Recent political turmoil has led to the appointment of a new health and social care secretary in the form of Steve Barclay and a new Prime Minister is due to be selected by early September. When new people come into such influential posts, there is a brief chance to seek their attention and enlist their…

As I fill in yet another survey for the ‘powers that be’ about what we’re spending our time doing in general practice, I again sit there pondering what the survey doesn’t cover. Normally these surveys specifically single out appointments as a magic gauge to what goes on at the surgery. Despite several emails over the…

Following the publication of NHS England & Improvement’s letter titled “General Practice Contract Arrangements in 2022/23”, the IGPM received a large number of contacts from members highlighting their concerns over proposed changes. We canvassed remaining members for their opinions and have produced this document to highlight to NHS England & Improvement (NHSE&I) and other relevant…

Averages in general practice* GP list size is 2,087 patients. Practice list size is 8,757. Number of repeat prescription items issued per patient per annum is 13. Number of GP referrals made per month is 9 per GP. Number of consultations per patient per annum is about 3. As a practice manager and AMSPAR tutor,…

The roll-out of the COVID-19 vaccines around the UK has been one glimmer of hope during the deadly pandemic that has dominated everyone’s life for the past year. A record-breaking almost 600,000 vaccines were administered on just one day recently (30 January) across the UK and the number of people receiving one dose keeps rising…

Practices have been overwhelmed by over-70s seeking vaccination – while in many cases they are struggling to complete the programme for the over-80s, it has been reported. According to some reports, vaccine supplies continued to be diverted to areas lagging behind in the first phase of the programme – especially where risk of infection has…

However positive you try to be, however hard you try to motivate morale across the practice and however hard you work to try and keep patients happy, there’s no escaping the fact that 2020 has been extremely challenging for practice managers. COVID-19 has turned the world on its head, making an already stressful, difficult sector…