Overview
There is a strong interest from both GPs and hospital doctors/managers in finding manageable and effective ways of providing supportive, professional development at a time of great organisational change. The knowledge base on mentoring as applied to general practice is almost non-existent, but practitioners are interested and motivated to apply concepts of mentorship. This book is the first to supply this information.
Rosslynne Freeman is an acknowledged leading figure in the field of mentoring in general practice. As part of her role as Educational Adviser to the Postgraduate Dean in General Practice in South Thames, she has been a driving force behind the development of this area of practice. She has conducted a three year research study into effective mentoring in general practice, and was responsible for convening the highly successful second UK Conference on this subject.
The book contains black-and-white illustrations.
Synopsis
The book contains black-and-white illustrations.
Kathleen G. Nelson
This is a descriptive work detailing a project that came into existence in response to a crisis in the National Health Service in Great Britain. The ""mentoring scheme"" is one approach to deal with a dispirited and stressed profession. This book describes the mentoring program and offers suggestions for others who may wish to implement similar programs in their areas/systems. Reader familiarity with the changes that occurred in Great Britain's healthcare system that created a crisis for those involved is assumed. Prime Minister Thatcher instituted radical reforms in the National Health Service, beginning in 1988. Unfortunately, the ""New Contract"" created a climate of competition rather than cooperation between professionals, and also affected the content of a General Practitioner's practice and created dissatisfaction with the doctor-patient relationship. The poor physician morale that followed these changes may make this book somewhat relevant to a United States' audience in these times of change in the healthcare system here. Because of its British context and language, this book is not well suited for American audiences. The history of mentoring and its practice in other professions including nursing, business, and higher education is reviewed. The ""Mentoring Scheme"" is described and the bulk of the book deals with the implementation and evaluation of this model. Mentors, who act as facilitators, meet four to five times a year with their mentees. These mentors are trained in the use of the ""Reflective Cycle"" with open-ended queries to initiate discussions. The author contends that this process is therapeutic for both the mentors and the mentees. Testimonials from individualsinvolved are also given. The evaluation of the mentoring program is qualitative, and too few mentors and mentees participate to suggest that the results are generalizable. The information about the ""Reflective Cycle"" and the suggestions for questions to facilitate career guidance and exploration of motivations for practice and for increasing satisfaction are interesting, but do not justify purchase of the book.
Editorials
From The Critics
Reviewer: Kathleen G. Nelson, MD(University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine)Description: This is a descriptive work detailing a project that came into existence in response to a crisis in the National Health Service in Great Britain. The "mentoring scheme" is one approach to deal with a dispirited and stressed profession.
Purpose: This book describes the mentoring program and offers suggestions for others who may wish to implement similar programs in their areas/systems. Reader familiarity with the changes that occurred in Great Britain's healthcare system that created a crisis for those involved is assumed. Prime Minister Thatcher instituted radical reforms in the National Health Service, beginning in 1988. Unfortunately, the "New Contract" created a climate of competition rather than cooperation between professionals, and also affected the content of a General Practitioner's practice and created dissatisfaction with the doctor-patient relationship. The poor physician morale that followed these changes may make this book somewhat relevant to a United States' audience in these times of change in the healthcare system here.
Audience: Because of its British context and language, this book is not well suited for American audiences.
Features: The history of mentoring and its practice in other professions including nursing, business, and higher education is reviewed. The "Mentoring Scheme" is described and the bulk of the book deals with the implementation and evaluation of this model. Mentors, who act as facilitators, meet four to five times a year with their mentees. These mentors are trained in the use of the "Reflective Cycle" with open-ended queries to initiate discussions. The author contends that this process is therapeutic for both the mentors and the mentees. Testimonials from individuals involved are also given.
Assessment: The evaluation of the mentoring program is qualitative, and too few mentors and mentees participate to suggest that the results are generalizable. The information about the "Reflective Cycle" and the suggestions for questions to facilitate career guidance and exploration of motivations for practice and for increasing satisfaction are interesting, but do not justify purchase of the book.
Kathleen G. Nelson
This is a descriptive work detailing a project that came into existence in response to a crisis in the National Health Service in Great Britain. The ""mentoring scheme"" is one approach to deal with a dispirited and stressed profession. This book describes the mentoring program and offers suggestions for others who may wish to implement similar programs in their areas/systems. Reader familiarity with the changes that occurred in Great Britain's healthcare system that created a crisis for those involved is assumed. Prime Minister Thatcher instituted radical reforms in the National Health Service, beginning in 1988. Unfortunately, the ""New Contract"" created a climate of competition rather than cooperation between professionals, and also affected the content of a General Practitioner's practice and created dissatisfaction with the doctor-patient relationship. The poor physician morale that followed these changes may make this book somewhat relevant to a United States' audience in these times of change in the healthcare system here. Because of its British context and language, this book is not well suited for American audiences. The history of mentoring and its practice in other professions including nursing, business, and higher education is reviewed. The ""Mentoring Scheme"" is described and the bulk of the book deals with the implementation and evaluation of this model. Mentors, who act as facilitators, meet four to five times a year with their mentees. These mentors are trained in the use of the ""Reflective Cycle"" with open-ended queries to initiate discussions. The author contends that this process is therapeutic for both the mentors and the mentees. Testimonials from individualsinvolved are also given. The evaluation of the mentoring program is qualitative, and too few mentors and mentees participate to suggest that the results are generalizable. The information about the ""Reflective Cycle"" and the suggestions for questions to facilitate career guidance and exploration of motivations for practice and for increasing satisfaction are interesting, but do not justify purchase of the book.Booknews
Provides general practice physicians with the conceptual and practical tools to engage in what is being increasingly recognized as the most effective method of providing the necessary supportive environment for the professional development of both established doctors and those in training. Freeman (general practice education, London U.) specializes in mentoring both for general practice and hospital medicine. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.2 Stars from Doody