In 2015, Health Education North West decided to commission a promotional film featuring the provision of high-quality educational supervision and unique opportunities offered by local training programmes.
Feedback from foundation doctors and GP trainers confirmed that the film fostered a sense of pride and value in training to become a GP.
This year, the first of a new series of recruitment films, The Heart of Being a GP, explores the positive aspects at the centre of general practice.
The film features GPs Dr Heather Ryan and Dr Jess Bradshaw, and highlights the rewards of therapeutic relationships with patients, working as part of a wider community, and the interest and challenge in managing undifferentiated, diverse conditions.
Further short films are being planned and will explore additional positive drivers reported among junior doctors.
Bolton GP Dr Anne Hawkridge, who produced the films as part of her work on recruitment and training in the region, said: ‘General practice remains a flexible, varied career with a positive balance between work and life and lasting, meaningful rewards from work with our patients.’
Comments from two patients who viewed The Heart of Being a GP also reinforced its positive messages: ‘We were both quite mesmerised by the two doctors and what they said and did. The encounters with older people were especially touching (it’s only too easy to be daunted by ageing and its problems). Laying on of hands came with ease to both doctors.’
Dr Hawkridge is taking part in a session at the RCGP annual conference on Saturday featuring research on what doctors at different ends of their careers expect from general practice.
