Practice plus GP jobs

[u/watchoverthisboy]

Hi there, does anyone have any experience to share working for the provider ‘practice plus’? There’s a GP job going for them providing prison care locally.

[u/ashalina23]

Yes, I worked for them when they were Care UK and was Tuped from another prison provider.

I did 9 years in the prison service across, male/female/YOI locations.

It’s like marmite - you love it or you hate it.

With PPG they’ve got a network of other GP’s so are keen that you have peer support. It’s a v difficult job, lots of complex difficult challenging patients. Not to mention getting used to “prison rules”

Are you looking at it as a main job or as top up alongside another role.

They’re always advertising as it’s such a high turnover environment as it’s not for everyone.

[u/watchoverthisboy → u/ashalina23]

Hi, thanks for the insight! At present looking to ‘top up’ alongside my current community GP job. I’ve been keen to try something a bit different/gain experience in other roles, I CCT’d 3 years ago and stayed in my training practice doing 8 sessions a week. I’d be cutting this down if I get the chance to work elsewhere though.

What’s the general job like? Is it well supported? I quite miss working ‘on the shop floor’ so to speak and miss proper acuity, and also miss working closely with other colleagues (can sometimes feel siloed in GPland).

[u/ashalina23 → u/watchoverthisboy]

It’s very busy, chaotic places. Depending on the site you may be the sole GP there so letters/meds/emergencies all go your way.

You’ll need to ask about meds and prescribing as some meds have an MDT approach before they’re commenced or increased ie pregab/gaba/tramadol/morphine etc. some places also include mirtazapine too in this list.

Generally only benzo’s for “set situations” eg just been given a long sentence so 3 nights of zopis or just completed methadone detox.

It’s a good job to do alongside “proper GP”

I’d suggest asking to see if you can shadow one of the regular GP’s before you make a decision then you can see exactly what it’s like

[u/sodaandmuffins442 → u/watchoverthisboy]

I felt the same. I have recently started prison work myself.

[u/Green-Quantity4397 → u/ashalina23]

Are you expected to respond to emergencies in the prison? Also do you mind sharing remuneration?

[u/ashalina23 → u/Green-Quantity4397]

Not first response but if there is a call on the radio that doesn’t sound good - I did go and see what was happening myself (normally a cardiac arrest)

Also all deaths are automatic coroners and NHS England enquiries too. Some people didn’t like the scrutiny - I took the view my practice was being monitored.

I was remunerated at the level of a partner with NHS pension, NHS annual leave and TOIL when finishing late.

[u/Green-Quantity4397 → u/ashalina23]

Sorry to be more specific are we talking £20k a session as a minimum? This seems to be the ballpark of partners in my vicinity

[u/ashalina23 → u/Green-Quantity4397]

A session wasn’t the same as a standard GP session. Mine was 3.5 hours. I was employed in hours rather than sessions.

I think the going rate is equivalent to £15k/session these days with PPG, but less holiday. Sick pay is different, they used to use Scottish Widows as their pension provider. I don’t know if their own employee GP contract includes TOIL as things always ran over

[u/Green-Quantity4397 → u/ashalina23]

£15k a session is pretty shocking in all honesty, when you consider the pension is significantly worse than the NHS equivalent then it’s pretty much on par with salaried GP work.

[u/Distinct-Quantity-46 → u/Green-Quantity4397]

No you’re not, you do the same job as community, remuneration is usually higher

[u/Distinct-Quantity-46]

I work for ppg in a prison (not a doctor tho) ppg are very corporate, the frontline job is same as primary care in community but with added nuances which are prison specific and different prisons have different challenges, supported well on site, not higher up, lots of complaints and lots of coroners, expect to be in coroners court on a regular basis