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FPM Recruitment Service - Testimonials

Below are comments from just some of the hundreds of Practices which have used our services for recruiting a Practice Manager, and from a couple of Interviewees:

Dr. Kevin Tipper , 9 partner practice, Chorley:" I would like to thank all at FPM on behalf of Library House Surgery following the recruitment of our new Practice Business Manager. We had taken some time to try and identify how best our Practice could be moved forwards, and this was greatly helped by FPM providing an initial assessment of the Practice as a whole. Although this is not part of the usual package offered, it helped us to identify our strengths and some of our weaker areas which would need to be addressed by our newly appointed manager.
The support from all staff at FPM was first class and we felt that this went beyond simply being a recruitment process alone. The two half day recruitment process was extremely well organised and was enjoyed by GPs and candidates alike. The quality of the candidates was very high and we had a difficult decision to make at the end of Saturday morning - a difficult but welcome position for us to be in.
Our deputy management team has found the FPM website to be full of very useful information too and well worth the subscription fee.
I would recommend First Practice Management without hesitation. All in all, a potentially very stressful process was made seamless and highly enjoyable and we are confident that our new manager is the right person for the job. Thanks again and well done!"

Dr Andrew Appleton, 8 partner practice, Bristol:" We would like to thank FPM for their expert help in our recruitment of a new practice manager. We recognised that this post is key to the future of our practice, and that outside facilitation would greatly assist us in finding the right person for the job.
We had received recommendations for the FPM recruitment service, and on investigating it further, it was clear that it provided the level of assistance we required. Throughout the process we found our management consultant extremely insightful, he listened to our requirements and clearly guided us through the process. He relieved us of a lot of the administrative burden of the appointment process, leaving us free to concentrate on the assessment of the candidates. We found the whole process well organised and carefully thought out, but sufficiently flexible to allow us adapt it to our own requirements.
We are extremely pleased with the outcome and would recommend First Practice Management to other practices."

Dr Paul Scullard, a six partner practice in Nottingham:"I just wanted to express our pleasure at the way the interview process was conducted. We felt that both days ran very smoothly and we certainly achieved a better understanding of each applicant than we would have done if we had conducted the interviews and assessment process without FPM."

Interviewee: "I'd like to feedback on the recruitment process I have just experienced through first practice management. Having been successful in my application, being invited to interview, I was very pleased to find that I was provided with clear detailed instructions and agenda for the day. The dates for the interview and second interview had been made available on application, so no surprises that I had to be available the next day if successful.
The process for the day was to be; a 30 minute sandwich lunch, with the opportunity to talk informally to the partners and some staff. The more formal part of the session began with introductions and an open question and answer session; This was followed by a group task where all eight candidates worked as a team; all followed by individual interviews where each candidate met members of the practice for 15 minutes on a rota basis (3 different interviews).
Having worked for large blue chip organisations participating as both a candidate and assessor, I must say that the whole process was very well organised and structured, all candidates were made to feel relaxed by both FPM and the partners, who were very new to selecting a senior manager. The agenda for the day allowed all candidates to feel that they could perform to their best, without feeling that this was a competitive environment. The second interview session prep work and process was again well organised with all activities and questions very relevant to the role, which is not always the case.
I'd like to thank FPM for facilitating a process, which in the current jobs market was kept very appropriate to the role without any additional stress."

Dr Helen Hall, a five partner practice in Alderley Edge:"Thank you again for all your support. I really enjoyed working with First Practice Management. You always seemed to know exactly the right thing to do which was a great comfort to us, being rather new to the process ourselves! I found the whole process interesting and enjoyable."

Dr Sarah Philips, a five partner practice in Canterbury: "Overall using FPM made a stressful process much easier. The support offered by First Practice Management extended beyond the recruitment process itself and has been extremely valuable. The candidates proposed came from a wide range of backgrounds, and the expertise offered to aid us in assessing their suitability for the role was highly valued.
Thank you for your support, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend you."

Dr Tim Ward, an eight partner practice in Taunton: "For reasons beyond our control (and FPM's) we have needed to use their recruitment service twice in the last three years. On both occasions the service was efficient and thorough. Our coordinator was a calming and experienced presence, and both he and FPM steered us through the process with great skill. We found the collation and assessment of what turned out to be a very large number of applicants to be particularly useful, and the interview process itself was handled admirably. I would have no hesitation in recommending FPM to colleagues"

Dr Naveed Abbasi, an eleven partner practice in Ilkeston: "I just wanted to say a huge "Thank You" to First Practice Management on behalf of the Partners from Littlewick.
I think we would have been somewhat less aware (to say the least) of all the processes you helped us through in helping us find the right candidate.
Naturally in the beginning we were nervous due to the uncertainty surrounding recruitment of a right candidate, but as the CVs started to pour in after the advertisement, the shortlisting, practice visits by the candidates, first day/second day interview processes, the uncertain element was quickly glazed with excitement and prospect of a positive change for the team.
We feel the successful candidate will help us in making the right decisions/choices to lead Littlewick in rising to the challenges in the shape of things to come in the Primary care sector and steer the ship calmly no matter how choppy the waters become!!!!.
We have all learned a lot from you! We couldn't have done it without you and hope to keep in touch with you in the future."

Dr Paul Ayton, an eight partner practice in Kettering: "Everything went very smoothly and the selection process was excellent and I think we got the best candidate available - let us hope that we still think that in 12m time - but overall cannot fault the service and would use FPM again but hopefully not for a practice manager for at least a good few years."

