This episode is brought to you in partnership with Practice Index, this week we focus on the topic of annual leave. Ben is joined by Claire Hoston and Robyn Clark to tackle the topic of managing annual leave in general practice. Navigating the peaks of holiday seasons can be a tumultuous affair in any workplace, but it's especially challenging in healthcare settings where patients need surge following breaks like Christmas and school holidays. They share their strategies for equitable leave distribution, such as annual planning meetings for clinical staff and specific rules for management teams. The conversation reveals how crucial a clear leave policy is for maintaining harmony and ensuring everyone gets a chance to recharge. Whether you're a practice manager or a team member trying to navigate your leave schedule, this episode offers insights and solutions for managing this critical aspect of workplace well-being.   Introduction & annual leave (00:08)   Managing annual leave (03:06)   Annual planning meeting.. (04:25)   Proactive approach about staff taking leave (05:41)   Managing leave expectations.. (07:00)   Carrying over leave.. (07:59)   The importance of people taking leave in the year? (08:50)   Practice Managers difficulty taking annual leave (10:28)   Work backlog.. (11:33)   Time off in lieu (12:10)   The development of the HR package (13:43)   Managing cultural balance.. (14:55)   Annual leave allowance.. (16:28)   Best practice when setting annual leave levels? (17:36)   Challenges of recruitment? (19:24)   Annual leave policies or practices recommended to people listening? (20:44)   To visit the Practice Index website, click here or contact James Dillon here. For all enquiries about the Ockham podcast, please contact Ben Gowland here.