A note from Helen McGill: Looking forward to 2020
At this time, we have the opportunity to look back and reflect on what we did last year and look forward to what the new year has to offer. If you’re anything like me you will make the same new year’s resolutions which, if you’re like me, you will not keep!! I have decided this year to write a handwritten letter to an elderly lady friend once a month – hopefully she will be able to read my writing. My contribution to this newsletter may count part way towards January’s effort but I promise I will still write to my elderly friend.
As you know doctors have to undertake an annual medical appraisal which includes reflection on learning since the last appraisal and development of a personal development plan for the year ahead. In the spirit of this process I will review the last 12 months’ achievements and share a vision for the year ahead.
2019 was an exciting, busy and professionally productive year for me and NHSP. We have almost doubled the number of doctors connected to us as a designated body. Whilst this brings with it an increased demand for managing appraisals and GMC revalidations it also gives great potential to work with and support NHSP doctors. The increased recruitment of doctors has also given great opportunity to work with individual Trusts and their Medical Directors. Leading on and supporting NHS England Responsible Officer network meetings fosters great exchange of ideas and learning and involvement with the GMC Responsible Officer Reference Group offers insight into GMC workstreams to which we have been able to contribute. Of course, I must never forget the invaluable contribution of our wonderful GMC Employment Liaison Advisor who is a go-to person for GMC related governance issues.
One of the major workstreams to come out of 2019 has been the Gateway for Doctors programme which started as a suggestion from a GMC Educational Lead in May. The early seed has now blossomed and we have nearly placed our first cohort of doctors from Bulgaria, 28, in all, into old and new client Trusts. A successful 4 day induction programme which colleagues in the Southern Hub might have been aware of – mostly by the Board room being taken over, the endless trolleys of coffee and biscuits and the lunch time hoards in the kitchen – received amazing positive feedback from the attendees who have all fallen in love with Doctors Direct and NHSP! Watch this space for future developments across this year.
So, for 2020 there is much to build on. Doctors Direct goes from strength to strength under the leadership of James Orr. The Gateway programme, part of Doctors Direct, has well developed pipelines to meet Trusts’ and Doctors’ needs and our NHSP doctor family grows daily and we will continue to be active contributors to NHS England and GMC projects.
Personally, I would like to thank everyone for their support and hard work in making my job so enjoyable, rewarding and fulfilling. There is never a dull moment and I never stop learning and developing. I guess that is the whole point of an annual appraisal, reflect and learn, apply and develop.
And I promise I am now going to put pen to paper to keep my new years’ resolution and write that letter to my elderly friend!
Helen McGill,
Medical Director and Responsible Officer