GPs complaints regarding work life balance

Diagro · 2 Jun 2019 at 00:22

Hey

Heard something on the radio today which annoyed me a little. Enough to write a most likely pointless thread about it.

GPs are complaining about working hours and their subsequent work life balance.

What irked me somewhat was the fact that these professionals earn a substantial amount of money. On average a GP earns £90,000 according to internet statistics.

Does this level of earning not come with the expectation of long hours and lack of a good work life balance?

The chap on the radio said he starts work at 7:30, and sometimes doesn't stop till 6:30 due to paperwork.
He sounded like this was just unacceptable.

But wait... Teachers for example can start work at similar hours and carry on working well into the evening. Weekends too. And through the so called "holidays" (actually called non contact time).
Yet teachers are paid on average £30,000. (This figure ignores the inflated wage of Senior leadership positions.. people who don't really teach much)

Nurses can do shifts that rival GPs, yet on average get paid £23,000.

So... Why are GPs up in arms about this? If they were getting paid a comparative figure to other public sector workers I would understand. But they don't, they earn substantially more.

Hmmmm. Posh guys expecting to have their cake and eat it too?

Hades · 2 Jun 2019 at 00:32

Doctors go through extensive, and costly training. Most people could be a nurse or teacher if they wanted. Not many could qualify as a doctor. So they deserve their money.

But just because someone is paid well it doesn't mean they should work silly hours.

StriderX · 2 Jun 2019 at 00:39

Posh guys? wtf are you on.

Diagro · 2 Jun 2019 at 00:41

Hades said:
Doctors go through extensive, and costly training. Most people could be a nurse or teacher if they wanted. Not many could qualify as a doctor. So they deserve their money.

But just because someone is paid well it doesn't mean they should work silly hours.

Nurses and teachers also have to undergo training.
Degree, school experience, PGCE, NQT then qualify. 6 years...

Some nurses do similar length training.

Your argument is moot.

Doesn't matter what your paid, shouldn't have to do silly hours. But, comparatively should they not be expected too based off the salary they demand?

CREATIVE!11 · 2 Jun 2019 at 00:41

Lots of people work silly hours, also some do menial jobs too that are taxing on the body.....

I think silly hours in general should be controlled. Stop corporations expecting people to be on call constantly etc.

Diagro · 2 Jun 2019 at 00:44

StriderX said:
Posh guys? wtf are you on.

Planet earth mate.

Tbh, out of the entire GP practice local to me, nearly all the GPs have posh accents

Hades · 2 Jun 2019 at 00:44

Diagro said:
Nurses and teachers also have to undergo training.
Degree, school experience, PGCE, NQT then qualify. 6 years...

Some nurses do similar length training.

Your argument is moot.

If being a doctor is as easy as qualifying to be a nurse or teacher, the hours are similar, but the pay is vastly higher... then why don't teachers and nurses become doctors instead?

Diagro · 2 Jun 2019 at 00:47

Hades said:
If being a doctor is as easy as qualifying to be a nurse or teacher, the hours are similar, but the pay is vastly higher... then why don't teachers and nurses become doctors instead?

Who said it was easy?????

I wouldn't dream of training to be a doctor. That requires remembering lots of things all the time, what a ball ache.

It was a reply to the length of time it takes to train.. I just pointed out it's similar as other professions.

Dis86 · 2 Jun 2019 at 00:49

Hades said:
Doctors go through extensive, and costly training. Most people could be a nurse or teacher if they wanted. Not many could qualify as a doctor. So they deserve their money.

But just because someone is paid well it doesn't mean they should work silly hours.

They go through a degree that costs the same per year as any other. Often it lasts 1 year longer though so 9.5k more. So that point is kinda moot.

Do you have anything to support that most people couldn't be a doctor? Anecdotally the most dopey person I know is one!

Dis86 · 2 Jun 2019 at 00:50

Hades said:
If being a doctor is as easy as qualifying to be a nurse or teacher, the hours are similar, but the pay is vastly higher... then why don't teachers and nurses become doctors instead?

Because some people don't want to be doctors. My partner loves teaching for example. Despite working 70+ hours most weeks.

FoxEye · 2 Jun 2019 at 00:52

Hades said:
Doctors go through extensive, and costly training. Most people could be a nurse or teacher if they wanted. Not many could qualify as a doctor.

Except that lass who practised for years without any qualifications whatsoever

https://www.personneltoday.com/hr/doctor-practiced-medicine-22-years-without-qualification-checks/

22 years before being found out

Two doctors in my family and both are at great pains to remind us that they are effectively always in training. Various (yearly?) courses and exams that basically never end, throughout their careers.

And the shifts they both put in even as medical students are/were really crazy. In fact as medical students they often didn't sleep for days on end... which is pretty frightening, from a potential patient's POV. Same as I wouldn't want a pilot on a 72 hour non-stop shift flying my plane...

We all know the NHS in this country is barely functioning, don't we? Due to real-terms cuts and all.

Hades · 2 Jun 2019 at 00:56

Then don't be a doctor. But also they shouldn't complain about the lack of pay in the profession they chose.

Dis86 · 2 Jun 2019 at 00:57

Hades said:
Then don't be a doctor. But also they shouldn't complain about the lack of pay in the profession they chose.

Likewise, if you choose to be a doctor don't whinge about work-life balance when someone expects you to actually earn your very high salary.

Stephanie Peterson · 2 Jun 2019 at 00:59

Plenty of professions require training, experience and a high skill level including much of the IT industry.
We dont usually see 90k + but many will put in similar hours to a doctor, teacher ect.

Er not really sure what my point was so ... move along

Hades · 2 Jun 2019 at 01:02

Dis86 said:
Likewise, if you choose to be a doctor don't whinge about work-life balance when someone expects you to actually earn your very high salary.

Now that I partly agree with. But as said by someone else, no orofession should be overworked, not least ones where they make life or death decisions.

Dis86 · 2 Jun 2019 at 01:04

Hades said:
Now that I partly agree with. But as said by someone else, no orofession should be overworked, not least ones where they make life or death decisions.

GP's generally don't make life or death decisions though.

Diagro · 2 Jun 2019 at 01:06

Dis86 said:
GP's generally don't make life or death decisions though.

They just pass you onto someone else who does lol. Gateway to .... Drugs??

Hades · 2 Jun 2019 at 01:07

Dis86 said:
GP's generally don't make life or death decisions though.

Apart from when they miss symptoms... like my sister in law who died from breast cancer because her GP didn't take it seriously until it was too late... for example.

Diddums · 2 Jun 2019 at 01:08

Diagro said:
Your argument is moot.

No it isn't.

Pawnless Endgame · 2 Jun 2019 at 01:12

I think the crux of this issue is - austerity.

Forget EU / Scottish referendums and use the money and energy to reverse austerity. Fill in the gaps in GP numbers to bring us back to early 2000s numbers. This would take us back to a time where doctors didn't have to work overtime and patients could actually get a same-day appointment. Ofc reverse austerity in other areas too like policing. Referendums like the EU one are useless and is just ****ing money up the wall where it could have been spent on something more useful and more inclusive.