GP Mentoring Scheme

The Northern Ireland General Practitioner Mentoring Scheme is intended to help GPs to address challenges they are facing. All of the mentors in the scheme are GPs with a broad range of experience. Information about the GP mentors is contained within the biography section of the mentoring site.

To avail of the GP mentoring program through NIMDTA, GPs must have completed their GP training, gained their CCT and be on the Northern Ireland Primary Medical Performers List.

You can apply and find out more at this link GP Mentoring Scheme

Mentoring discussions are completely confidential. Written records of mentor discussions will not be kept and information about mentees will not be provided to third parties. The only exception to this may arise if the mentor has concerns relating to patient safety or probity, should this occur the mentoring session would be stopped and the concern and action needed explained to the mentee.

Based on existing GP mentoring programs elsewhere, areas that GPs could find useful to discuss with a mentor include:

  • Current work problems

  • Team relationships and leadership issues

  • Performance issues

  • Decision making

  • Time management issues

  • Work-life balance

Anticipated benefits of mentoring include:

  • Helping you to work more efficiently

  • Helping you to work better within your team

  • Improving your self-awareness

  • Improving your motivation

The mentor will encourage you to discuss challenges you are experiencing and help you to explore these issues.

The mentor will:

  • Be a professional GP colleague who will be available to listen to and understand your situation in a non-judgemental manner.

  • Act as a soundboard and explore issues with you and may help you to find a way through.

  • Reflect your thoughts back to you to help you ‘throw light’ on your situation and how you may cope with things.

The mentor will not:

  • Tell you what to do.

  • Be your representative or act in any way on your behalf.