Partnerships in Practice

Medical partnerships are highly complex legal and financial entities. This book navigates the reader through the key issues and deals with the less tangible aspects such as partnership dynamics and organisational behaviour. Examples illustrate common difficulties and offer possible choices. It is clear, practical and readable and essential for all GPs entering a partnership. It is also relevant for GPs currently in partnerships, practices considering their partnership deed, Senior House Officers and GP registrars.

Part 1: Core values and the practice ideas. Key moral and professional stances. The stereotypes and self labelled identity - the practice culture. Training practice status. PCG involvement. Part 2: The partnership dynamic. Team roles. Number of partners. Dynamic between partners. Joint responsibility for decisions. How will formal decisions be made? Practice manager or practice administrator? Attitudes to part time or job share. Assistantships. Patients and personal lists. Mutual assessment periods. Restrictive covenants. Part 3: Owning or leasing the premises. Own (and control) the premises. Lease. Rent. Part 4: Financial issues. Pooling income. Attitudes to outside work. Pooling expenses. Partnership shares and parity. Showing accounts to interviewees. Banking policy and accounts. Private patients. Part 5: How hard do you want to work? Workload. Number of sessions. Admin work. Leave. Out of hours cover. Part 6: Working policies. Clinical governance within the practice. Professional education. Clinical policies. Practice area. In hours emergency policy. Part 7: Final thought. Appendix.