Recruitment & Retention

Clinical staff recruitment and retention can be a problem nationwide. We do not pretend to have a magic wand. However, we have been successful in recruiting and retaining a large team of salaried doctors at our practices. We put this down to a number of factors:

• Working conditions: it seems to be important to staff that premises are of good quality, not cramped and ideally purpose built
• Inter-personal relationships are key: if the team gets on well, they tend to stay and stay happy. We try to recruit people who we feel will get on and who share common outlooks and styles. We actively encourage regular meetings and group coffee break
• Dynamism: staff tend to feel happier when they feel the practice is “going somewhere”. In this respect a larger practice enables a larger, more dynamic team
• Supervision and support: Providing NHS health care is a stressful and personally draining task. The dangers and realities of burnout are well researched. Excellent personal support, education and training systems are paramount
• Security: staff want to feel secure in their work, both physically and contractually. The premises design is important for the former; and good quality long-term contracts important for the latter
• Money: People want to be paid well. Our model, by reducing reliance on the most expensive resource (doctors) enables us to pay staff good, above average salaries and to include perks such as plenty of study leave, sabbaticals etc.
• Achievement: People like to be part of something new, that has a natural integrity to it, and which provides a much appreciated service
• Recognition and Responsibility: By maximising use of enhanced roles (for all members of the team) staff are able to feel both challenged yet supported
• Advancement and job or work interest: Enhanced roles and multi-disciplinary working provide a clear career advancement “ladder” and opportunities for the whole team

How we can improve R&R