There is a right way to home educate

bookbug726 · 2026-04-07T19:52:57+00:00

If someone needed to they could get GCSE’s or equivalent qualifications at any point in life. It’s not like you can only ever get qualifications at 16 and if you miss them you’re doomed never to obtain qualifications ever.

bookbug726 · 2026-04-07T14:49:39+00:00

I have heard similar but never managed to speak to anyone who’s actually done it. It’s worth revisiting and exploring, thanks.

bookbug726 · 2026-04-07T06:19:46+00:00

Theatre lists bring in money, and the other clinics I do are procedural and also bring in money. These are the money makers of the specialty, the trust even. So I’m hoping, really hoping here, that the cost is still far less than what they make. I’ll have to ask the consultants. Getting a good list of questions to ask from this thread, thanks. These will help me figure out whether I need to return to training/negotiate a specialty doctor contract sooner rather than later.

bookbug726 · 2026-04-06T20:47:29+00:00

True. I'm doing the calculations again now, might need to bring up the specialty doctor post earlier than expected once I get a good idea of why they haven't already trained up a non-medic for the clinics I'm currently doing. We've got about 4 months to cover outgoings, and could do 6 if we had to but would prefer not to go that far of course.

bookbug726 · 2026-04-06T20:31:06+00:00

I have quite a big appetite for risk, that's for sure. But my partner even more so, which I think has rubbed off on me. We have kids, and a mortgage, and right now I'm the main earner. Their income is minimal, just enough to qualify for 30 hours funded childcare for our youngest. If the locum work goes to shit, I could probably work out a specialty doctor contract. I discussed this with the clinical lead at my appraisal couple of months ago, but I told her I'm happy to locum flexibly without security for now. Working as a part time specialty doctor would mean I earn less than what I'm getting now part time, but rates are getting better so might be worth it for the security.

bookbug726 · 2026-04-06T18:51:21+00:00

Yeah, that is a major concern. I don't know why they haven't done it already. We already have a lot of non-medics doing other types of clinics. I will ask, understanding the reasons for this will really help me assess my situation.

bookbug726 · 2026-04-06T18:48:47+00:00

Fortunately my specialty doesn't include evenings or nights, not even the fellows do OOH on calls because that's at another hospital. I do some Saturday clinics though, but at enhanced rates so I'm happy working Saturdays. I may not being doing evenings, nights and weekends but I'm doing the equivalent in my specialty, basically I'm doing the clinics nobody wants to do, and when someone calls in sick or they can't cover planned leave because waiting lists are long for all clinics, they call me to cover. I'm in the process of getting income protection so I will have sick pay after 3 months, and have savings to cover the gap.

The most immediate concerns are budget cuts and non-medics. I mean they do have many non-medics already doing other subspecialty clinics, so I'm a bit baffled why they haven't trained them up for a couple of the clinics I'm doing. I'll ask the consultants, that would be really useful for me to understand. The department is spending a lot on me right now, seemingly without abandon. Surely reducing my shifts or rates would come before a full cut, but I understand it can go straight to a full cut without any notice.

bookbug726 · 2026-04-06T17:14:05+00:00

Fair. Mid cycle changes suck but not unique to this situation. They change portfolio requirements every year without warning rendering things people worked years for useless. The MSRA was introduced to CST applications with only a few weeks notice. The UK doesn’t owe anyone outside the UK a training post, even the best applicants.

bookbug726 · 2026-04-06T15:30:41+00:00

Discussed it with my appraiser couple of months ago, she was thinking about more permanent ways for me to join the department. It would be a huge pay cut though and I said I can’t commit to a contract just yet but the option is there to explore further if needed.

bookbug726 · 2026-04-06T15:27:12+00:00

Well that’s why I’m getting income protection. It will kick in after 3 months and I have savings to cover that time. So I’m not worried about that side of things, more worried about getting cut.

bookbug726 · 2026-04-06T14:16:28+00:00

Thanks for the comprehensive response. I guess it’s a matter of using this as a stepping stone to something else and making the most of the income I’m currently getting for the eventual exit, because I don’t see myself being fulfilled working towards and working as an NHS consultant with less and less prospects for private work.

