Episode 7: The Pivotal Role of the Practice Manager

What happens to a GP practice when the person who holds everything together suddenly isn’t there?

In this extended episode, James takes listeners inside the unseen world of the Practice Manager — the quiet stabiliser who keeps the rhythm of the practice steady while pressure builds from every direction.

Drawing on years of experience across Scottish general practice, James explores why the PM is the true operational heartbeat of a practice: managing finance, staffing, compliance, systems, culture, and day-to-day risk so GP partners can focus on clinical care. Through real stories and lived examples, he examines what happens when that role is undervalued — from burnout and turnover to sudden operational collapse.

The episode also tackles some of the toughest realities facing practices today:
• why recruiting a strong Practice Manager has become so difficult
• the pay paradox and the true cost of under-investment
• how poor induction sets PMs up to fail
• why empowerment and trust matter more than micromanagement
• and how losing a PM can destabilise a practice faster than almost any other change

Looking ahead, James places the Practice Manager firmly at the centre of the next phase of Scottish general practice. With the £531m Scottish Government funding package now reshaping the system, the next three years will bring significant workforce growth, expanded access ambitions, digital transformation, tighter governance, and increased reporting requirements. Every one of these changes will land operationally with the PM.

This episode makes the case that Practice Managers are no longer just running today’s business — they are about to become the transformation leaders who will determine whether new funding delivers real benefit on the ground.

Supportive, honest, and future-focused, this episode is essential listening for GP Partners, Practice Managers, and anyone invested in the sustainability of general practice in Scotland.