One thread writer recently asked for help figuring out why three lots of records had been received for patients with the same family name, but with the same NHS number. My answer was to check the date of birth shown on all the documents. I recall one specific case where three male members of one…

The average patient list per doctor is said to be in the region of 1,800 patients. However, my experience of working in a registration department suggests that around 600 patients may have moved on, unknown to the practice, or be in the process of registering elsewhere. The NHS income from 600 patients is significant so…

Supporting people to play a greater role in their own health and care clearly has benefits for GP practices – not least because it frees up time – which is why the NHS detailed Self Care and Management as the ninth action in its Releasing Capacity in General Practice initiative. For practices, this idea is…

How did you feel after reading the first blog on this subject? I hope you weren’t too worried or even disillusioned. If you were, is that perhaps because you haven’t yet assumed the role, or haven’t undergone an effective induction process? What about your handover; what did it involve and was it comprehensive enough? What…

Some 20,000 GPs were thought to be working as locums in 2016 (National Association of Salaried GPs). In 2016, there were 41,985 GPs in England working in 7,613 practices. The number of salaried GPs has increased by 400% in the last decade (British Medical Association). There are thought to be some 20,000 GPs working as…

Partnership working: small-scale collaboration that works When the NHS launched its Releasing Capacity in General Practice plans, one of the most hotly-debated topics among the 10 High Impact Actions was number seven – partnership working. The idea is that by creating partnerships and collaborations with other practices and other providers in the local health and…

So you’ve landed your dream job and you’re now the Practice Manager! But if it’s your first time in the industry, are you ready for the challenges that lie ahead? Primary care is unlike any other industry and no two practices are the same. That’s the reality of working in general practice. Maybe in a…