This is a recruitment good practice guide - a collection of good practice to help when you're recruiting for your Practice.

You know from your own experience that people willing and able to work in rural parts of Scotland are a scarce resource. You also know the reality of living and working in Scotland - the fantastic and not so fantastic aspects. For example, amazing scenery but only when the weather allows you to see it and only when you can find the time.

Getting the right people for your Practice is not easy, especially if you don't do it often, so it's crucial that recruitment at Board and GP Practice level is as good as it possibly can be. Some Practices - and individuals - are better at it than others so the hope for these guidelines is that they will help us all to become better at recruitment.

By applying the guidelines throughout Scotland and learning from other people's experience, we hope that more GPs will be recruited and that they will be recruited in ways that are more effective for you and for potential applicants.

The guidelines have been structured to help you at each of the various stages of recruitment - from planning for recruitment, through advertising, looking after applicants, selection, appointment and right to on-going support for a new recruit.

The guidelines are just that - guidelines that illustrate fundamental recruitment principles. They are not intended to be a comprehensive, step-by-step manual.