The current employment crisis is affecting many GPs across the UK. Whether you’re looking for work, facing reduced hours, or feeling overwhelmed by workload pressures, you’re not alone and support is available. While we are working on your behalf to address this issue, this page brings together BMA tools, resources, and guidance designed to help protect your wellbeing, your rights, and your career.
I’m a GP looking for work or my first role
If you're currently unemployed, looking for your first GP role, or considering a career change, this section is for you. You'll find tools to enhance your CV, prepare for interviews, and explore alternative GP career options. We've also included financial support resources to help you manage during periods of unemployment.
- Portfolio careers and clinical entrepreneurship - recorded webinar
- Career change and portfolio careers - recorded webinar
- Portfolio careers – the ‘new normal’?
- Setting up as a private GP: step-by-step guidance on becoming an independent practitioner
- Working for the MoD: hear from a GP working with the armed forces
- Free to roam: experiences from two GPs who have worked in a varied number of scenarios
- Work opportunities for GPs: explore some of the options that are available to you
- Financial support options: if you are struggling with finances, learn about what financial support and assistance is available via BMA Charities, the Cameron Fund and others.
- Your finances: Our trusted financial planning partner offers a complimentary consultation to discuss how they could help you, and for self-employed doctors, our medical accountancy and tax partner can help you to navigate the tax system.
I’m a GP facing burnout or overwork
In today’s climate, even employed GPs are struggling with unmanageable workloads. Whether you're a salaried GP, locum, registrar or partner, this section offers practical tools to help protect your wellbeing, manage your time, and prevent burnout.
- Burnout self-check tool
- Warning signs guide: learn how to identify when you're reaching burnout
- Wellbeing support services: 24/7 helplines, peer support from fellow doctors, and other services
- How to achieve better work life balance – recorded webinar
- Workload and time management BMJ module,
- Mental wellbeing and sleep/fatigue resources, including BMA wellbeing charters and checklists
- Support from Your LMC (local medical committee) - Use your LMC to raise concerns, seek guidance, or renegotiate working conditions locally
- GP Diary: track your workload and identify pressure points
- Annual leave calculator: make sure you're taking your full entitled break
- Job planning templates: create a sustainable and negotiated working patter
- Model contract: ensure you’re working under fair and appropriate conditions
- Managing workload as a salaried GP (England only)
- Managing workload as a locum GP (England only)
- Workload and overtime guidance for salaried GPs
- Guide to working conditions for salaried GPs and employers
I’m a GP partner supporting my team
Leading a team under today’s pressures is no easy task. You’re managing patient demand, supporting colleagues, and trying to stay afloat. We’ve created a toolkit to help you look after both your team’s wellbeing and your own.
- BMA employer advisory service: free advice on recruitment, staff absence, disputes, grievances, and interpersonal issues for members.
- Model contracts and conditions for salaried GPs and how to apply them in practice.
- Safe working toolkit - (England only)
- Safe working in general practice (Scotland only)
- Safe workload guidance for GPs in Wales
- Safe working for GPs in Northern Ireland
- Managing others through change - recorded webinar
- Compassionate and inclusive leadership - recorded webinar
- Motivating and engaging in healthcare - recorded webinar
- Providing and receiving feedback - recorded webinar
- Leadership essentials - recorded webinar
- Leadership essentials 2 - recorded webinar
- Coaching and mentoring - BMJ module
- Guidance on responding to staff concerns
- Your finances: Our trusted medical accountancy and tax partner can offer you expert support with services such as tax planning, improving business income and profitability, account preparation, and cashflow forecasts, whilst leveraging their expert knowledge of the medical sector
- Fees calculator: Use our member exclusive tool to determine how much you need to charge to be financially viable, based on your business's unique circumstances.
- Guidance for practices in Scotland on maintaining practice profitability
- Medical indemnity guidance for the work which you are doing both in and out of the
- Physician associates in general practice: making it safe for patients and GPs (England only)
- Practice management resources: support on contracts, employment law, and administrative workload. (via EAS)
- Resources for practices in Scotland to communicate workload issues with patients (Scotland only)
- Partnership guidance for GPs in Scotland (Scotland only)
