Faithful or traitor? Katrina James examines the dilemma of NHS dental contract holders through the lens of The Traitors TV game show.
The Traitors has been one of the biggest TV hits of the past few months, especially the celebrity version, and the latest ‘civilian’ series is likely to be just as popular. The toll of being asked to deceive and dissemble taken on those chosen to be traitors was exposed when Alan Carr broke down in the final. The needs of the game had forced him to act in a way contrary to his usual patterns and tested him severely.
Sound familiar? As an NHS dentist, are you able to give your patients all the time you want to? Or do the rules of the NHS contract game force you to usher them out the door as quickly as possible so you can see the next one? Have you asked yourself: ‘Am I being faithful to what I truly want for my patients (and myself) or am I betraying myself out of fear?’
Fear and loyalty
Nowadays, the fear of clawback is a strong motivator for many clinicians working in the NHS. Things have changed. In years gone by it was feasible for an NHS contract holder to make a decent living as an NHS contract holder. Now, the prospect of not delivering the contract can fill people with dread that inhabits their sleepless nights. As more associates choose to work in private practice, for many owners, not having the staff to help fulfil the contract presents them with a huge headache. And yet, many still remain faithful to the NHS.
We remember how things used to be so we stay loyal to the system, the tradition, the team, the identity we’ve built even when our happiness and wellbeing are slipping away. Long hours, increasing demand, less autonomy, and the constant feeling that you’re now giving more than you’re getting back can create an internal conflict: is your loyalty to your role coming at the cost of your wellbeing? That’s why the ‘faithful versus traitor’ metaphor is so powerful.
Are you being a faithful to everyone except yourself?
You care deeply about your patients and your colleagues despite a system that has not moved with the times and makes it nearly impossible to thrive. You stay because it feels noble, familiar, the right thing to do. But is it?
Being faithful to a system that isn’t faithful to you can lead to burnout, frustration, and the sense that your career is happening to you, not for you. Could it be that you are becoming a traitor to your own happiness? Have you ignored your own needs for too long?
Betraying your own happiness often manifests itself as pushing on even though you know you’re exhausted, telling yourself ‘things will get better one day’ when they never do. You may also find yourself feeling guilty for wanting more freedom, time, and control or even believing you’re being selfish for considering private practice.
However, choosing a path that supports your happiness isn’t betrayal; it’s liberation and it’s deserved. In The Traitors, the players who survive are the ones who learn to trust their instincts and keep themselves safe. That’s also true for your career. Perhaps it’s time to consider that being ‘faithful’ means finally being faithful to yourself and not to a system that used to work but is now creaking and relying on the goodwill of its loyal participants to prop it up.
What does it mean to be faithful?
Maybe being ‘faithful’ is about recognising when the cost of staying outweighs the comfort of familiarity and the fear of the unknown. It means allowing yourself to explore a path, such as private practice, that offers autonomy, balance, flexibility and renewed purpose, and not simply sticking with the status quo. It means trusting that you deserve a career that works for you and offers you fulfilment, not one that drains you and leaves you dissatisfied.
As we start a new year it’s a good time to ask yourself: are you a faithful to your own happiness, or have you been unintentionally betraying it? Despite what you may think, choosing change doesn’t make you the villain in your story. It might just make you the hero.
If you’re considering your options away from the NHS and are looking for a plan provider who will hold your hand through the process at a pace that’s right for you, you can start the conversation with Practice Plan today by calling 01691 684165 or to book your one-to-one NHS to private conversation at a date and time that suits you, just visit practiceplan.co.uk/nhsvirtual.
To find out more about introducing a plan, and how Practice Plan can help you, visit practiceplan.co.uk/nhs.
This article is sponsored by Practice Plan.
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