A practice manager in Darwen, Lancashire, has been awarded the Practice Manager of the Year 2017 at the GP Awards in London on 30 November 2017, after she had won the Management in Practice (MiP) award this summer (August).
Practice manager at Darwen Health Care Ann Neville has been praised for managing to ‘upskill and maximise’ her practice’s workforce, which resulted in improved staff morale and job satisfaction.
Ms Neville said: ‘I feel honoured to have firstly been nominated, shortlisted and then absolutely delighted to have been selected as the winner of this award.
‘I have to say that without the support of the whole practice team, including GP partners, GPs, trainees, advanced nurse practitioners, practice nurses, assistant practitioner, healthcare assistants, administration and reception staff I would not be able to do the job that I do and therefore this award is for them as well.’
Ms Neville also praised the work other GPs in her area complete each day.
She said: ‘There are so many changes within general practice at the moment and it is an exciting time with many new roles starting to emerge such as clinical pharmacists and physician associates. We have in fact recruited our first physician associate who should commence in post mid-February 2018 and it will be interesting to see how these type of roles play their part in general practice.’
Speaking on behalf of the NHS Blackburn with Darwen Clinical Commissioning Group, Clinical Director of Quality and Effectiveness Dr Malcolm Ridgway described Ms Neville as ‘an innovative and hardworking practice manager who has moved the practice on enormously’.
Ms Neville’s practice was rated outstanding by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
