Support for GPs and GP practices in Somerset

GP Career Plus - A course of 8-12 3hr small group sessions over 6 months. Helping GPs find ways of decreasing stress and increasing fulfilment in their busy working lives. Topics such as 'sources of stress', 'alternative career paths', 'assertiveness and negotiation'. Participants are paid £300 a session to attend, usually during working hours. Contact Rachel Stark at East Quay Medical Centre on 01278 444666 or by email rachel.stark1@nhs.net or Jill Hellens at Somerset LMC on 01823 331428 or by email jill.hellens@nhs.net for more information.

Somerset LMC Pastoral Care - Through https://www.somersetlmc.co.uk/ or 01823 331428 you can access confidential 1:1 peer support over the phone or face to face. There is also the possibility of funded counselling or cross referral to other services.

Somerset LMC Resilience Service - Sometimes stresses arise for individuals within a GP Practice because of multiple issues within the organisation. Somerset LMC is often able to help assess and support change and development to improve functioning of the organisation. Contact Jill Hellens, CEO of Somerset LMC or Dr Barry Moyse the Medical Director for an informal chat on 01823 331428.

Peer Education/Social/Support Groups - There is a long history of small groups pf GPs meeting periodically throughout the year usually to discuss educational topics and cases. Some have been running for over 20 years. More recently 'First Five' groups were set up to provide support for GPs in the first five years of their career. Many groups are happy to have new or occasional members and SGPET carries information about many of them. https://www.somersetgpeducationtrust.co.uk/home or 01823 331428.

Occupational Health
- https://www.somersetlmc.co.uk/occupationalhealthservicesforgps. Please see this webpage for information on GP Occupational Health Services.

Practitioner Health - as a doctor, if you're experiencing a personal crisis, are unable to cope and need support, text Shout to 85258 or go to https://www.practitionerhealth.nhs.uk/

Compiled by Dr Tim Taylor, February 2020

For further support resources please go to
https://www.somersetlmc.co.uk/gpsupport