Why do work patterns differ between men and women GPs?

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to explore gender differences in contractual commitments, job satisfaction and spouses' occupation among GP principals in NHS Scotland. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: This paper is based on data provided by a self-completion, postal questionnaire survey. The response rate was 50 per cent. FINDINGS: Males worked more hours than females and were more likely to work out-of-hours. Females reported greater job satisfaction but only when they worked fewer hours. Females earned less than males but there were no gender differences in total household income. Both genders planned to retire at 59 years. More males would delay retirement if they could work part-time. More females than males were in dual-doctor households. Male respondents in dual-doctor households were more likely to have modified their working hours or career aspirations than males in other households. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: The number of hours worked by GPs is in part determined by the occupation/earning power of their spouse. The number of women GPs is increasing and they are likely to continue to choose to work fewer hours than their male counterparts have done in the past. ORIGINALITY/VALUE: This study has attempted to incorporate spouse's occupation/income as a factor in the career choices of GPs in Scotland.

General practitioner non-principals benefit from flexible working.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to explore non-principals' working patterns and attitudes to work. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: The article is based on data provided by a questionnaire survey. Findings - Gender division was apparent among the non-principals. Males were more likely to work full-time, because their spouses modified their working hours. RESEARCH LIMITATIONS/IMPLICATIONS: It was impossible to identify all non-principals in Scotland or to compare responders and non-responders, due to the lack of official data. Hence, the results might not be representative. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: More flexible posts would enable GPs to more easily combine paid work with family commitments. It is anticipated that the new GP contract should deliver this. ORIGINALITY/VALUE: This was the first time a study of all non-principals in Scotland had been attempted. The findings provide a more comprehensive picture of GPs in Scotland and provide valuable information for policymakers.

What do hospital consultants value about their jobs? A discrete choice experiment.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the strength of hospital consultants' preferences for various aspects of their work. DESIGN: Questionnaire survey including a discrete choice experiment. SETTING: NHS Scotland. PARTICIPANTS: 2923 hospital consultants in Scotland. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Monetary valuations or prices for each job characteristic, based on consultants' willingness to pay and willingness to accept extra income for a change in each job characteristic, calculated from regression coefficients. RESULTS: The response rate was 61% (1793 respondents). Being on call was the most important attribute, as consultants would need to be compensated up to pound 18,000 (30% of their average net income) (P < 0.001) for a high on-call workload. Compensation of up to pound 9700 (16% of their net income) (P < 0.001) would be required for consultants to forgo opportunities to undertake non-NHS work. Consultants would be willing to accept pound 7000 (12% of net income) (P < 0.001) in compensation for fair rather than good working relationships with staff, and pound 6500 (11% of net income) (P < 0.001) to compensate them for a shortage of staff. The least important characteristic was hours of work, with pound 562 per year (0.9% of their net income) (P < 0.001) required to induce consultants to work one extra hour per week. These preferences also varied among specific subgroups of consultants. CONCLUSIONS: Important information on consultants' strength of preferences for characteristics of their job should be used to help to address recruitment and retention problems. Consultants would require increased payment to cover more intensive on-call commitments. Other aspects of working conditions would require smaller increases.