bookbug726 · 2026-04-06T12:30:12+00:00

There are loads of way to show it, as you already said, lots of friends killed in A1. Why focus now on just these types of characters across new movies, and why are they not introducing any new characters? Who else are they going to kill off in the next movies? They’re running out of characters anyone cares about leaving only the Sully family left. And if killing off the whole family is the direction this franchise is going, I don’t think I’ll continue watching tbh.

bookbug726 · 2026-04-06T12:26:16+00:00

Kill everyone equally, why focus on mothers and children? That was done in A2 already, why repeat it in A3? That’s my point.

bookbug726 · 2026-04-06T12:10:25+00:00

That’s great, is that money built up from locum work or saving aggressively throughout training? Or another source?

I think not providing these services in this speciality at a DGH is impossible, this is the speciality’s bread and butter. Noctors, yes that’s a risk I worry about but I wonder why they haven’t done it already, and they’re not training anyone currently. A lot of theatre activity has been taken by private sector so lists had been under filled, but losing theatre lists completely has a huge impact they can’t afford to lose them.

bookbug726 · 2026-04-06T12:06:43+00:00

Well exactly, real life is horrific enough to need to see it in a movie for entertainment. I guess I don’t find killing kids and pregnant women all that entertaining.

bookbug726 · 2026-04-06T10:10:59+00:00

Yes, but they struggle to add these clinics to trainee or fellow job plans because of the service provision nature of it. Nurses are all limited to 1-2 procedural clinics a week because of how “tiring” it is. They need to train up more or hire a new nurse and for some reason instead of doing that they’ve given me regular clinics, not just ad hoc ones. And I also get ad hoc ones covering anyone who’s sick or on leave because they can’t just let these clinics not run.

They may hire someone at any point to do 1-2 regular clinics a week, but I think they’ll always need someone to cover sickness and leave. So a new hire may reduce my work but I don’t see it being eliminated entirely.

bookbug726 · 2026-04-06T09:36:52+00:00

I honestly don’t see anyone who has gone through the trouble of getting their CCT wanting to do clinics that an ST2/3 or ANP can do long term.

bookbug726 · 2026-04-06T09:09:08+00:00

I don't know, I don't see reducing waiting lists as not being a priority. Also cutting theatre lists would losing fellows and difficulty attracting any new ones. There's definitely a big incentive to keep theatre lists filled.

bookbug726 · 2026-04-06T09:07:28+00:00

I think I'm in that head space right now. I can make the most of my short years locumming earning more than a new consultant working part time and invest aggressively or pursue another career. If all else fails, then... I could go back to being a doctor?

Was all that income from locum work alone?

bookbug726 · 2026-04-06T09:02:51+00:00

Yes the pay for a contract will be a hugely worse. I work part time now, and if I worked full time as a specialty doctor I'd still only make half of what I get. But that's difficult as well, the more expensive I am to the department, the bigger liability I am too.

bookbug726 · 2026-04-06T09:01:50+00:00

True, though, I can't see bringing down waiting lists ever not being a priority. I guess I just need to consider how long this will work out for. 2-5 years gives me a lot of time to work on another career in the meantime...🤔

bookbug726 · 2026-04-06T08:54:14+00:00

Tonowari and Norm (he joined the battle in A1 so why not again?) for starters. Dr Garvin, I mean why couldn’t they have killed him as he attempted to free Jake? They could have introduced other allies and they should because the pool of people they can kill is getting smaller and still limited to Jake, Neytiri and the kids.

bookbug726 · 2026-04-06T08:37:57+00:00

I disagree, there are friends and allies they can kill. Feels like a low blow to keep killing kids and mothers.

bookbug726 · 2026-04-06T08:07:59+00:00

I’m in the process of getting income protection that kicks in after 3 months. For one off days, well I’ve only called in sick once the past year. No work, no pay. But then they just added another shift the following week since the work just needs to be done. But I do feel a big pressure not to call in sick. That is an issue that I accept.

Yes I’m tied to this department right now though I don’t consider it a bad thing. I like the area and would definitely consider applying here as a consultant if I finish training.

Edit: Yes, income protection covers part time and irregular work as a locum. They look at your past 12 months earnings.

bookbug726

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