I was really excited when James from Practice Index approached me with the idea of a ‘practice manager panel’ where we could discuss topical issues on the podcast.  The practice manager voice hasn’t always been as strong as it could be on the General Practice podcast, and this was the perfect opportunity to put that right!

James promised me some fantastic practice managers to be on the panel, and he certainly delivered!  Nicola Davies and Robyn Clark agreed to take part, and while I am sure many of you know them, for those of you who don’t they are full of practical insights.  I have recorded well over 200 episodes of the General Practice podcast now, and it becomes obvious to me pretty quickly whether the guests really know their stuff or are just enthusiastic about the topic.  Nicola and Robyn definitely fall into the former category!

What I learnt from Nicola and Robyn was how practices can take a pragmatic approach to meeting the challenge that this year’s flu immunisation programme presents.

Some of the current guidance seems crazy, e.g. the need to change an apron between every patient, or the requirement to wear gloves rather than enact rigorous handwashing.  There is also a lot of noise in the system: rumours of changes to the PPE requirements; the possibility of a central government stock of vaccine supplies being created; even circulating stories that the army may be drafted in!

But the clear steer from Nicola and Robyn was for practices to focus on what they do know and what they can do.  We are better spending our energy on the things that we can control rather than worrying about the things we can’t.

By doing this themselves, Nicola and Robyn’s own practice delivery plans are well developed.  Both explained that they will be using what I have termed the ‘village hall model’.  They have both (independently) persuaded their local villages to let them use the local village hall, and have put in place systems that allow multiple stations, a separate exit and entrance, and are even using the local PPG to help manage any queues.  Unlike  ‘normal’ flu clinics, they will not be a one-off events, but will take place over a number of weekends.

You can hear more about how exactly they plan to make this work on the podcast.  Suffice to say that the details have been well thought through!

They provided plenty of other practical advice: receptionists delivering flu jabs is potentially a bad idea (indemnity issues, training challenges, and a likely lack of volunteers being the main reasons); car park clinics may be better as catch up clinics than a main strategy (fumes, weather and space the main concerns, but where it is working for phlebotomy why not double up?); and a PCN-wide model is only likely to work in areas that are not too spread out and that cover distances which patients are prepared to travel.

I wonder how much of the burden of delivering this year’s flu programme will ultimately come down to practice managers.  I suspect much of it.  But if the practice manager community is even half as sensible and pragmatic as Nicola and Robyn I think the programme is in safe hands!

I hope you find listening to the podcast as enjoyable and useful as I found recording it.  Do let me and James know what you thought.  I am looking forward to receiving your feedback, and to hearing what Nicola and Robyn have to say next time!

Author – Ben Gowland, Director, Ockham Healthcare