Practice Manager

Job description

Job responsibilities

Job Summary:

To manage and coordinate all aspects of practice functionality, motivating and managing staff, optimising efficiency and financial performance. To ensure the practice achieves its long-term strategic objectives in a safe and effective working environment. Through innovative ways of working, lead the team in promoting Quality, Confidentiality, Collaborative Working, Service Delivery, Learning and Development and ensure the practice complies with CQC regulations.

Job Responsibilities

The following are the core responsibilities of the practice manager. There may be on occasion, a requirement to carry out other tasks; this will be dependent upon factors such as workload and staffing levels.

Practice Management

• Overseeing the day-to-day operations of the practice, ensuring staff achieve their primary responsibilities
• Functional management of all clinical and administrative staff

• Commitment to supporting the delivery of excellent patient care with vision, willingness and drive
• Demonstrate excellent organisational and effective communication skills
• Responsibility for ongoing maintenance and compliance with current CQC regulations, requirements, assessments and future inspections.
• Lead and chair practice meetings as appropriate
• Develop and co-ordinate systems to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the practice
• Coordinating the reviewing and updating of all practice policies and ensuring compliance with policies
• Handling of all complaints in a timely manner and in accordance with complaints procedures
• Management of the premises, including health and safety aspects such as risk assessments and mandatory training
• The ability to lead, motivate, encourage and support the practice team
• Direct line management of the Senior Practice Administrator, Administrators, Secretaries, Head Receptionist and IT administrators
• Work closely with PCN strategy and delivery
• Ensure practice benefits from PCN arrangements

Finance

• Responsible for the finances of the practice
• Maximise income opportunities for the practice
• Managing the financial elements of the practice, including bank accounts and petty cash
• Develop and control practice budgets and financial systems
• Responsible for income, expenditure and cash-flow forecasts
• With the support of the Senior Practice Administrator, responsible for manual and electronic claims (CQRS, CCG,) monthly, quarterly, bi-annually and annually as required, ensuring submission deadlines are met
• Ensure the organisational requirements of the practice contracts with NHS England are fully met and complied with
• Support the Partners to develop and implement processes to achieve clinical targets of QOF, KPIs, local and national enhanced services
• Ensuring the team reach QOF targets (supported by the nursing and administrative leads)
• Liaise with the bank and business insurance companies as appropriate or as directed by the Partners
• Liaise with practice accountants regarding PAYE arrangements
• Negotiate with suppliers the best discounts available
• Liaise with the ICB and payment agencies regarding queries with payments relating to the contract, e.g. enhanced services
• Robust finance and business skills to maintain and improve the profitability of the business, exploring areas for increasing income and reducing costs
• Support PCN finance arrangements

Strategic Planning

• Keep abreast of current affairs and identify potential opportunities and threats
• Actively promote and develop areas of the practice premises to potentially create additional income and added patient services

• Assist the practice in the wider community and assist with forging links with other local practices and relevant agencies and in particular working collaboratively with Forest Integrated Health PCN
• To represent the practice at Practice manager Forums, key ICB and wide Waltham Forest and NE London meetings

• To make recommendations to the partners for practice development with regard to potential sources of income

Human Resources

• Knowledge and skills of HR and the ability to act sensitively and effectively
• Responsible for the recruitment and selection of staff, ensuring contracts of employment and job descriptions are up-to-date
• Ensure Employment Law compliance for the disciplinary and dismissal process and after discussion with the partners take any legal advice necessary

• Be aware of current employment legislation
• To develop and maintain good employee/employer relationships
• To ensure that members of the existing staff team are aware of any changes that occur in the practice
• To maintain good communication at all times with the practice team
• To oversee rotas which allow good staff cover at all times as well as giving the flexibility required at short notice to cover for illness, etc.
• To implement pay rises/scales and increments at the appropriate time
• Oversee staff responsible for ensuring DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) checks for clinical and admin staff
• Optimise effective team working
• Be responsible for the health and safety policy and its implementation
• Ensure appropriate support for newly appointed staff members
• Ensure practice maintains resilience with staff and clinicians to meet access requirements

