A Senior Doctor Swore at Me for Staying with a Dying Man ... That's How Bad This Out-of-Hours Crisis has Become

Summary

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Since qualifying as a GP I have chosen to work in an out-of- hours co-operative. I am one of a huge number of homegrown GPs to do this for the clinical experience, the skills training and, yes, the financial rewards. Working out-of-hours was a crucial part of my GP training, and for me it remains a fundamental part of being a doctor.

It is time-consuming, tiring and inconvenient. But I never assumed the work of a GP was going to be nine-to-five and I don't believe I stop being a doctor in the evening when I go home to my children.

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Extract

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A Senior Doctor Swore at Me for Staying with a Dying Man ... That's How Bad This Out-of-Hours Crisis has Become

I realise this isn't a view shared by all in my profession. Since 2004, many doctors have opted out of doing work that, I still believe, is a vital part of general practice. They did so because the introduction of a new GP contract has meant surgeries receive just 6 per cent more for providing out-of-hours cover for a lot more work. After costs that means very...

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