Welcome to the Practice team Support & Development Service
Here you will find more details specific to the service we provide for all practice staff.
This offer is a free confidential peer support service offered to all Practice Managers, Aspiring Practice Managers, Assistant Practice Managers, and admin teams in Lancashire & Cumbria (Unfortunately this offer is not available for the reception team at present). It comprises of 3 elements which can be accessed as 3 separate offers or altogether depending on your preference.
We understand that Practice Management can be an isolated role and can often feel like you’re working alone, especially in those early days in a new role. Our service, therefore, offers support for new and relocating Practice Managers. Likewise, roles in the admin team are like no other outside the NHS. The daily challenges are not always easy to meet, but with the support of Peers and Mentors this cohort of the Practice team can also achieve their goals. The service offers the opportunity for all practice staff to explore their career to date, their aspirations, learning needs and what opportunities there are to fulfil their potential.
Practice staff wanting support can contact Toni Phillips at the LMC office. The details will only be seen by Toni. You may be wanting some guidance, or you may want to have a chat with someone who knows how you are feeling. Please do not hesitate to contact us as we are here to help.
The programme offers the following 3 elements:
- Formative Peer Reviews & Professional Development Plan
- Coaching & Mentoring
- Peer Support Service (Buddying)
Please see an outline of our Programme Content.
Alternatively contact Toni the Programme Manager at Toni.phillips@nwlmcs.org or 01772 863806 who will have a chat with you.
1. Formative Peer Review and Professional Development Plan
- This will be an opportunity for Practice Managers to explore their career to date, their aspirations, learning needs and what opportunities there are to fulfil their potential.
- Alternative career paths
- Opportunities for learning – matching the need to the offers available
We are conscious of the need to link this programme with other developmental opportunities.
Experienced Practice Managers have been invited to support us with the peer review process and use their skills as peer reviewers after completing a 2-day training session and Refresher sessions. The Review takes approximately and hour to an hour and a half and is carried out away from your workplace to ensure privacy and avoid interruptions. Together with your Peer Reviewer you will drawer up a Professional Development Plan which can be reviewed 6 months following your Review.
The Peer Reviews are offered to all Practice Managers and to Assistant and Deputy Managers, free of charge.
2. Coaching & Mentoring
We believe this component follows on from the Formative Peer Review and Professional Development Planning and will be developed by our existing Human Resources Specialists who are already trained in coaching and mentoring. However, as the need arises, this can be offered as a standalone element. The Peer Reviewers will also attend a 1-day coaching and mentoring training session.
The number of sessions offered to Practice Managers is determined following consultation between the Practice Manager and the Mentor. Once agreed, the Mentor will arrange to meet with the Practice Manager at an agreed interval and determine a plan of action. Once again, this service is free of charge.
Once again, this service is provided by the LMC free of charge.
3. The Peer Support Scheme (Buddy Scheme)
This part of the Programme is a recent addition. From experience we understand that Practice Management can be an isolated role and can often feel like you’re working alone, especially in those early days in a new role. We have therefore devised a scheme to support, mentor and coach new and relocating Practice Managers across Lancashire and South Cumbria.
This is an exciting element of the Programme and has been extremely well received. We have been impressed and touched by the support offered by our experienced managers. The new Manager is put in touch with a local experienced Manager who will offer guidance and support.
The content of the Buddy Scheme has been devised by our Toni, Programme Manager, together with those local Practice Managers who provide the service.
There new Managers are paired with local existing Managers and a work plan is devised between the two at their initial meeting. A Memorandum of Understanding is signed by both parties to ensure that each participant fully understands the process. To view the MOU click here:
My name is Alison Redshaw and I am a managing Partner at Norwood medical Centre in Barrow in Furness, Cumbria. We are a large practice with a list size of just over 11,000. I have been a Practice manager for 10 years and moved to Norwood in September 2018 I have always worked in the Heath sector, trained as a Nurse in 1997 and worked as a Registered nurse and then a Nurse manager in elderly care and complex care within Care homes and then made the leap into Primary care. I have worked with the LMC as an Associate and Peer Reviewer for a few years and been fortunate to work on several projects including Partnership remodeling and supporting a practice through major change. I have experience of partnership changes and working in an integrated system with Trusts and other stakeholders and dealt with a great deal of change management throughout the years. Practice Management has always been challenging but the current climate we find ourselves in has meant we need to support and work together even more, if I can help and support through a peer review or through coaching and mentoring please get in touch.
The Programme has been an invaluable resource and support. I was very grateful to have an expert on hand who was knowledgeable and professional, had a clear understanding of the challenges I was facing, but also provided practical advice and plans that could be taken forward