As we continue through the coronavirus pandemic, it’s more important than ever for GPs to know what each job will entail.
Our users were already able to include some useful information through shift properties, like whether there would be another GP on site, or if the shift would include home visits. But now that COVID-19 has changed how GPs work so dramatically, that was no longer enough.
That’s why we’ve added new, coronavirus-specific options to available shift properties.
For practices
Shift properties are available whenever you create any kind of session. Simply tick the boxes that apply, and they will be added to the details of the session.
In addition to previous options, you can now label sessions as:
This allows GPs to know what they can expect with each session they work. Being clear and upfront about requirements from the start makes it easier to fill shifts and helps reduce miscommunication and cancellations further down the line.
For GPs
GPs can now search for jobs that meet the criteria that matter to them during the COVID-19 outbreak: for example, whether there will be face-to-face contact with patients, or if PPE will be provided.
For GPs who want to offer their expertise but are unable to work face-to-face with patients, they can easily see if a session is labelled as telephone triage or online consultation.
GPs are at the frontline of the COVID-19 response, and have responded admirably to the creation of new hubs, as well as new ways of working.
And yet, according to a Pulse survey, more than half of GPs have felt unsafe due to lack of PPE at work. At the very least, these staff deserve to go into each session they work knowing what to expect, and be given tools to allow them to manage their own risk.
We hope that these extra shift properties will go some way to achieving that.