Laurence Dorman
GP Partner; Medical Leadership; GP Appraiser; Undergrad medical education
I qualified from QUB in 1998 and found our Undergraduate curriculum not enticing at all for general practice. In fact, I encountered many hospital consultants who had distain for General Practice, but I enjoyed my training programme and became a GP registrar in 2001 in Hillsborough Medical Practice. I loved my registrar year and lived in the village. After graduating I became a locum for 5 years which was excellent experience in that I worked in lots of different practices, and it helped me see which teams I would like to work in.
I also diversified my clinical skills and experiences. I became a medical officer for the Family Planning Service in Belfast and through this learned to insert coils and contraceptive implants. This was helpful in getting me some maternity posts which were hard to get at that time. Even though I was at the start of my career I trained to become a GP appraiser and enjoyed the interactions with my colleagues that offered. I also became involved with RCPGNI as I felt passionate that general practice deserved to be considered a speciality and that I was prepared to fight for it. I eventually fell for my vocational home in Mourne Family Surgery and in 2007 I became a partner there. I have never looked back and get to work with the most exceptional team. In 2016 I became Deputy Chair of RCGPNI and then Chair in 2019 until November 2022. It was the most exceptional role with opportunity to influence politicians and stakeholders on why general practice in NI needs support and deserve investment. All Chairs get to choose their “Chair’s Priority” and mine was “Early Cancer Diagnosis and improved Palliative and End of Life Care”. It was great to use the role to help promote these issues by involvement with the 10 Year Cancer Strategy and the DoH Advance Care Palling for Adults in NI. This made me feel I was making a real difference in an important clinical area.
As RCGPNI Chair I have had the opportunity to meet senior stakeholders and influence them on the importance of GP for our entire health service. I also love connecting with GP colleagues on the ground, meeting them in surgery and sharing stories about my working days through my weekly blogs.
After handing over the RCGPNI Chair to Dr Ursula Mason in November 2022, I’m looking forwards to getting back to more work in my practice as I have a lot of work outstanding in our Care Home and Learning Disability Enhanced Services. I am also considering work for Rapid Diagnostic Centres – these centres will enable GPs to refer patients who have unexplained symptoms but may represent cancer. It is part of the 10-year cancer strategy and I feel quite important.
I would encourage all GPs to “be inquisitive!” As a locum I kept a book of “interesting patients” with their details (best done anonymously now) but it enabled me to look them up to see how their care developed and if some of my earlier decisions were accurate. Always look to improve on your networking! Previously, “networking” had a bad reputation but it is very important if you have particular interests you wish to pursue and want advice from other colleagues to help you with them.
I am the 4th generation of GPs in my family and growing up my Father’s practice joined onto his surgery. Watching him and witnessing his kindness made me want to become a GP.
Laurence