leaving
o talk to the practice nurses – although they’re employees, they will usually give you an honest, insightful opinion
o how quickly do they get through staff, practice nurses, new partners?
o what’s the attitude of the staff when you go into reception or ‘phone up? Welcoming or “dragon”?
How are decisions made – by:
o senior partner’s wife?
o consensus?
o majority?
o try asking the PNs who really makes the decisions!
What’s their work ethic?
o do they work their ovaries/balls off?
o or get home for lunch every day?
o what size are the surgeries? How many visits per day?
o do they do their own nights? How often? how onerous?
o how long is their working day? When do they get home?
o what other commitments do they have? Schools, nursing homes, cottage hospital?
o what’s a full-time working week? 4 days? 4½ days?
What’s their attitude to change?
o do they help run the PCT and enjoy energetically “moving forwards”?
o or do they still complaining about fund-holding?
There’s no right or wrong answer to any of these – you need to decide what’s right for you.
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Last updated: 01 September 2003