How to attract good partners and hold on to them

[摘要] GP partnerships have gradually been on a steady decline over the last decade.1 With a generation of senior and capable partners retiring and not being replaced at the same rate, there is a huge concern of seeing this post continue to diminish. Hence there is not only a need to find a skilled partner who would help strategise and drive the practice forward, but also to hold onto them and stop them from leaving.A practice partnership has often been compared to a marriage (‘easy to enter but hard to maintain’ ),2 with autonomy and self-determination; designated roles where each partner takes a lead and shows accountability; generates income; has the freedom to innovate; ability to express opinions without fear of criticism; has an equal say/vote; and the respect, loyalty, honesty (transparency), and support of their fellow partners.Finding the right partner is critical. Many practices may wish to advertise for this vacancy. Although the advantage in this is having a wider capture audience, there is still an element of risk as neither the incoming partner nor the practice know each other and are heavily reliant on the references provided and the partnership interview.Alternatively, the partnership may wish to recruit from GPs it has had previous dealings with such as previous GP trainees, locums, its present salaried GPs, or colleagues known to the practice. The obvious advantage here would be that both the practice and the potential candidate have worked together and are aware of each other’s strengths and shortcomings. Hence a shrewd partnership would always be aware of succession planning and of those known doctors it may wish to head-hunt.3Once the new partner has joined, it is advisable for practices to have a period of mutual assessment to determine if the practice and incoming partner are happy to continue working together. This could be 6–12 months in duration, on which a new partnership agreement is drawn up by a lawyer who specialises in GP contracts and signed by the new incoming partner and all existing partners. This contract should have a sense of fairness to all parties and ultimately look to protect the partnership.

[学科分类] 卫生学