GP Endoscopists E-mail Survey

2004

The Primary Care Society of Gastroenterology is committed to raising the profile and value of General Practitioners with special interest in Gastroenterology.The majority of such GPs are endoscopists. There have been Department of Health initiated changes within the last two years or so leading in some areas of the country to the appointment of GPwSIs (General Practitioners with a Special Interest).

We need to update the database both to ascertain your present role and more importantly to obtain your valuable opinion on the following matters. Your reply along with others is crucial to the influence that the PCSG can have in negotiating with the relevant bodies at the national level. As last year, this is an easy-to-complete electronic survey. Regrettably we STILL lack over 100 email addresses for GP endoscopists. Please let us have yours if this survey comes to you by post.

Tick more than one box if appropriate. Please add any comments or explanations in the free text box at the end of the questionnaire.

Section 1

Please provide us with your name and email address

Name
Email

Are you an endoscopist?

Yes
No

If no, please explain in the space below your GI role

Are you a member of PCSG?

Yes
No

If not a member, would you be interested in becoming a PCSG member?

Yes
No

Section 2

Your present title/s

	Clinical Assistant
	GP Specialist
	Hospital Practitioner
	Associate Specialist
	Other

Your employing organisation/s

	Hospital Trust/s
	PCT/PMS
	Private Sector
	Other

Your place of work as an endoscopist

	Hospital
	General Practice
	Primary Care Centre/Cottage Hospital
	Other

Your nature of work

	Upper GI
	Flexible sigmoid
	Colonoscopy

Your experience in gastroscopy

	Less than two years
	2-5 years
	6-10 years
	11-20 years
	More than 20 years

Your experience in flexible sigmoidoscopy

	Less than two years
	2-5 years
	6-10 years
	11-20 years
	More than 20 years

Your experience in colonoscopy

	Less than two years
	2-5 years
	6-10 years
	11-20 years
	More than 20 years

Type of endoscopy you undertake

	Diagnostic
	Therapeutic
	Both

If you are a "recent endoscopist" (<5yrs). did your training follow the Joint Advisory Group (JAG) recommendations?

	Yes
	No

If you are employed as a GPwSI, do your terms of contract include:

Please add any further information in the free text box at the end of the survey.

	endoscopy sessions only
	personal study leave
	further training
	teaching colleagues
	clinical governance (local endoscopy/GI service)
	advice to colleagues on managing patients
	advisory role to PCT/Hospital Trust
	in-post appraisal

Section 3

Have you attempted to negotiate/re-negotiate your terms and conditions with your local Hospital trust and or PCT?

	Yes
	No

If yes, have you been successful in arguing your case?

	Yes
	No

If yes, please explain how and also reasons if not successful in the free text box:

On a scale of 1 to 5 (1=may consider resigning, 5=very satisfied), how will you rate your present terms and conditions?

	1	2	3	4	5
Clinical Assistant
GP Specialist
Hospital Practitioner
Associate Specialist
Any other (explain in free text at end of survey)

In your opinion, should GP endoscopists with at least 2 years of successful supervised training be accredited at the national level as GP specialists (GPSI)?

	Yes
	No

Section 4

A model job description for GPSI in Endoscopy has been prepared by the Endoscopy Subcommittee of the PCSG and submitted to the negotiating team at the RCGP.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CO-OPERATION

Raghu Raghunath (PCSG Steering sub-committee member)
Richard Spence (PCSG Steering committee member)
Jeremy Gibson (PCSG Steering committee member)

IF ANY GP HAS RECENTLY STARTED ENDOSCOPY SESSIONS IN YOUR AREA, WE WOULD BE GRATEFUL IF YOU COULD PROVIDE DETAILS OF THIS DOCTOR