GP Pastoral Support & Career Growth

Your LMC has many years of experience working within the system to support general practice. This breadth and depth of expertise, relationships, and resources serves as a unique source of independent, reliable, and trusted advice and support. Our job is to look after you, so you can concentrate on looking after your patients.

We aim to help you know what you need to know. While we deal with day-to-day questions and queries from GPs and Practice Managers, we also frequently provide support on a broad spectrum of issues, including but not limited to:

• Contractual issues
• Performance procedures
• Signposting to trusted local coaching/mentoring organisations
• Regulatory issues such as GMC hearings or CQC inspections

The LMC Pastoral Support Team is here to support you when you need us. From providing free, confidential support relating to individual performance processes or complaints, contractual or partnership issues, or signposting to more formal routes of support such as NHS Practitioner Health, our GPs and Executive Team have received training to assist you through some difficult scenarios you may face in your career.

Please contact us at office@cambslmc.org with the subject header Pastoral Support Team, and we will allocate you a member as soon as we are able to.

Pastoral Support FAQs:

The Cambs LMC Pastoral Support Team provides confidential peer support to GPs in need. All members have been trained by the Practitioner Health Programme team to support GPs in an extended role and will be overseen and supported by the executive team at the LMC office.

• GP to GP relatable peer relationship
• GPs are matched to PST members rather than allocated
• PST members are external to their own organisation/practice
• Improves job satisfaction and retention
• Increases confidence and motivation
• Builds resilience for the individual, the practice, and the system
• Provides support to identify career development
• Identifies ways for the GP to overcome particular issues
• Assists with goal setting to achieve professional and personal success
• Provides stability during a time of uncertainty and concern
• Seamless transition to more advanced support if required by the CEO and executive team

Any GP contacting the LMC needing additional support and signposting to help them through a period of personal or professional challenge can reach out. The PST members are all practising GPs on the LMC or members of the LMC executive team who have all undertaken training for their role and have access to supervision as required.

The process hopes to provide a confidential supportive relationship between two peers, where you will have the time and space to reflect upon your concerns. The number of sessions provided would depend upon your individual circumstances. We would anticipate that the support required for local NHSE complaints/performance processes or GMC complaints escalated to the MPTS might require more sessions over a longer period of time. In addition, there may be times when need is greater than capacity. In those circumstances, the office may need to prioritise those cases of greater risk and concern.

The first meeting will be at a mutually agreed, preferably neutral venue or will be via video, instant messaging, or telephone contact as well as, or instead of, face-to-face meetings. Should you or your PST Member feel that you require further support, you may be referred to other external agencies.

We hope that this will not happen, but if you are not happy with your allocated GP or if after meeting them you simply do not get on, then contact office@cambslmc.org, and we can allocate another member of the team.

The service is provided by Cambs LMC. If you would like to receive help, please email office@cambslmc.org, where your query will be treated in confidence with sensitivity. We may call you back for more details and will then notify you and arrange a match to a suitable GP to support you. You must inform us and your PST member if you no longer wish to receive support, to free up resources.

The programme is free of charge. If you are using work time, you must seek authorisation from your practice. Back-fill will not be paid. The programme provides a confidential, supportive relationship, so it is up to you who you tell that you are participating. If you are using work time, you should seek authorisation from your practice.

NHS England has a statutory responsibility to respond to concerns raised about a GP performer on the National Performers List in accordance with the Framework for managing performer concerns. The GMC can also investigate if a serious concern is raised, so that they can determine whether patient safety or the public’s confidence is at risk. Cambs LMC can support you throughout an NHS England performance investigation or if the GMC informs you that they are investigating a concern about you. Please contact office@cambslmc.org.