Turn Up And Treat: Why Setting Up In Private Practice Will Keep You In The Medical Profession

The pandemic has put tremendous pressure on healthcare staff within the NHS. With trying to cope with the influx of Covid-19 cases, the endless waiting lists, and the unprecedented level of abuse they've received, it’s unsurprising that many doctors are thinking of walking away from the profession.

As explained in a recent article by Designated Medical, a report from the BMA highlights just how exhausted doctors are right now, stating that:‘Thousands in the UK are considering leaving the NHS within the next year, as many continue to battle stress and burnout without adequate respite from the exhaustion caused by the demands of the pandemic.’

The report is based off responses from over 4,000 doctors. 

Here are just a few of the startling statistics they discovered: 

31% stated they are more likely to take early retirement (more than double to 12 months ago)
50% are planning to work fewer hours in the future
25% are considering taking a career break
44% of doctors looking to leave the NHS said that workload and their own personal well-being was the main factor in their decision
20% are likely to leave the NHS and start a new career path
17% are considering working abroad
14% would prefer to work on a locuming basis only

If doctors follow through on these desires to retire, work fewer hours or leave the profession for another career, huge resource gaps will develop within our healthcare system.

However, what is interesting to note from this survey is that it suggests a strong desire by many doctors to continue to work, but in a different environment to help manage their work-life balance.

Setting up in private practice

Starting your own private practice could be the answer you’re looking for. If you’re considering a career outside of the NHS, working independently could provide you with better wellbeing and a more manageable workload, while still doing something you enjoy.

After all, there’s a reason you became a doctor in the first place: to help people and treat patients.

In the whirlwind of COVID-19 and endless bureaucracy, it can be easy to forget what it is you love about the profession you worked for years to achieve – why waste those skills and abilities?

Setting up your own practice doesn’t have to be difficult or time-consuming either. While it may seem like you’d have as much, if not more, work due to essentially starting your own business, you can actually manage your time and administration to suit you.

We refer to it as ‘Turn Up And Treat’! By partnering with the right providers, you can just do the parts of being a doctor that you enjoy most.

Turn Up And Treat - How to just be a doctor

Of course, there are different elements of your business you need to have in place to run your own private practice successfully and effectively – but it doesn’t need to take up all of your attention.

For example, one of the biggest bugbears for doctors is managing billing administration and chasing aged debt. Partnering with a medical billing service will help you to:

  • Get paid quickly and efficiently with enhanced payment options
  • Reduce your outstanding debt levels
  • Increase your cash flow and income opportunities
  • Maintain good patient experiences and relationships
  • Build better relationships with insurance providers

Billing providers have decades of industry experience and know-how, with expert teams that specialise in collecting payments on your behalf while providing a sensitive and positive patient experience. That’s a big tick off your to-do list as a doctor!

At Bill Medical, we also pride ourselves on having built up an ecosystem of industry partners to help you with all other areas of running your own practice. Our clients also have the opportunity to receive preferential rates from those providers.

Essentially, we can take care of everything a private medical professional needs to run a highly successful practice so you will receive seamless onboarding along with outstanding service.

Our industry partners include:

  • Practice management systems
  • Web/marketing/PR
  • Becoming a legal entity
  • Secretarial and administration
  • Book-keeping and finance
  • Medical malpractice insurance

There’s a few more ticks off your to do list.

Get back to doing what you love

Ideally all doctors would enjoy their career within the NHS and to want to stay. It’s a fantastic organisation that the UK is privileged to have and deserves recognition. But we understand the difficulties and strain it puts our doctors under.

Rather than lose the wealth of medical talent we have in this country, private practice can be a great way for doctors to not only have a rewarding career to suit them, but also benefit UK patients now and in the future.

By using the support of the industry providers already out there, you could begin a new stage of your career in no time.

For more information about how to set up your own practice, feel free to have a no obligation chat with our team so they can explain how you can get back to doing what you love – being a doctor.