Career planning and development has been a neglected area for doctors. However Lord Darzi in his recent workforce report on the NHS tells us:
“Clinical professionals have a legitimate expectation to be able to access the information they need to plan their careers; to access effective careers guidance; and to form realistic expectations about their own career opportunities.”
Ref: “A high quality workforce: NHS Next Stage Review” Darzi. June 2008 DH.
http://www.dh.gov.uk/
This sets a challenge both to senior doctors and their employers. Senior doctors have largely worked in a culture of self-dependency and an expectation that a consultant job is essentially unchanging and for life. Their new contracts give them a mechanism to change this, but the challenge for doctors and managers is to grasp this opportunity.
HEALTHCARE PERFORMANCE can provide individual doctors and their employers with the tools to make personal development plans into something real and of benefit.
We use a four stage career planning model.
1: Self assessment: Who am I?
2: Career exploration: What do I want?
3: Decision making: What is stopping me? What can help me?
4: Plan implementation: What are my next steps?
By using career planning exercises at each stage, organisations and individuals can make more informed decisions at stage four.
This structured approach is effective in helping doctors at times of transition in their career. Examples include, taking up a consultant post, becoming a manager, adjusting to ill health, returning after extended sick leave and planning for retirement.