Dr Caroline Taylor, a three partner practice in Halifax: "We have just recruited a new practice manager through FPM. The whole process was a pleasure rather than a chore. The package FPM offer is very well thought out and a very complete service. Working with the recruitment consultant was fun and she anticipated every need wonderfully. She was very quick to understand the partnership dynamics and facilitated the whole process smoothly. I would wholeheartedly recommend FPM to any practice needing to recruit. We even enjoyed it the second time around after we failed to recruit the first time!"

Dr Rob Murray, a 6 partner practice in Belper: "I would thoroughly recommend the First Practice Management recruitment service. From start to finish First Practice Management have been very professional and we felt we were in competent hands. We had a large number of applicants and it was very helpful to have the guidance of the FPM Recruitment Consultant in the shortlisting process. The interview process itself was most enjoyable. The 2 day interview structure allows all the partners the opportunity to get to know the candidates and it was very interesting to see the candidates interact in the group task. The questions the FPM Recruitment Consultant prepared for both days were clearly well considered and really tested the candidates. At the end of the process we felt content that we had seen several very good candidates and have appointed a new practice manager with huge potential. Thank you."

Dr Tim Wallam, a 6 partner practice in York: "Our practice manager retired after being with us for 20 years and the thought of replacing her was rather daunting. Over the years we have replaced clinicians with some success but choosing a new practice manager is a different matter altogether. I came across FPM when researching recruitment and spoke to some of the GPs who had used then before. On the basis of these discussions we decided to use FPM. From the first meeting with First Practice Management - the process ran very smoothly. The amount of time saved by enlisting the services of FPM means that their fee is money well spent."

Interviewee: "I attended the initial assessment for the above position on Friday 11th February and just wanted to feedback, that although I didn’t proceed to an interview the next day, it was still a positive experience. First Practice Management and all the partners at the practice were very professional but friendly and kept the whole afternoon very informal and relaxed.  If a pre-interview can possibly be classed as ‘good’ this was the best one I’d been to. Please thank First Practice Management on my behalf"

Dr Martin Atkinson, a three partner practice in Yoxall: "As three partners in a smaller rural practice we debated the wisdom of incurring the cost of the FPM recruitment service, but now have no regrets that we decided to go ahead. We realise also that the cost compared with other commercial services is very reasonable and they are much more focussed on our need than other recruitment organisations.
The reassurance of the "guarantee" is valuable, but so far so good with the eventually successful candidate! We are not at all sure we would have been able to choose him without the expert assistance of FPM's consultant."

Dr Simon Gazeley, a three partner practice in Bingley: "On behalf of my partners and the practice, I would like to thank First Practice Management for the hard work and assistance they gave us during our recent recruitment process. We really appreciated having the donkey-work taken away from us, and felt their efforts meant the process was as stress and hassle free as we could have wished, allowing us to really focus on the selection process and choosing the best person. With the structure and guidance they gave us during the short-listing and interviewing stage, we all firmly believe we have ended up with the right person for the job and for our organization. We feel our money has been very well spent on their services, would strongly recommend them to others, and in-fact have already done so!"

Dr Robert Hacking, two partner practice, Brighton: "We would like to thank FPM for their help with the recruitment process. The enthusiasm and unflappability of the recruitment consultant were of enormous help, especially when we changed our minds on the second day of the interviews and had to call a candidate in at short notice!
We enjoyed working with FPM (it was fun, but hard work) and felt instinctively that FPM were on our side to make the process as painless as possible and also to help us find the best possible candidate - which I feel sure we have done . As in all things "you get what you pay for ".
Thanks once again and best wishes for the future."

Dr. Branwen Martin, 5 partner practice, Warrington: "We all appreciated the supportive and efficient service provided by First Practice Management throughout the recruitment process. The advice given at each step was invariably good and accurate. Many thanks to First Practice Management."

Dr Adrian Fraser, 6 partner practice, North Lincolnshire: "We debated whether or not to use a recruitment agency when we needed a new Practice Manager but are so glad that we did and feel it was definitely money well spent. The process went smoothly and FPM were professional and helpful, holding our hand throughout but leaving us feeling in control. I have no hesitation in recommending their services"

Dr Mark Steinberg, 3 partner practice, London: "Although our practice has successfully recruited a number of GPs, our experience to appoint a practice manager was much more limited. We were acutely conscious of the pivotal nature of this position, the benefits to the practice of the right individual and the tremendous sense of lost opportunity to appoint someone wrong. Having alighted on the FPM website and spoken to a GP listed in the testimonial section, we commissioned them to help us. Essentially we were absolutely delighted with their input. Our consultant was knowledgeable and experienced, prompt and reliable and guided us through the whole process. He took an enormous amount of responsibility allowing us to concentrate on the candidates. I was particularly impressed that he spent time understanding exactly what our needs and requirement were - there was no sense of "one size fits all". He organised writing of the practice profile, advertising, organising an excellent and rigorous interview and guiding us on the procedures of appointing the successful candidate.
We are delighted with the outcome and consider the expenditure good value for money and commend First Practice Management to other practices."

Dr Andrew Smith, 7 partner practice, Wakefield: "On behalf of my partners and the practice I would like to say what an excellent service we received from John Fraser and the First Practice Management team. We received a thoroughly professional service from advertising the post to interviewing and appointing. The whole process was meticulously planned and executed and we are very happy with the candidate who we eventually appointed. We certainly could not have carried out this process in such a professional manner without John’s help and guidance. All in all, money well spent! Thankyou."

Any many, many more!

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