Sponsored - Practice made perfect: how HealthHero is redefining practice for GPs

2020 was a transformative year for General Practice. Remote consultations skyrocketed due to COVID-19, and barriers to adoption and sector red-tape were removed almost overnight. Paired with the NHS People Plan, which promised flexibility and support for GPs, the landscape for general practice seemed open to positive change.

But, as we approach the second anniversary of the first lockdown, how much has really changed?

The issue of high demand for face-to-face GP appointments has been a hot topic of late, following the major shift towards remote consultations during the pandemic. In July 2020, the Health Secretary stated that “better tech means better health care”, and that “from now on, all consultations should be teleconsultations unless there’s a compelling clinical reason not to.” But by May 2022, such was patient demand for face-to-face GP appointments that NHS England wrote to all practices to insist they are provided.

This leads us to a tipping point in primary care. The move back to face-to-face appointments and the huge backlog and demand for services in a post-pandemic world makes it difficult to envision just how flexible in-practice care can be, and even further endangers the declining numbers of GPs. According to the charity, Mind, two in five (40%) GPs were experiencing a plethora of different mental illnesses, including depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder. Burnout is thought to be a common reason for doctors to walk away from their surgeries.

Is there a better way?

At HealthHero, we believe there is.

People’s healthcare needs cannot be constrained by 9-5 working hours, and nor should their clinicians be. We have built a reputation for providing trusted, expert and guaranteed clinical service quality and we are the leading provider of remote GP advice services in Europe.

Our services are accessible to over eight million patients across the UK and Ireland, delivered by direct, remote primary care and expert clinicians. We work on behalf of NHS 111 and for private patients, bringing together human expertise and digital convenience to deliver digital-first, integrated care that is revolutionising the healthcare industry.

But we’re not just focused on patients. We’re committed to making practice perfect for GPs and clinicians – from working to solve capacity challenges with smart triage technology to minimising the administrative burden and providing exciting new career opportunities for all our clinicians.

“The shifts fit around my work, my kids and my life.”
HealthHero GP of 6 years

We’re proud to offer our GPs a better way to work. They enjoy choice, balance, flexibility, and most importantly, they’re able to make the most of their time with patients - without the paperwork, bureaucracy, or stress. And the result? An increased sense of professional fulfilment and purpose.

We don’t believe in rigid hours. Instead, our GPs can all work from home and can dial their hours up or down to suit their existing lifestyle or practice commitments - week by week and month by month. For example, some of our GPs work more in term time and less in the school holidays.   

We also offer the choice of working in or out of hours, or for either the private or NHS integrated care parts of our service (or a combination of both), it’s up to you. Choosing to work across both on a shift-by-shift basis gives you variety, balance, and valuable experience beyond your main day-to-day work.

You can work with us on a self-employed or employed basis – it’s your choice. We can discuss which is better for you as part of the application process.