My reading of the red book was that 1/2 day was honory, hallowed only by
tradition, which is why u had to get cover when u were off. effectively HAs
were turning a blind eye to it. I know of a singlehander who works his
contracted hours but does short surgeries (90mins mroning and evening),
giving him time off during the day but no half-day thereby.
>From: Iain Hotchkies <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: GP-UK <[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Practice half-day - a thing of the past?
>Date: Wed, 11 Feb 2004 13:38:17 -0000
>
>My practice - like many small/single-handed practices - closes at 1pm on
>Wednesdays. The out-of-hours service covers from 1pm onwards. Twas ever
>thus.
>
>When the PCOs take over out-of-hours, things will change.
>
>I went to a LMC meeting last night. At the front of the house were various
>great and good peeps. One of them - Professor something - stated that the
>DOH view on this matter was fairly clear.
>
>The notion of the half-day in the week developed in the days when GPs were
>on-call 1-in-1 or 1-in-2 and most worked Saturday mornings.
>
>Under nGMS, no Saturdays, GPs working '9-til-5' (or 8-til-6.30), and thus
>no
>good argument for half-days.
>
>Personally, Wednesday afternoons off from the practice are keeping me sane
>(more or less). Under nGMS, I could come to an arrangement with
>neighbouring
>practices to concoct a rota of sorts, so that I might only have to work
>1-in-whatever Wednesdays. I could employ a locum to cover Wednesday
>afternoons for me - at 180ukp per session, 720ukp per month.
>
>Anyone else facing the loss of their half day?
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