A group of newly-trained family doctors have started work in Barking and Dagenham, Havering and Redbridge as part of a successful scheme to boost the local GP workforce.
The new recruits have all taken up roles at local practices following a ground-breaking recruitment drive that also enables them to develop their specialist medical skills.
Along with many other areas, attracting and keeping GPs remains a major challenge for BHR.
In an effort to address this, the BHR CCGs and local healthcare partners joined forces with Health Education England (HEE) to consider how trainee GPs undergoing their medical training locally could be encouraged to stay in the area once they qualified.
A scheme was developed that saw new GPs offered:
GPs finishing their training were invited to a careers event to speak to local surgeries offering jobs, with hospital and community trusts providing the specialist sessions, funding support and supervision. This enabled them to apply for the role that best matched their career interests.
Seven new GPs accepted offers and all are now working between four and seven sessions a week. By taking on part of the workload, they are easing pressure on existing GPs in BHR.
The new GPs are:
Dr Naomi Oliver, Fulwell Cross Medical Centre, Barkingside
Dr Penny Evans, North Street Medical Care, Romford
Dr Sana Razak, White House Surgery, Barking
and Dr Matt Greenfield Evergreen Surgery, Wanstead; Dr Naima Shamsudin, Weston Road Medical Centre, Romford; Dr Lara Lanza; Dr Sadia Rahman.
The scheme (known as GP-SPIN) was developed by the BHR CCGs in partnership with Health Education England; BHRUT; NELFT; BHR CPEN and Queen Mary University of London.
Its groundbreaking approach to boosting the GP workforce has already been highlighted to senior NHS leaders in north east London and it is hoped it can be expanded in future.
For more information on the GP-SPIN scheme, contact David Parke, Head of Primary Care at Havering CCG, at david.parke1@nhs.net
740