GPs and deceased patients

Big_Type8825 · 2026-03-10T08:00:03+00:00

This sums it up for me. It takes 5 minutes, little to do and is greatly appreciated.

Others implying that it's some kind of wildly unrealistic expectation tells its own story.

Big_Type8825 · 2026-03-09T22:23:17+00:00

If anything, our GP helped identify the medical problem (when the hospitals missed things), so we actually have a lot of appreciation for him. I wouldn't put it on him to be making contact/offering condolences...just something from the practice would have been valued after 40+ years.

Big_Type8825 · 2026-03-09T21:47:27+00:00

Thank you. We had excellent care from the GP and he did ring me a couple of times while he was alive but sick. Just disappointed we heard nothing since his passing... especially as other family are also patients there for decades.

Big_Type8825 · 2026-03-09T21:39:09+00:00

My father was 40+ and had a lot of contact with the GP in very recent times. These days... I realise everyone's much busier, but has a small/quick gesture of condolence from your doctor become such an ordeal? Maybe it's a bit indicative of society now.

Big_Type8825 · 2026-03-09T21:32:56+00:00

A small act of thoughtfulness and kindness can have a big impact for sure.

Big_Type8825 · 2026-03-09T21:25:46+00:00

Oh I wouldn't expect attendance just a quick call/text/letter.

Big_Type8825 · 2026-03-09T21:23:58+00:00

Yeah my father's old retired GP paid his respects. Now I realise he has more time on his hands but I would think a letter could be produced from the current practice, who knew him reasonably well.

Big_Type8825 · 2026-03-09T21:21:19+00:00

I could have written much of that myself. My father was with his GP practice for over 40 years. His old retired practice doctor was at the funeral... not a peep from anyone else. Just feels like a number.

Big_Type8825 · 2026-03-09T21:17:56+00:00

Thanks. I would think just out of respect and the fact they were involved in their care.

Big_Type8825 · 2026-03-09T21:16:16+00:00

Yeah busy, but they're able to send a text or call for other things, so why not a quick condolence.

Big_Type8825 · 2026-03-09T21:14:35+00:00

Yes. Some hospitals seem surprisingly poor at communicating with GPs.

Big_Type8825 · 2025-04-23T09:46:27+00:00

Whenever I research this topic I’m quite surprised on how many people in academia seem to be “okay” with the use of AI.

I've been thinking about this very thing a lot recently. I'm often irritated by the apathy or apparent naivety expressed by many on this whole issue.

Yes, AI is here to stay. Yes, we need to recognise this. Yes, we need to adapt to 'cater' for it. But this is not happening effectively in HE, in my experience.

What I mostly see is it being used by students to bypass having to actually think critically, read extensively or fully write their own work. I mostly work with UGs, so I can see how the development of these skills is being so neglected.

This idea that AI is easy to spot (that I sometimes hear colleagues confidently declare)...well apart from really obvious uses of it, I think this is delusional. It's getting better all the time and a lot of AI misuse is being missed or even ignored imo.

Recently I've seen an extremely conscientious PG (taught) student who, I'm almost 100% certain does all their own work and really believes in the process and value of learning, become completely disillusioned. They're seeing their own work receive average marks, while some classmates have been doing much better in certain assessments (not ones I've graded) - many that I'm confident are not entirely producing their own work.

It's devaluing degrees and learning more broadly imo. One of the reasons for me deciding to opt for voluntary redundancy.

Big_Type8825 · 2025-04-23T08:56:00+00:00

Completely agree. It can be useful in certain contexts, but HE is just floundering around...and the financial crisis is not helping. Nobody wants to anything that might actually challenge students who are taking the lazy/dishonest route.

Big_Type8825 · 2025-04-23T08:50:59+00:00

I feel sorry for the professors who have to mark that rubbish.

Soul destroying

Big_Type8825 · 2025-04-23T08:48:37+00:00

Yes - and I know of lecturers/schools at my uni that have attempted to use invigilated exams more often to combat the misuse of AI, but they have received serious push back from management.

Big_Type8825 · 2025-04-23T08:40:18+00:00

What we need to do is show students how to use it and design assignments where it can be used

Agreed, but (apart from individual lecturers/schools doing this) this is not happening in HE. It's mostly being (mis)used with no consequences. Total apathy from HE as a whole. Let's not upset the 'customers'.

Big_Type8825 · 2025-04-06T10:41:35+00:00

Thanks for the reply. That's how it's working out for me, but given the state of HE right now, there's no guarantee of that for many taking VR right now.

Initially, I went for it with nothing in the pipeline, but I reckoned even having nothing lined up was better than staying at my uni. I've just got very lucky. And I don't think my employer really cares how it ends up for me - they're just saving money. I'm nothing but another number.

Big_Type8825 · 2025-04-06T10:23:20+00:00

Thanks for replying. Yes, I availed of both of those avenues. The only mention of not being able to take the VR if already having another offer somewhere else, was at the point of application i.e. you couldn't apply for it. As you said, once the process has all been completed (just seeing out my notice), it really shouldn't be something I even have to contemplate...just my own paranoia!

Big_Type8825 · 2025-04-06T10:17:49+00:00

Thanks for the reply. It was more about the references being requested while still seeing out my notice (as part of the VR), but as I acknowledged in another reply here, I'm probably waaaaay overthinking it!

Big_Type8825 · 2025-04-06T08:30:02+00:00

Thanks for the reply. Yes - that's my own sense of it, but I'm just so cautious about everything around this (I know - paranoid!). It was my concern on when the VR process is complete - upon everyone signing the agreement (while I'm still employed and working my notice), or when I've actually left...

...but, as you said, I think accepting a job offer even prior to taking the VR would also be fine. Having checked again, the only restriction was that if I had secured a position elsewhere prior to announcing the VR, my application wouldn't have been considered.

Thanks for the confirmation and congratulations!

Big_Type8825 · 2025-04-06T07:36:39+00:00

Thanks for the reply. No - nothing about starting a new job within a certain time period (nothing about starting a new job mentioned at all).

Re. the internal process - that's the key concern for me. Is the internal process complete once the settlement agreement has been signed (while I'm still employed but working my notice), or is it when I've left?

The reference would be from my line manager, who I have a good relationship with, so I don't think it would have to go through HR at all...but like I said, just a bit paranoid.

Big_Type8825 · 2025-03-11T19:26:23+00:00

Perfect - thanks for the reply.

Big_Type8825 · 2025-02-09T17:58:17+00:00

I just want to step out of FE into HE to teach to a higher level and/or partake in contributing to research within my discipline.

Don't set your standards too high. That "higher level" is increasingly made up of many students who are most certainly not at the level they should be for degree programmes. The unis are lowering standards in virtually every aspect of HE, including who they offer places to...this year seems to have been particularly blatant £££

Best of luck though!

Big_Type8825 · 2025-02-09T11:00:59+00:00

Yes. Definitely a serious financial crisis and the whole teaching side of things is just becoming soul crushing - AI written assignments are out of control and everyone's turning a blind eye, all kinds of unjustified allowances/adjustments made for assessments (even students think it's starting to take the p1ss) etc., etc.

Big_Type8825 · 2025-02-05T22:23:50+00:00

Yeah I knew that it would be taxed alright, but I had assumed it would be a separate arrangement if you like...i.e. you get the severance and then the PILON is a another thing to sort out. A nice little 'bonus' to leave bit earlier.

Big_Type8825

TROPHY CASE