I’m an NHS GP living in Birmingham and I left the Grange in 1995 which seems a long time ago! Once the Covid-19 pandemic hit, my job changed in a way I would have never imagined.
I remember being quite apprehensive and uncertain. We weren’t quite sure what was going to happen, how safe we were and suddenly things like seeing snotty noses and coughs in surgery became a lot more complicated.
We switched to video consulting where possible and saw those who needed it in person. We learnt to up-skill very quickly with the video software and things like texting advice and clinical leaflets became commonplace. It worked fairly well and the use of video in GP I think will be here to stay.
Over the lockdown the aspect I’ve most enjoyed is working for the Practitioner Health Programme. This is a confidential NHS service for doctors and dentists in England who are experiencing mental health difficulties. We usually see colleagues face to face but recently have switched to remote working so have the facility to see people from all over the country.
It’s been a real privilege to spend time with other practitioners and support them. Many health care professionals have found the recent circumstances incredibly challenging and having that confidential space to share helps them to recover.
If I had any message for alumni, it would be recognition and adaptation. We are going through a really strange time at the moment and a kind of grief as we move away from life as we knew it in 2019 towards a new “normal”. This brings all sorts of emotions which are normal and part of the process.
Humans are an adaptable species and one of the things that this time has shown us is that we can do things differently. This might mean changing work patterns or being more environmentally aware. It’s also an incredibly challenging time and kindness and concern for others will go a long way.
You can read more about the Practioner Health Programme here and this blog offers some good advice on the feeling of grief through the pandemic.
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