Aspiring Practice Managers Programme

Cohort 4 - Applications Now Closed

The Aspiring Practice Managers Programme is designed specifically for Aspiring Managers that would like to ‘brush up’ on their understanding of Primary Care processes. The programme is a mix of reflective discussions and theoretical input; all of this is brought together to make real life experiences lived and shared through an improvement lens.

Mandatory Sessions

Welcome to the Aspiring Practice Manager Programme – 2.5 Hours
7 x full day workshops:
- Introduction to Practice Management
- Introduction to Practice Finance and Contracts
- Leading People in Primary Care
- Employment and Contractual Responsibilities
- Health & Safety for Primary Care Managers
- Preparing for a CQC Inspection
- Talent Management & Succession Planning
3 x Pick & Mix half-day workshops
Celebration Event

Choice of Pick and Mix Sessions

6 x Pick & Mix workshops are available and a minimum of 3 must be booked.
These sessions are delivered as half-day workshops with 2 workshops delivered on the same day:
- Partnership Working
- Road Map for Managing Complaints
- Continuous Improvement Methodologies
- Managing Change in General Practice
- Fine Tune Your Appraisal Skills
- Handling Difficult Conversations

New for Cohort 4 – CMI Accreditation

The Chartered Management Institute (CMI) is the UK’s leading professional body dedicated to raising standards in management and leadership. Thornfields are the only organisation that awards the prestigious Chartered Manager status – the ultimate accolade for professional managers and leaders.

This gives Participants the professional recognition they deserve. Participants will receive free Chartered Management Institute (CMI) membership for 12 months. This membership provides learners with access to a wealth of leadership and management resources, professional development tools, and the opportunity to gain Chartered Manager status – enhancing both their learning experience and long-term career prospects.

Delegate Feedback

“Fantastic, best course I have done which relates to my day job. It really was the most useful and relevant training programme I have ever attended. It was brilliant. Thank you very much.” (KH – Cohort 1)

“Absolutely amazing, I kind of don’t want it to end. So good to meet new people and network. The content has been spot-on with regards to what I needed to learn and areas to improve my knowledge on, the trainers have been fab and really engaging.” (LF – Cohort 1)

“Sometimes the practice manager role can be overwhelming. The course has been delivered by trainers with relevant experience and they made me feel at ease. This course has genuinely made me do my job better, I think it is absolutely wonderful.” (LL – Cohort 1)

“This course genuinely felt like the lifeline I needed. Not only was I completely new to the role of Practice Manager, but I was also new to the NHS. Working through the modules and seeing each aspect of practice management broken down into clear, easy‑to‑follow sessions was incredibly helpful. Having the opportunity to ask questions – both to the tutor and to my fellow cohort members (who have now become friends) – was invaluable.” (NL – Cohort 2)

“When I started this course I had been a practice manager for about 6 months but had not had a good hand over from the previous manager and so there were many things I did not know about and there was nobody in practice to help me with this. The Aspiring Practice Managers course gave me confidence in my abilities, a great group of contacts who I am still in touch with to ask for advice ongoing –via a WhatsApp group that we set up, there is always someone who can offer an opinion and a whole lot of great workbooks to take away and refer back to. I would recommend this to anyone who is starting out as a Practice Manager now or in the near future it has been invaluable.” (SS – Cohort 2)

“I found the APM Programme extremely useful- a lot of the information was already known but it provided some lesser known information, a heap ton of confidence and a fantastic outlet for people to share real experiences- whether they are the facilitators who are all experienced or the other members of your cohort. The cohort was and still is a fantastic source of information- with us all keeping in touch and bouncing ideas off each other. This course has given me the confidence to tackle situations I wouldn’t have done before I started it- with no challenge too big- and has developed me into the Deputy PM I am today.” (LH – Cohort 2)

Course Content

All of the workshops will follow a similar format of being interactive and led by the learners discussing individual experiences of the topics, to draw out learning.

