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Episode 92: “Who’s Going to Cover That?” Managing Practitioner Availability Changes

What actually happens when a practitioner decides at the last minute they’re not coming in?

It might seem like a simple roster change, but behind the scenes it can mean cancelled patients, staff roster changes, altered opening hours, after-hours messaging, security arrangements and a significant amount of work for the practice manager.

In Episode 92, Ami Assigal and Zac Pandur unpack the operational reality of last-minute practitioner availability changes, and ask a simple question that can completely change the conversation: “Who are you going to ask to cover that?”

They discuss the difference between genuine emergencies and avoidable last-minute changes, why contractor status does not eliminate the importance of continuity of care, and how practices can stop automatically making every coverage problem the practice manager’s responsibility.

Ami and Zac also explore the impact on patients when cancellations become a pattern, the danger of continually relying on the same accommodating team members, and why good coverage ultimately comes down to culture, mutual respect and clear expectations.

Most importantly, they discuss how to have these conversations before there is a problem. Rather than sending another policy or email, bring the team together, agree on reasonable expectations, get genuine buy-in and document what was agreed.

Plus, before getting anywhere near the actual topic, there’s house-moving chaos, school camp logistics and Zac somehow turning a stolen-car dream into a horse chase.

In this episode:

• The operational impact of last-minute GP roster changes
• Emergency leave versus avoidable last-minute changes
• Contractor arrangements and continuity of care
• Asking practitioners to organise cover or patient handover
• Why the same helpful person shouldn’t always carry the load
• The effect frequent cancellations can have on patient relationships
• Partial coverage as an alternative to cancelling an entire session
• Setting expectations around sick leave and early notice
• Using clinical meetings to establish coverage expectations
• Getting practitioner buy-in instead of imposing another policy
• Documenting agreed expectations and creating accountability
• Building a culture where the team genuinely supports each other

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