Our inside practice partner shares his concerns about vocational training schemes and referral audits as the flu season hits home …

Well, the flu season is now upon us. True to form, I have flu, though my wife argues that this is just a heavy cold. But I’m teetering on the edge!

Today was the first day of the flu blitz: 300-plus patients attended the well-oiled machine that is our flu task force, which waded through three-and-a-half hours of jabbing.

The poster competition advertising the flu campaign, which I mentioned in my previous blog, went down like a lead balloon with the local primary schools. I’ve still to judge the winners, which, interestingly, are from schools in the practice area not educating the most well-heeled.

Simple premises
The architects have been in for more consultations over our new premises. We’ve yet to begin real negotiations with the PCT with respect to the district valuer’s opinion. But if they’d seen the organised chaos yesterday, as 300 over-65-year-olds descended upon our converted 1930s house, the argument for rehousing would have been strong!!

Shock and audit
My latest project is to organise an audit of antenatal and postnatal mental health referrals for the PCT, between October and January.

I usually land the plum jobs, which rival my ongoing “job for life”, the Care of the Dying pathway. Last week, l wrote to our Local Medical Committee (who knew nothing of the pathway), requesting their opinion of it. Our insider at the LMC reported that there were some concerns, and the LMC has raised matters further with the PCT Lead. It’ll be interesting to see if the LMC has any teeth!

The registrars’ videoing is almost complete, the hand-in date is two days away. Last weekend, in between sporting events, l waded through the last of the video collection. It was not quite as compelling as England vs France! I shall not be sorry to see that part of registrar training completed.

Reimburse for wear
The local vocational training scheme met last week. The hot topic was reimbursement and duties of educational supervisors.  GP registrars will be designated an educational supervisor, who will oversee their fledgling career through hospitals and into general practice.

It was sold as a really positive move. Cynically, it seems like a lot of additional work, albeit depending upon the motivation of the trainee. My fellow trainer at the surgery and l left grumbling. We seemed however to be in a grumbling minority of two!

Oh well, it could be worse, we could be out of the Rugby World Cup and live in a country disabled by public sector strikes. Allez les bleus!