Welcome to the BNSSG Training Hub website section for GPs.
Here you will find relevant information, resources and signposting for GPs at all career stages.
If you can’t find what you’re looking for, please email us at bnssg.training.hub@nhs.net
South West NHS Leadership Academy
The South West Leadership Academy have an evolving portfolio of events and activities to help you develop your leadership skills.
Support and Wellbeing
There are lots of places to go for support as a GP – but it can be tricky to know where to look. Hopefully this list will help you find the right place to get the help you need.
British Medical Association
https://www.bma.org.uk/advice-and-support/your-wellbeing
Confidential 24/7 Counselling Line – for all doctors 03301231245
Peer Support Service – for all doctors – speak in confidence to another doctor for emotional support
BMA Wellbeing Support Services Directory – support services specifically for doctors and medical students.
BMA members (and partners and dependents 16-24 in full-time education) – free structured course of up to six therapy sessions with a counsellor
Contact – 02073836610 wellbeingsupport@bma.org.uk
Practitioner Health
https://www.practitionerhealth.nhs.uk/healthcare-staff-in-england
Free, confidential NHS primary care mental health and addiction service with expertise in treating health and care professionals – for those “unable to use existing NHS services”
Case management, referral for therapy, prescribing, sick notes, signposting and referrals.
Self-referral via online form
24/7 crisis text service – text “NHSPH” to 85258
Contact – 03000303300
Avon LMC
Free membership if working for a BNSSG practice https://avonlmc.co.uk/about/membership/
COPE Scheme – Direct access to psychologists, counsellors, psychiatrists and professional coaching for those under stress, in distress, depressed, burnt out, not coping, drinking too much or worried about themselves in any other way. First three sessions are free.
Safe House – Online support system for professional challenges – support, advice and guidance on:
– Burnout recovery
– Professional relationships
– Non-medical demands of work
– Careers advice
Pastoral Support
Contact – info@almc.co.uk 01179702755
DocHealth
https://www.dochealth.org.uk/
Confidential, not for profit, psychotherapeutic consultation service for doctors.
Up to six sessions, fees based on sliding scale relating to grade and circumstances.
Self-referral 02073836533
Sick Doctors Trust
Support and help for doctors who are concerned about their use of drugs or alcohol.
Confidential helpline 24/7 – facilitate introduction to other doctors in recovery for advice, signposting to appropriate resources
Contact – 03704445163 help@sick-doctors-trust.co.uk
Doctors in Distress
Doctors Support Network
https://www.dsn.org.uk/
Free to join charity who provide informal peer support
NHS Leadership Academy
https://www.leadershipacademy.nhs.uk/programmes/coaching-and-mentoring/
Free coaching and mentoring support
Medical Women’s Federation
https://www.medicalwomensfederation.org.uk/
Offers advice and support to female doctors including mentoring and coaching schemes, support around maternity leave, LTFT work
Membership varies depending on grade
Contact – 02073877765
Further resources listed here https://www.practitionerhealth.nhs.uk/self-help-and-referrals#local-national-support
Other Sources of Support
Employee Assistance Programme
Occupational Health
Samaritans – Call 116123
Shout Crisis Text Line – Text “SHOUT” to 85258
NHS England 24/7 confidential text support service – Text “FRONTLINE” to 85258
NHS financial telephone support line MoneyHelper Service – 08004480826 or whatsapp 07701342744
In An Emergency
GP, A+E, 111 or 999
Career Advice and Coaching
https://www.practitionerhealth.nhs.uk/self-help-careers-advice
This helpful website produced by the BMJ is a good place to start if you want to know more about becoming a GP partner.
https://www.bmj.com/careers/article/the-bmj-s-guide-to-gp-partnerships
These slides from BMA law are also informative
https://bmalaw.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/BMA-Law-New-to-Partnership-webinar.pdf
(Please note the New to Partnership Payment Scheme is no longer available)
There is lots of information on the BMA website about the practicalities of applying to become a GP partner and taking on new GP partners.
Coaching and Mentoring Offers
NHS South West Leadership Academy
You can register as a coach, coachee, mentor or mentee here: https://sw.leadershipacademy.nhs.uk/coaching-and-mentoring/
You can look for a coach or mentor on their register – some offer their services for free!
RCGP Mentoring Network
RCGP Members can access a free mentoring network, where future or current GP mentees can be matched with mentors possessing their desired interests, skills and expertise and vice versa. There are also other resources available for mentors and mentees.
https://rcgpmentoring.onpld.com/
Your Coaching Journey
This private company trains doctors to become coaches – and doctors who have completed their training offer three free sessions of coaching to help them gain experience.
The BNSSG Training Hub is delighted to announce the continuation of the BNSSG Newly Qualified GP Fellowship Programme!
NQGP Fellows benefit from 1 year of funded CPD time, mentoring and peer support. To be eligible to join the programme, you must be a Newly Qualified GP (within 2 years of your CCT date) working in a permanent GP role in a practice in Bristol, North Somerset, or South Gloucestershire. The programme will be open to applications from 1st September 2025 to 31st August 2026, funding permitting. NQGPs working in practices in areas of deprivation will be prioritised.
For more information or to apply, please contact Sarah Ballisat at the BNSSG Training Hub: sarah.ballisat@nhs.net
Return to Work After A Career Break
Are you returning to work as a GP after parental leave and not quite sure where to start? Have you been on a career break or sabbatical and looking for advice about what to do in your plan to return to clinical work? Are you coming back after a period of sick leave or any other break up to 2 years duration? This is the place for you! We hope the sections below will help you navigate your return to work with ease. Sign up to our newsletter to make sure you hear about any Return to Work events in the future.
