HR GP: A Complete Guide for Employers

It’s crucial for all healthcare businesses to follow legal duties, practices, and regulations. And this applies to both GPs and pharmacies, too.

Employers need to work alongside their HR department to ensure their business is running efficiently – and more importantly, lawfully. But this doesn’t solely apply to your work practices; it’s also applicable to your staff.

With the right methods, you’ll be able to encourage a positive workplace and loyal employees. However, if your business neglects or breaches statutory regulations, it could lead to serious consequences. Like paying fines, business closure, and even criminal prosecution in critical cases.

For more information on GP HR, speak to one of our expert HR advisors today. Now, let’s take a look at ways employers can improve their HR services to encourage success in their GP or pharmacy business:

Utilise recruitment processes

Whilst the number of new general practices have increased, the number of fully qualified doctors (including trainees) has decreased in 2024 (according to the British Medical Association).

Employers need to utilise their recruitment process, with the help of their HR department. Together, you’ll be able to manifest a talented, loyal, and motivated workforce.

Let’s look at ways GP HR teams can help improve their businesses:

Recruitment methods: From technicians to doctors, there are all kinds of job roles HR teams need to fill. Take the right steps when it comes to recruitment – remember, it’s not just about finding qualified candidates. You’ll need to consider things, like work ethics and interpersonal skills, to see if they’ll fit well within your business.

Job adverts: HR teams should take advantage of the digitalisation for job adverts. Using marketing tools like SEO and AI can really help seek, attract, and even pursue top-talented candidates. It’ll even help find those who are interested in working in cutting-edge companies.

Retention: Employers and HR teams must find ways to keep their workers interested in their role and remain loyal to the company. Without a heavy focus on increasing retention rates, you’ll lose talented individuals to rival healthcare companies. 

Promote career growth

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) discovered turnover rates for qualified permanent general practitioners increased by 2.3% in the past two years. Not only can this impact daily functions, but it can tarnish business productivity, wellbeing, and reputation.

Employers need to promote career growth for both new staff, as well as their long-standing ones. When you keep track of employee progress, you’ll benefit from both a driven workforce and business expansion.

Let’s look at ways GP HR teams can help improve their businesses:

Staff development: From new starters to long-standing members, all employees should have access to staff development. Onboarding sessions, eLearning platforms, work shadowing, and even probations can all help with growing skills and talents – without the risk of losing employees you’re investing in.

Training: In workplaces like GPs, it’s crucial for all staff to have the appropriate training for their role. Training should be applied after legislative changes or if a specific certification is required. When your staff’s knowledge and skills are up to date, it helps ensure legal and business compliance.

Bonuses: HR teams should work together with their finance department to discuss monetary incentives, like bonuses and commission pay. Not only do they help excel employee performance, but they also help encourage loyalty, respect, and commitment to the company.

Evoke employee management

With the introduction of laws like the Employment Rights Bill 2024, employers need to ensure their businesses provide all statutory rights to their staff.

The details of the bill are still being debated in parliament. However, HR departments must comply with existing laws; and prepare themselves for upcoming legislative changes that could impact the company.

Let’s look at ways GP HR teams can help improve their businesses:

Payroll: HR teams must ensure all staff members are financially compensated for their completed work hours. This includes any overtime work they’ve done, as well as any other forms of payments owed to them. Like sick pay, maternity pay, travel expenses, or any other forms of work-related pay.

Rotas: Recent labour shortages have affected most of the healthcare sector, including general practices. HR teams must create work rotas that reflect business continuity – without causing employee burnout or other forms of work-related health issues.  

Employee management: Whilst HR teams don’t directly manage employees, they oversee all kinds of matters relating to them. Like, onboarding data, legal compliance, performance appraisals, career development, and even job terminations. It’s their duty to grow, maintain, and shape the workforce so it succeeds beyond competitors.

Promote employee welfare

Research by the British Journal of General Practice found that GPs suffer high rates of poor mental health wellbeing. This is in comparison to other healthcare professionals, and even the general public.

But it’s not just work-related health issues that employers need to identify. Secure work practices, conditions, and environments can all help promote employee welfare.

Let’s look at ways GP HR teams can help improve their businesses:

Occupational health: Working within GP businesses can lead to issues like burnout, stress, anxiety, and even depression. HR teams must identify occupational health issues and manage them efficiently. Encouraging a happier workforce leads to a healthier workplace for all.

Grievances: From workplace difficulties to gross misconduct, HR teams must be prepared to deal with all manners of grievances. You should conduct investigations, hearings, and keep compliant throughout grievance procedures. Your staff will appreciate the efforts for resolving the issues with the right steps.

Diversity, equality, and inclusion: Every employer should ensure they provide a workplace that treats everyone fairly and involved.  HR teams must champion workplace diversity, equality, and inclusion. Not only does it relate to legal duties, but it also creates a positive image of your work culture, beliefs, and backgrounds.

Enhance business success

The NHS Long Term Plan aims to provide every patient with access to digital-first primary care by 2023/24. But accepting digitalisation in the workplace isn’t restricted to GPs – but across the entire healthcare sector and beyond.

It falls to employers and their HR departments to look into what types of technological advancements can help enhance business success – all without breaking the budget…

Let’s look at ways GP HR teams can help improve their businesses:

Technology: Just like in the healthcare industry, GPs are increasingly relying on advanced technology daily. HR teams should ensure all staff are fully trained to use new technologies and equipment. Through proper work practices, you’ll soon be part of an industry-leading business compared to the rest.

Compliance: GPs are legally bound by strict laws on patient care, employee safety, data protection, safeguarding, and all kinds of other legal matters. It’s important for both employers and their HR teams to know where their legal compliance lies, and more importantly, what happens if these are breached or neglected.

Patient satisfaction: The responsibility of patient satisfaction doesn’t just apply to the employer – it’s a collective duty. HR teams should train, reward, and encourage staff to work well. Their efforts will be reciprocated into overall revenue and success for the business.

Get expert advice on GP HR with Peninsula

When managing GPs and pharmacies, employers aim to provide the very best services to all their patients. But this shouldn’t take an unhealthy toll on your workforce.

Peninsula offers expert advice on GP HR. We offer specialised guidance on HR contracts and documentation – ensuring your GP business meets all its HR compliance. Want to find out more? Contact us on 0800 028 2420 and book a free consultation with one of our HR consultants today.

Sources

BMA responds to latest GP workforce and appointments statistics | British Medical Association

The health and care workforce | Care Quality Commission

Association of GP wellbeing and burnout with patient safety in UK primary care: a cross-sectional survey | British Journal of General Practice

The national context for digital primary care | NHS