Balancing NHS and Bupa
Laura's Story

 

Think working for Bupa means you have to give up your NHS work? Not the case. Laura Pollock recently joined Bupa to supplement her role in the NHS and help her grow as a Doctor. We caught up with her to find out how she’s getting on.   

Tell us about yourself?

I’ve been working as a GP for the NHS for around 5 years or so now and I came on board with Bupa earlier this year to help diversify my career. In the NHS, you’re often dealing with the here and now, looking after the patient in front of you before moving onto the next, and I wanted to try something different. My friend recommended Bupa to me,  as the focus here is much more on preventative medicine and helping people be as healthy as they can be. I’m really enjoying the contrast between my two roles so far.

How is it balancing both Bupa & NHS work?

Really good! The two roles are so different but they both allow me to continue to help others with their wellbeing and, even though it’s in different ways, both are still incredibly rewarding. Working for Bupa the days are generally more predictable and that balances out the busy nature of the other days I do in the NHS. It’s also allowed me to grow as a Doctor and I find myself thinking more about preventative medicine when I’m seeing patients in my NHS role.

Did anything take you by surprise when you came on board?

A few things really. The people first of all and just how friendly everyone is! Not that I wasn’t expecting people to be nice, but it’s a real team environment and there’s a lot of comradery.  Here everyone works together and encourages you to be the best you can be.  You also get the time to do additional learning, for example I’ve recently done the Menopause module as part of our new service line and I was given the time to do that.

Where do you see yourself going in the future?

At the moment I’m quite happy where I am! I’d always want to maintain the NHS work as it’s something I’m incredibly passionate about, but the balance of that and Bupa works really well for me. Being a GP is a very varied job but developing a special interest would be something I’d be keen to do in the future. I know if I ever did want to progress within Bupa I’d be supported to do so.

 

Looking to take that next step and develop your career as a GP with Bupa? Click the link below to register and one of our recruiters will be in touch to tell you more. 

 

Register