Memberships and Indemnity
GMC
You can apply for 50% discount on your annual fees if your income from all sources during your registration year is less than the income threshold (currently £37,000 as of 1st April 2025). You can apply for this from 3 months before your registration year begins to three months after your registration year ending.
https://www.gmc-uk.org/registration-and-licensing/managing-your-registration/fees-and-funding/discounts
Medical Indemnity
You can usually pause your indemnity fees by informing your medical indemnity provider. Please contact your indemnity provider to find out how this works with your individual plan.
Bear in mind – you need to have suitable indemnity in place if you are seeing patients on KIT days on parental leave.
Appraisal
You can postpone your annual appraisal by applying to the appraisals team.
Providing there are clear and reasonable mitigating circumstances you do not have to catch up on appraisals missed on long term leave.
It’s best to discuss any planned breaks and appraisal deferrals well in advance if possible with your appraisal designated body.
https://www.gpappraisals.uk/long-term-leave.html
The email address for the appraisals and revalidation coordinators in the South West is england.gpappraisalsw@nhs.net
CPD
There is no need to keep up with a set number of hours of CPD when on leave from work. As long as you can demonstrate at your next appraisal that you are reviewing your knowledge and actively learning, reflecting and putting this into practice this will be acceptable. There is no longer a minimum number of hours of CPD required for annual GP appraisals.
Mandatory Training
Please discuss this with your practice manager when know you are returning to work to ensure any essential mandatory training like BLS is up to date before your return.
Other workplace considerations
Depending on your circumstances, you may need occupational health assessments to guide the return to work process. Please discuss this with your employer.
You may need a change in your contract if your hours or duties are going to change when you return to work.
It is worth discussing with your employer regarding possible phased return, supervision and mentoring available to support you in your return to work. There is no standard approach here – be honest about what you feel you need! It’s better for everyone for you to have the support you need in place from the start to allow you to return to work without a hitch!
Clinical Systems and Technology Considerations
Some things to check before getting back to work:
If you know you are going on leave your IT manager can request your NHS net email account is disabled which will make it not subject to deletion for 18 months. If you don’t do this then you’ll have to remember to log in every 30 days to prevent your account being deleted.
Check your logins still work (with your IT manager) for:
Clinical Changes
There may have been changes in practice policies, local clinical guidelines and national clinical guidelines.
It’s worth signing up to the BNSSG Training Hub newsletter to find out about any local upcoming educational offers.
We would recommend using the local remedy guideline webpage for up to date clinical information and local referral pathways. remedy.bnssgccg.nhs.uk
There are various private education providers who regularly provide GP clinical update sessions. The Red Whale pearls are weekly updates for GPs and other primary care clinicians – presenting up to date evidence and changes in guidance in bite size summaries. And they are free to sign up to https://www.redwhale.co.uk/pearls CAN WE PUT THIS ON TH WEBSITE AS RED WHALE IS PRIVATE?
Parental Leave Specific Advice
Keeping in Touch (KIT) Days
You can take up to 10 keeping in touch days on maternity or adoption leave. These are voluntary and need to be agreed by the employee and the employer, so need to be discussed with your employer ideally before your leave starts to make a mutually convenient plan.
Remember you need to have indemnity cover if you are seeing patients.
KIT days can include practice meetings, training sessions, ad hoc clinical sessions and shadowing colleagues.
KIT days cannot be taken in accrued annual leave time.
If you have taken shared parental leave each of you are entitled to have up to 20 SPLIT days in addition to KIT days.
Sick Leave Specific Advice
Consider whether you need a Fit Note for amended duties or amended duties.
You will accrue annual leave when on sick leave – but check whether your employer has a policy around this.
Practical Things to Consider
Try and make your first day back as easy as possible! Have a think about…
Where is the stationery cupboard and printer paper?
Has the practice layout changed? Where are the supplies of urine bottles, gloves, swabs, stool sample bottles, FIT test kits et?
Do you need keys, alarm codes and fobs to get to your room?
What about carpark and bike storage access?
Timeline for Return to Work
This is just a guide but something to help shape your successful return to work. This could be shared with your practice manager to help guide discussions.
| Timescale | Activity | Notes |
| 3-4 months prior to return | Meet with practice manager
– Practice updates – Confirm date of return – Ensure accrued annual leave taken/booked – Appointment template – Weekly session plan – Check contract – Allocation of supervisor/mentor – Catch up slots/blocks/admin sessions/duty Dr plan – Phased return/KIT day discussion if relevant
Contact appraisal team if defferred appraisal to arrange a new date. |
KIT days to be taken before maternity leave ends.
Accrued annual leave can be used for phased return. |
| 1 month prior to return | Meet with colleague(s)
– Logistical/practical update on what’s changed – Clinical system/software updates
Meet with Ops/IT Manager – Windows and email account – Smart card validation – Logins for EMIS, docman, accurx, lexacom, teamnet etc – Practice laptop and login – Access codes to building and carparks Check if any mandatory training due.
Confirm memberships up to date: – GMC registration – Performers list – BMA membership – Indemnity – (Confirm details for reduced membership costs ending)
Consider doing a clinical update education day and checking remedy website for any recent changes. |
Remember you need indemnity cover for KIT days if seeing patients.
Indemnity will need to be in place for your first day back. |
| 2 weeks prior to return | Check doctor bag and kit complete | |
| 1 week prior to return | Give indemnity provider your official return date | |
| First day back | Check all previously used logins work
Re-familiarise yourself with physical layour of the building and where equipment and clinical kit is kept
Double check with indemnity provider they are aware you are back at work
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| 1 month back at work | Check membership/subscription payents paid on leave have been corrected and that all services know you’re now successfully back at work |