GP Support Offer

For a comprehensive summary of the support available, please visit our page Support for GPs. What is available?

A core part of the role of Wessex LMCs is pastoral support.

The LMC offers one to one support for GPs. Like everyone, they might face a range of situations from both challenges in the practice to those in the rest of life. The LMC aims to support individuals as they progress through their careers to support your practice and YOU

Initially you would receive a one-to-one meeting (either virtually or face to face) with one of our Medical Directors, and we can then help you find the right support for your individual needs. This might include helping you identify any further needs you might have to support you including coaching, counselling, signposting to charities that can help financially or other support. The GP Support offer is open to all GPs working as either a Partner or Salaried within our membership Practices located in Hampshire, IOW, Dorset, Wiltshire, Swindon, Bath & Northeast Somerset and the Channel Islands.

For locum GPs practicing in our area, we are able to offer membership at a cost of £61.75 per year which will enable access the GP Support Offer scheme alongside many other great benefits.

The LMC will also provide a pastoral support role before, during and after performance issues, involving either NHS England and local performance procedures or the GMC. These processes can be extremely stressful and GPs can feel ashamed which can prevent them sharing with other colleagues. Anyone might end up in these processes and GPs need to know that they can turn to the LMC for confidential support whatever the problem.

If you feel you would benefit from this offer of GP Support, simply email the LMC at our confidential email address GPWellbeing@wessexlmcs.org.uk (it would be helpful to include your contact telephone number, please). Alternatively, telephone the office on 02380 253874 and ask for Wessex GP Support to arrange for a discussion with a Medical Director at a mutually convenient time.

For mental health, distress, stress, burnout or addiction issues please see the Practitioner Health service, which is a national, confidential service for GPs – it is free to access for all GPs and GP trainees:     https://www.practitionerhealth.nhs.uk/

The Practitioner Health service will help GPs with:

• Common and more complex mental health conditions
• Mental health conditions relating to a physical health issue
• Substance misuse including support for community detoxification
• Rehabilitation and support to return to work after a period of mental ill-health.

For a comprehensive summary of the support available, please visit our page Support for GPs. What is available?

For practice manager support including coaching, mentoring and appraisals please see our dedicated page: Practice Manager Support

For whole Primary Care Team offers follow this link to the LMCs dedicated Team Support page: Primary Care Team Support