The Institute of General Practice Management (IGPM) has launched a new accreditation programme aimed at dispensary managers
The MIGPM(D) professional recognition aims to recognise the high standards and leadership skills dispensary managers working in rural practices are required to have.
Dispensary managers are the ‘hidden leaders of rural general practice’, the IGPM has said, and their ‘role has rarely been formally acknowledged’. This is despite them having a wide remit and having to balance medicines safety, procurement, stock control, HR and finance, as well as ‘ensuring patients in rural communities can access vital treatment safely and reliably’.
The IGPM said its accreditation will offer assurance to regulators, recognition for colleagues, and confidence for patients that local dispensaries are being managed to consistently high standards. For practices, it provides clearer governance, stronger resilience, and acknowledgement of the managers who play a vital role in rural healthcare.
The assessment process mirrors the core IGPM accreditation, but the domains are specific tailored to dispensary leadership rather than general practice management. These include areas such as governance, medicines safety, stock control, HR, and finance. The time it takes to complete will typically be between a few weeks to a few months.
Successful candidates will be added to the IGPM accredited managers register.
Ed Kennedy, director (dispensing & rural), at the Institute of General Practice Management, said that in rural communities, patients often depend on dispensary managers to keep dispensaries running smoothly.
He added: ‘Dispensary managers are central to the survival of rural primary care. Giving them the recognition they deserve is essential if rural communities are to continue to have safe, sustainable access to medicines.’
