Would you like to have a mentor?
You may have already heard of the mentoring scheme for GP registrars and this letter is to tell you a bit more about it. Mentoring and other forms of support are becoming more widely available to all doctors, and the scheme would like to be able to offer mentoring to any registrar who feels it could be helpful.
What sorts of things might I use mentoring for?
Mentoring aims to tailor support to the needs of the individual and to promote personal and professional development. It can be useful when there are particular problems or issues – having someone to talk to who is outside your immediate work situation may help. Or mentoring can be used in a generally supportive way over a period of time.
Is it confidential?
Yes, mentoring is completely confidential. You will make your own arrangements with your mentor as to when and where to meet and the content will be entirely confidential between you. The mentor will only pass information on dates of meetings so they can be paid for each session – which is free to you.
How often would I see a mentor?
The scheme offers a maximum of six sessions of mentoring which can be spread over a period of time depending on what is appropriate for you. A couple of sessions may be all you need in order to sort out a problem. You will be asked to fill in an evaluation form at the end. If further help, or perhaps a different sort of help, is needed the mentor will help you to access the appropriate agencies.