An article in Health Management earlier this year assessed some of the implications of becoming an independent consultant. But what does it mean in practice? What are some of the pitfalls you should be aware of? Here we outline some tips for those contemplating the move based on our own experiences.

No more the financial security of a regular monthly pay cheque. Overnight, income becomes contract-based and variable. Before starting out, review your personal lifestyle and budget. Focus on essentials, reduce personal overheads, pay off loans and decrease the mortgage. Any NHS ‘package’ should be put to good use. Consider part-time employment (without compromising your availability for contracts) while business builds. Keep six months’ living costs reserve as a buffer.

How easy it was to taker infrastructure for granted. Now you must develop and maintain your own business and office base. Organise travel routes to incorporate banking, buying stationery and equipment (resisting the seductive, glossy brochures) and visits to your accountant. Build in time for book-keeping, getting quotes for professional indemnity and office insurance and seeking out and writing proposals for new work. Techno-nightmares (your system corrupts tomorrow’s Powerpoint presentation, a fault cuts off the phone, email and fax) will cause you to revoke your criticism of the IM&T Help Desk.

Once an organisation animal, now you must tackle the isolation of independence and the challenge of being ‘home alone’, perhaps for several days. With whom do you bandy ideas, obtain sanity checks or find creativity for your proposals and projects? Where is the social chat that lifts your mood, provides interest or brings fresh perspective? Office interruptions give way to domestic distractions if based at home. A good network of business and NHS colleagues, a supportive partner and family, a well-planned and varied diary will help, but strong self-discipline and determination must underpin all.

No longer part of the NHS, your former colleagues’ perceptions of you will shift. Some will use the resource you offer, a few may be envious or suspicious – inevitably, all will become more distant. You find yourself on the outside, looking in. While disturbing at first, the time and self-assurance, you will adapt. Use your new objectivity and maintain your networks by doing most of the running. Exchange your external view-point learning and experience for new information and knowledge of the Service.

Your move to independence may reflect a wish for more control of work and increased quality of life. Yet, just as work never arrives in a steady stream, so customers and contracts ‘ebb and flow’. A single, large project offers security but limits flexibility in attracting new work. Smaller contracts provide less security, but a great deal of variety. Achieving a ‘mixed portfolio’ of work is ideal – but requires you to balance the demands of various clients’ deadlines. Planning for and allowing time to acquire new business is essential. Building in vacation and training time is a risk. Turn down a contract in haste – repent at leisure.

Going solo, how will you obtain sufficient work on a regular basis? The NHS changes. Former colleagues move on. Contracts become hard to maintain. Over time, you will not be able to trade on your original reputation. Larger projects must be tendered for. Tendering, a skill in its own right, is time consuming and de-motivating if unsuccessful. Continually build your reputation through assignments and proactive networking. Explore options to become an associate with an established consultancy, they are experienced in tendering and more resilient. Create a network with other independent consultants with complimentary skills, in complementary sectors – or those in similar fields. Bouncing ideas off one another can lead to sub-contracting or joint-tendering. While the network can be as formal as you like, trust and some ground-rules will be needed. However, the reputation of established consultancies may still prove overwhelming.

Plan ahead. Allow extra time and resources for each job. Network to supplement your resources. Cope with the challenges and generate the work. As an independent, nothing is quite as high as the highs you will experience. Good luck!

Originally published in Health Management Journal Nov 2001