Dr Sonali Kinra is our ICS lead for GP Retention. This is her monthly blog series where she gives an insight into her role and more.
We all continue to wade through information overload and changing guidelines attributed to Covid-19. Not wishing to compete with demands on your time I am sending you a short update on workforce-related activities and engagement. Hope you all continue to receive your daily national updates through NHSE Primary care bulletin and locally throughTeamnet.
In the last month, I had the opportunity to discuss further with NHSE and NAPC regarding GPN leadership in Primary care networks and I hope to send out further information on this in the coming months. Along with Nottinghamshire Alliance of training hub (NATH) we launched Shiny Mind App- free wellbeing and resilience app for all primary care in Nottinghamshire ICS. You can opt in here– please remember to use you nhs.net email, you will receive your username and password within 2 working days- do not download the app before receiving that information. Dr Gandhi has done a very useful walk through video for this app.
Dr Gemma Wilkinson and I also worked through challenges of getting medical student volunteers into primary care which was met with some success and Gemma continues in her role providing support to trainees and new to practice fellows.
As we all adopt and adapt to hot hubs, remote working, video consultations, our locum colleagues have been facing additional challenges given the current landscape. Michael Wright(CEO of Notts LMC) and I wrote this joint letter to locums .To follow this through we have organised a zoom meeting for our locum workforce(doctors and nurses) on Wednesday 27th May 2000hrs-2100hrs. This is a part of my commitment to you for ongoing engagement and find common ground and solutions. If you wish to join the session to email info@phoenixprogramme.co.uk and we will send you the joining instructions by email.
We also had our 3rd group meeting for Rise and Shine Nottingham- an inclusive group I set up 5 months ago promoting flexible working and leadership opportunities for all. If you wish to join this group then DM me. We have also linked in with FlexNHS and will be having our 1st meeting with national colleagues working on the agenda of flexible working within NHS. There isn’t a better time to push ahead with this agenda as it improves our wellbeing, efficiency and impact upon climate change.
This was followed up by another Zoom meeting with GPs due to go on maternity leave and those returning to work- Phoenix programme has collated tip and IT resources which will be useful for those returning to work. Dr Kerri Sallis also shared this quick 7 minute Banana pudding recipe.
Our NHS people in association with RCGP has launched Looking after You too campaign- individualised coaching session for all primary care staff – I had my first session and would highly recommend it- it’s an opportunity to pause and reflect on the last few weeks and provide you with practical tools to deal with the emotional rollercoaster we all continue to go through.
Look after yourself and your loved ones.
As Ever
Sonali