Practice management is an exciting position where no day is ever the same, with plenty of responsibilities and rewards. It is a chance to work in a profession where you can truly make a difference to others’ lives.
Practice Managers are responsible for the successful running of the practice and usually oversee the business, financial and HR aspects to ensure that patients receive the best possible care.
As a practice manager you’ll be involved in a wide variety of tasks which could include:
- Developing and implementing the practice’s business plan
- Overseeing budgets including payroll and billing
- Recruiting, training and supervising all non-clinical staff in your Primary Care setting
- Managing appointment systems to ensure efficiency in patient flow
- Managing IT systems, maintain medical records and oversee the upkeep of the practice’s physical environment
- Ensure that the practice meets all relevant health & safety regulations along with other industry standards at all times
To become a Practice Manager in a Primary Care setting you will need a combination of management experience, strong communication skills and a good understanding of a healthcare environment. While formal qualifications are not always essential, many Practice Managers hold degrees in business or similar disciplines or pursue healthcare qualifications once in post.
Career development opportunities
There are opportunities to further develop your career in Practice Management once employed and you could undertake an apprenticeship or further continuing professional development programmes. You could also progress your career by taking on additional responsibility and you progress into a senior management role within a larger practice, group of practices, Primary Care Network or within the Integrated Care Board. There are also development opportunities to move to roles in the wider healthcare teams and you could work within finance teams, human resource teams or health informatics teams if you choose to and have relevant qualifications to work in the area.
Pay and benefits
Practice Managers usually work around 37.5 hours per week but there are opportunities for part time and flexible hours too.
Practice Managers in the NHS are paid using the Agenda for Change (AfC) system and will typically start their career on AfC band 5 or 6 but with experience, further training and additional qualifications, can progress further up the pay scale.
Other benefits of working as a Practice Manager in healthcare include access to a pension scheme, health service discounts such as a Blue Light Card and 27 days of annual leave in addition to bank holidays.