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Addressing the root cause of PM burnout

Addressing the root cause of PM burnoutThe very real and problematic topic of burnout was brought into sharp focus again recently by the BMA. Firstly, the organisation launched a survey into doctors’ and medical students’ mental health in an effort to improve the support available to NHS staff. Then, just a few days later, practice managers received some very welcome attention when BMA GP committee chair Dr Richard Vautrey took to the stage at the Best Practice show in Birmingham to point out practice managers are working under ‘huge pressure’ that we should not underestimate, has said.

While that’s clearly something every PM already knew, it’s pleasing to see this very real problem brought to light.

“We shouldn’t underestimate the pressures on our practice manager colleagues and others as well,” Dr Vautrey said, before going on to explain why investment in practice management can alleviate some of the pressures clinical staff currently face. “GPs should really be about managing the clinical issues but then having strategic oversight of what happens in their practice, not getting involved in the day to day tasks that someone with the necessary skills can do much better than GPs,” he said.

Getting the support that’s needed

The comments were made by Dr Vautrey during a Q&A session with Sheinaz Stansfield, a practice manager, who asked how practice managers can get the support they need to manage their growing workload, including a rising level of bureaucracy, while also coping with an increasing number of patient complaints.

Dr Vautrey answered: “There is huge pressure on practice staff and practice managers and we do need to invest in that.

“One potential opportunity I see is for practice managers to get some shared support and training through practice managers groups, without having to reinvent the wheel every time in each practice. We can do it across a group and share the pressures.”

It needs more than a sticking plaster

Dr Vautrey’s response (and perhaps lack of clarity or detail when it comes to dealing with the problem) clearly highlights the stark reality of the problem facing PMs. There is clearly a need to relieve the pressure and to avoid burnout. There are enough threads on the Practice Index Forum to prove how big the issue really is. And yes, common responses such as make sure you take holidays, are good – and should be done – it really doesn’t do anything to address the root causes of work overload or the underlying pressures that exist.

One PM told us that it’s like a GP prescribing a sticking plaster when a visit to A&E is actually needed. “We need the situation to be taken seriously and real action to be taken. Yes, we can learn from each other via group meetings and sites like Practice Index, but we need to look at why we’re working 60 hour weeks and putting in so much unpaid overtime. We have to treat the root cause.”

The prescription

Given little additional resource is going to be made available by the NHS for the practice management and admin funding, what can practices do to get to the nitty gritty of the problem?

“For me, we need to start behaving like leaders – and believing that we are,” an experienced PM with over 20 years’ experience told us. “Our mindset needs to change before we can see major changes. Firstly, we need to start saying no to GP partners, rather than just soaking up everything that’s thrown at us. Secondly, we need to start treating practices like businesses so that we can operate like managers.

“Practice managers shouldn’t be overwhelmed by admin. Our value is greater than that. We should be taking a more strategic position, rather than just being an extension of the admin function. Being able to do this requires us to be prepared to take a step back and relinquish some control and the ability to sell our value to partners better. Thinking strategically and focusing on business plans, strategic plans and other management reports on a regular basis for the partners brings value to the practice.

“Practice managers, being the type of people that we are, tend not to sing our own praises as much as we should but that needs to change, in my opinion, if we are to deal with the root cause of being overworked. By proving our value it strengthens the case for additional staff resource.”

Delegate to succeed

Echoing the view mentioned above that PMs shouldn’t get bogged down with everyday admin tasks, another PM told us that the only way, they think, to avoid burnout is to delegate. After all, they say, the last thing PMs should be doing is changing light bulbs or doing mundane, repetitive admin.

“All too often, and I’m as guilty as the next person, PMs end up taking on tasks that we simply shouldn’t,” they said. “Sometimes we’re afraid to let go of tasks, or we’re just trying to help, but this is unhealthy. That’s why we need to learn to delegate.”

See our five-step approach to delegation here.

A PM’s association?

Taking it further, another PM suggests we need an association or trade body to look after the specific interests of practice managers.

“One of the problems that I think needs addressing is the absence of clear rules with GP partners. They need to be made aware how we can’t just keep absorbing what’s thrown at us. They need to understand we’re only human and that we have a finite number of hours in our working day. That means being tougher and sticking to our guns.

“That’s a tough sell though as PMs are generally outnumbered. That’s why I think we need to build our collective voice. An association of practice managers would provide us with a collective voice that would help us on a practice-to-practice basis as well as allowing us to lobby CCGs, the NHS and government. I think it’s the only real way forward.”

All-in-all, it’s clear that burnout is a problem, and will continue to be so until the root causes of the problem are addressed. In the meantime, don’t forget to book your next holiday!

How would you solve practice manager burnout? What short- and long-term fixes have you used? Let us know by commenting below or join the conversation in the Practice Index forum here.

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Topics trending in the forum:
HR Conundrum No 2: Sickness absence
Free drinks for practice staff?
Poll: Using a payroll agency
Removal of patient who regularly DNAs

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2 Responses to “Addressing the root cause of PM burnout”
  1. Exhausted PM Says:

    Burnt out – have just resigned. Can’t believe how relieved I am. I agree an association would be a brilliant idea….but meanwhile, I look forward to job hunting as a part time occupation. Might find a job where any contribution is valued rather than ignored.

    Reply

  2. Exhausted PM #2 Says:

    Dear Exhausted PM #1, have done exactly the same recently and agree with you, the relief …! After 10 and a half years to continue to “look after everything” was just too much to contemplate. Time for someone with more energy to move the practice forward positively whilst I will try to establish a better work/life balance in some other way.

    Reply

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