Information Technology

• Good knowledge of IT
• Ensure staff are fully trained and developed for their role
• Managing the practice IT system with the support of the Senior Practice Administrator and IT administrator
• Ensure the update of appropriate information governance systems
• Work with IT support to ensure all practice IT and telephone systems are functioning effectively
• Ensure the update of DPA, GDPR and Individual Rights.
• Ensuring all staff have the appropriate level of training to enable them to carry out their individual roles and responsibilities effectively
• Ensuring staff compliance with IT security and IG

Patient Services

• Ensure that the practice complies with NHS contractual obligations in relation to patient care
• Maintain registration policies and monitor patient turnover and capitation
• Oversee and manage effective appointment systems
• Routinely monitor and assess practice performance against patient access and demand targets
• Manage the complaints management system
• Manage the significant events system
• Liaise with patient groups, encourage the development of the PPG and acknowledge voluntary contributions from the patients

Communication

• Ensure compliance with the latest NHS recommendations
• Understand and maintain the practice communication systems
• Build/maintain good working relationships with the NHS England, PSCE, CCG, hospitals, community agencies, LMC (Local Medical Committee), other GP practices, pharmacists, voluntary and private organisations
• Represent the practice at meetings and seminars
• Assist and support the partners corporately and at individual level to fulfil the requirements of revalidation
• Present a professional image and always promote the practice
• Share skills and expertise with others
• Ensure continuity of practice staff and clinical meeting
• Ensure the practice has an effective system with patients

Quality Improvements

• To strive to maintain quality within the Practice
• Alert other team members to issues of quality risk
• Contribute to the effectiveness of the team by reflecting on own and team activities and making suggestions on ways to improve and enhance the teams performance

Confidentiality

• This practice is committed to maintaining an outstanding confidential service. Patients entrust and permit us to collect and retain sensitive information relating to their health and other matters, pertaining to their care. They do so in confidence and have a right to expect all staff will respect their privacy and maintain confidentiality at all times.
• It is essential that if, the legal requirements are to be met and the trust of our patients is to be retained all staff protect patient information and provide a confidential service.

• Information relating to patients, carers, colleagues, other healthcare workers or the business of the Practice may only be divulged to authorised persons in accordance with the Practice policies and procedures relating to confidentiality and the protection of personal and sensitive data

Equality and Diversity:

• To support the equality, diversity and rights of patients, carers and colleagues
• Acting in a way that recognises the importance of people's rights, interpreting them in a way that is consistent with Practice procedures and policies, and current legislation
• Respecting the privacy, dignity, needs and beliefs of patients, carers and colleagues
• Behaving in a manner which is welcoming to and of the individual, is non-judgmental and respects their circumstances, feelings, priorities and rights

Personal/Professional Development:

• To participate in an annual individual performance review, including taking responsibility for maintaining a record of own personal and/or professional development
• To be responsible for own professional development, learning and performance and attending appropriate training required for the job role

Person Specification

Skills

Essential

• Ability to exploit and negotiate opportunities to enhance service delivery
• Excellent communication skills (written, oral and presenting)
• Strong IT skills (generic)
• Excellent leadership skills
• Strategic thinker and negotiator
• Ability to prioritise, delegate and work to tight deadlines in a fast-paced environment
• Effective time management (planning and organising)
• Ability to network and build relationships
• Proven problem-solving and analytical skills
• Ability to develop, implement and embed policy and procedure
• Ability to motivate teams, enhance morale and maintain a positive working environment, including team building sessions

Desirable

• EMIS/SystmOne/Vision user skills

Qualifications

Essential

• Good standard of education with excellent literacy and numeracy skills

Desirable

• Educated to degree level in healthcare or business
• Leadership and/or management qualification
• AMSPAR qualification

Experience

Essential

• Experience working with the general public
• Experience in managing accounting procedures including budget and cash flow forecasting
• Experience in managing large multidisciplinary teams
• Experience in performance management including appraisal writing, staff development and disciplinary procedures
• Experience in successfully developing and implementing projects
• Experience in workforce planning, forecasting and development

Desirable

• Experience working in a healthcare setting
• NHS/primary care general practice experience
• Relevant health and safety experience

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Employer details

Employer name

Waltham Forest Federated GP Network

Address

500 Larkshall Road

Highams Park

London

E4 9HH

Employer's website

https://wfgpfednet.co.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)