Has NICE had its day?
Recent news that NICE has once again snookered a new cancer drug on the basis of cost is a despairing blow to the thousands of families across the UK hit by cancer every year. I’m not talking about breast cancer here specifically, or even the drug trastuzumab emtansine (Kadcla)...
General
Introducing ERS Connect
I joined ERS Medical a year ago this month. The reason I came to work at ERS Medical was because of the focus on using technology and innovation to help our customers and a patient’s experience. Our new service ERS Connect is our specialist healthcare communication division...
Countdown to switch over is nearly here
It is some 4 weeks since my last article on our upgrade to EMIS WEB from EMIS PCS and only 4 weeks until our actual changeover, so I thought I would update you on progress so far. Things are going well and we are still all impatient and wish we could change over today...
Legislation Update: Key Tax Deadline Reminders
Check you have made all necessary changes to your employee’s tax codes for 2013-14 as explained on P9X. If you used RTI payroll software during 2012-13 (eg as part of the RTI pilot) make sure that it is updated to reflect the tax and National Insurance contributions (NICs) changes...
Hello from the new FPM HR Advisor
Hi, I’m Jennifer and I have joined the First Practice Management (FPM) group as the new HR Advisor. It’s still only my second week here at FPM Group, and I am busy trying to remember the names and roles of people who work here and generally trying to understand what the company does...
General
Meet the Team – Rhian Bulmer
Every once in I while I will be doing an article as part of our meet the team campaign, this week I interviewed Rhian Bulmer. How long have you worked for ERS Medical / FPM Group and which part of the Group do you work in? I joined ERS Medical a year ago as Head of Accounts...
A stroll in the park
So local authorities are now using public health money to weed the flower beds in your local park (Source - BMJ). Ok, that might be a bit facetious, but that fact is when you give a health budget to a public body with other (non-health) priorities, who are usually strapped for cash...
Legislation Update: Health & Safety and Pneumonia Vaccination
Practices are reminded that they must display the new 2009 version as from 1st April 2014. Employers have a legal duty under the Health and Safety Information for Employees Regulations (HSIER) to display the approved poster in a prominent position in each workplace...
General
Practice Manager Conference round-up! Northern Ireland Western Area
Nic and I were thrilled to be invited to the Western Area Practice Manager’s Annual Conference in Northern Ireland. It was held at the most fantastic venue, a gorgeous place called Lusty Beg Island in County Fermanagh. This was Nic’s first experience of attending such a conference...
The Secret Diary of a Practice Manager Part 15
Like many practice managers the first weekend in April (just after the end of the QOF year) you are able to breathe a sigh of relief and hope that everything has been reported on and claimed for in the correct manner. It has been an exhausting period...
How to prepare for the completely unexpected
You arrive at work to find a tree jutting through the surgery roof like a badly broken bone. It’s not going to be a great day but you could stop it getting worse by taking time to think about what you would do in the event of significant damage or a break-in at your premises...
Legislation Update: Self Testing for HIV
The government have amended the law so “do it yourself” home testing kits for HIV are now legal to be sold over-the-counter, however it is unlikely that kits will be available in the very near future, as no companies have yet applied for a license to sell kits within the European Union...
Bank Holiday FAQs
With Easter around the corner and a bumper batch of bank holidays on the horizon, I thought it would be a good idea to share with you these FAQs on dealing with bank holidays. Here are some of the most popular questions proposed to us by our members regarding bank holiday leave...
Management
Practice Manager stress level at an all time high
I spotted an article in GPOnline this week with a headline of “More than two thirds of practice managers have recently contemplated quitting their jobs as the complexity and intensity of their work increases alongside hours and stress.” The survey was carried out by Medeconomics...
Funding and the rural practice
The BMA have called for urgent action to protect at least 98 practices, which will be adversely affected by severe funding cuts, as the MPIG (Minimum Practice Income Guarantee) is phased out over the next few years. When is a guarantee no longer guaranteed?..
Legislation Update: PAYE
From 6th April employers with 10-49 employees are no longer eligible for the relaxation in real time reporting rules that allowed them to report all PAYE information to HMRC on or before that last payday of in the tax month, rather than reporting it on or before the date of each payment...
A Practice without Digital Dictation…
...is like running with the wrong shoes on! So if you want to win the NHS digital race, run a mile with the right tools in place. Today, the Equalizer is handing the mic’ over to Tracey Clark, Practice Manager at Gardden Road Surgery. Here is her story…
Work sweepstake tips! All you need to know
With the Grand National taking place this weekend and the World Cup in Rio just around the corner, employees may be thinking about starting a workplace sweepstake. I myself have taken part in many a sweepstake, I even won once back in 1998 when France won the world cup...
Northern Ireland Update: April 2014
The findings of the Health Survey Northern Ireland 2012/13 were released earlier this month. The annual survey seeks to gather patients’ views regarding their general health and their views on Health and Social Care Services including hospitals, GP Surgeries and Pharmacies...
Political Commentary - UKIP and the NHS
The NHS is likely to be a major issue for all political parties in the run-up to the next general election. One much-criticised comment about the main political parties is that they are much the same, and look the same, and the problem is heightened towards general election time...
Categories
Popular Blog Tags
Post Archive
Trending
Upcoming Events
Jobs
What others are viewing now
First Practice Management (FPM) is the UK's premier resource for GP practice managers. We help practice managers to get their practice compliant with regulation and to stay compliant.
Useful Links
Contact Us
Indigo House, Sussex Avenue,
Leeds, LS10 2LF
Phone: 0333 240 4010
Email: mail@firstpracticemanagement.co.uk
2023 © All Rights Reserved. Privacy Notice | Cookie Policy | Terms of Service