Mandatory

Welcome to the Aspiring Practice Manager Programme – A light networking lunch will provide an opportunity to connect with previous participants and help you to get to know other learners on your programme. This will be followed by a welcome session designed to gain a comprehensive overview of the Aspiring Practice Managers Programme, delivered by the West Yorkshire Primary Care Workforce and Training Hub and the training provider Thornfields. The session will conclude with an open Q&A, giving you the opportunity to ask any questions and ensure you feel confident and informed as you begin the programme.
Introduction to Practice Management – This workshop will, Fastrack delegates’ orientation into the role of Practice Manager; Enable existing Practice Managers to benchmark themselves against suggested best Practice and give prospective Practice Managers the opportunity to identify skills and/or experience gaps that they then may need to address. There are also opportunities for peer-to- peer learning, self-reflection and the development of a personal action plan.
Introduction to Practice Finance and Contracts – By the end of this one-day workshop, delegates will have a clear understanding of the revenue streams available to their Practices, as well as a practical introduction to several tools, techniques and approaches which will enable them to control costs and optimise Practice profitability. The workshop provides grounding in the basics of managing a Practice’s finances. Delegates will gain confidence in how to control cost of the day-to-day operation, whilst at the same time, developing an awareness of planning and forecasting skills to successfully deal with any financial challenges ahead
Leading People in Primary Care – Lead, motivate and inspire – three essential ingredients of exceptional management. The key objective of this workshop is to enable managers to not only master the above but also look at the effective use of delegation. To plan creative reward systems and deal with the difficult behaviour that can lower morale and team spirit.
Employment and Contractual Responsibilities – The aim of this workshop is providing delegates with the skills and knowledge required to effectively manage their employment responsibilities. The workshop will cover the employment contract and the employment relationship as well as taking an in-depth look at contractual responsibilities and the requirements of employment legislation. Managers will leave the course with a good understanding of their responsibilities and plans for implementing good practice back in the workplace.
Health and Safety for Primary Care Managers – By the end of this one-day workshop, delegates will have a clear understanding of the legislation affecting health and safety in primary care and their responsibilities within that. Delegates will learn about the risk management process and the need for risk assessment in key areas of the work in primary care. The key focus of the workshop will be on identifying and reducing the risks – the workshop will be highly interactive and practical with an emphasis on understanding the problem areas and action planning.
Preparing for CQC Inspection – By the end of the session, participants will have a clear understanding of how CQC inspections have evolved over time and what the introduction of the 2025 Single Assessment Framework (SAF) means for their organisations. They will be able to interpret the updated Quality Statements and the six categories of evidence used during inspections, enabling them to confidently navigate what inspectors look for. Participants will also evaluate their own readiness by using SAF‑aligned checklists and practical assessment tools. Building on this insight, they will develop a focused action plan to strengthen inspection preparedness and embed a culture of continuous improvement within their teams. Finally, the session will equip them to prepare both staff and documentation effectively, ensuring they are ready for responsive inspections, including staff interviews and the presentation of supporting evidence.
Talent Management & Succession Planning – Talent Management is a key skill for both ICSs and organisations of all sizes to optimise individual and team performance. Because delivering success through people should be an objective of every people manager/leader in any organisation. This workshop gives delegates a brief introduction to Talent Management together with some practical tools to help them optimise the contribution of individuals, within their teams, both for the benefit of themselves and their organisation. There will be opportunities for reflection and peer-to-peer learning as well as the development of personal action plans.Succession planning is an important Key Performance Indicator (KPI) for primary care organisations. It is also important for all organisations, regardless of scale, to appreciate the potential risk of losing key individuals. Therefore, they need to plan, in a managed way, to mitigate that risk. This workshop gives delegates an increased understanding of the key principles of succession planning, as well as awareness of some practical tools. Delegates gain a toolkit to plan to ensure the sustained, safe, operational effectiveness of their organisation.
Celebration Event – A light networking lunch will provide an opportunity to connect with the next cohort of learners on the Aspiring Practice Managers programme. This will be followed by a celebration marking your successful completion of the programme. The session will conclude with an opportunity for you to share your experiences and key insights with the incoming cohort.

Pick and Mix – Optional

Partnership Working – The aim of this workshop is to develop understanding and the ability to work effectively with partner organisations to achieve the common goal. By the end of this workshop, delegates will understand the principles of partnership working and how to meet the needs and expectations of partners
Road Map for Managing Complaints – The purpose of the session is to remind delegates of their practice’s obligations under the NHS complaints regulations of 2009, as well as the NHS constitution. It will also give delegates a practical appreciation of how to meet the “my expectations” principle, which is the basis of the Care Quality Commission’s (CQC) key lines of enquiry during Practice inspections.
Continuous Improvement Methodologies – The workshop gives delegates a brief practical understanding of the drivers for quality improvement, how to meet quality improvement requirements and cultivate a culture of continuous improvement in their organisation. There will be opportunities for reflection and peer-to-peer learning as well as the development of personal action plans.
Managing Change in General Practice – Workshop delegates will discuss why managing change is vital to an organisation. Delegates will understand how to communicate change and achieve successful change management: the journey, the resistance and the team strategy to keep the team focused, up to date and motivated towards effective change plans.
Fine Tune Your Appraisal Skills – Appraisal is a considerable investment in terms of time and resources for practices. This interactive workshop will provide managers with the skills and tools to reinvigorate their process to ensure that it achieves tangible objectives. The workshop will provide guidance and paperwork to support the creation of appraisals, including team-based appraisal and using a 360° approach.
Handling Difficult Conversations – The aim of this workshop is to provide delegates with the skills to deal with difficult people and difficult conversations in the workplace. These may be patients, residents, colleagues or other people they meet in work situations. By the end of the workshop delegates will be more confident in their ability to deal with these tricky situations.

Eligibility

The Aspiring Practice Managers Programme will be applicable to any junior or less senior manager working within West Yorkshire looking to up skill into a Practice Managers position, as identified by the employing Practice’s workforce development plans.

Additionally, Practice Managers who have been in post with less than one-years’ experience are also eligible to apply.

The Practice must complete an MOU to confirm that all mandatory sessions and confirmed pick and mix sessions will be attended in full.

How to apply

Applications are now closed

Please note: Applications will be processed in the order they are received. Places will be allocated on a fair share locality basis across the West Yorkshire region. Applicants will be assessed against the eligibility criteria via a MS Teams meeting.

Completion of the application and attendance at the MS Teams meeting does not guarantee a place on the programme. Successful candidates will be notified via email once all MS Teams meetings have been conducted.

Deadline for applications: 23rd April 2026.

Aspiring Practice Managers Programme

Cohort 4 - Applications Now Closed

Delegate Feedback

Course Content

Mandatory

Pick and Mix – Optional

Eligibility

How to apply

West Yorkshire

Read about the Training Hubs

Get in Touch

About us

We're social too