Recruitment Service

First Practice Management (FPM) offers a first-class recruitment service to assist larger Practices* appoint the best candidate for this key role. Our Recruitment Consultants are based throughout the UK.

Our work is based on providing a comprehensive recruitment service from identifying the need, through to the new person being appointed and starting work. The idea is to leave the Partners/Principal free to define the sort of person they want and concentrate on selecting the best person to appoint, while leaving FPM to organise the whole process. One of the unique points of the interview process which we offer is that all candidates are brought to interview at the same time. In that way the Partners/Principal can compare not only the candidate against the vacancy, but also each candidate against each of the others.

The following is an outline of the service: -

• Firstly, one of our Recruitment Consultants will meet with the Partners/Principal (this meeting takes about 2 hours and takes place at the Surgery) to get a good understanding of the Practice, the way it works, the sort of person the Partners/Principal are looking for, and includes:
  • Setting out the role, job scope and responsibilities of the new Manager; plus advice and guidance on the job description and person specification (including identifying whether and how the job, and the ideal candidate, may be different to that of the outgoing Manager)
  • Considering accountability, support and managing arrangements for the person to be recruited (including, in the case of a partnership, identifying which of the Partners will be primarily responsible for the induction and management of the new Manager)
  • Giving guidance on appropriate terms and conditions, in particular salary level and benefits
  • Giving advice on best recruitment practice, including avoiding any form of discrimination
• Draw up the recruitment advert for approval, and place in agreed Journals and Newspapers
• Prepare an information pack about the Practice, the person sought, and the post (this 'information pack' will be sent to everyone who responds to the adverts)
• Receive and log all applications, and summarise these onto a spreadsheet. Forward the spreadsheet and the applications to the Partners/Principal for shortlisting
• Organise and be present at an interview process at the Surgery (or at a nearby local venue/hotel) which takes the form of two half-day sessions: an afternoon assessment session, and formal interviews the following morning:
  • The afternoon session (Day 1) is a group interview with 8 candidates and comprises group discussion, a short group task followed by individual interviews with each of the Principals
  • The following morning session (Day 2) comprises 'traditional' interviews for the best three candidates from Day 1. Overall this maximises the opportunity for the Partners/Principal to assess each candidate against the Practice culture and values, and to measure applicants against each other.
  • Our Recruitment Consultant provides suggested questions and scenarios for the interview panel for Day 1 and Day 2, and also takes interview notes during the formal stages, leaving the Partners/Principal free to concentrate on the interview questions and responses
• Guide the Partners/Principal through the process of selecting the three best candidates from Day 1 to be brought for formal interview on Day 2, ensuring best practice in the selection process
• Guide the Principals through the process of selecting the best candidate following the Day 2 interviews, ensuring best practice in the selection process
• Give advice on the construction of the offer, on making the offer, and obtaining confirmation of acceptance
• Provide a draft offer letter for the Partners/Principal to use/adapt
• Provide a template letter for the Practice to use to request references for the successful candidate
• Provide notes for the Partners/Principal to use/adapt to prepare the induction programme for the new Manager
• During the first few months of employment, keep in touch with the Partners/Principal and the new Manager and ensure that he/she is settling in satisfactorily

* Our service is aimed at larger Practices where the Practice Manager is purely a manager with no non-managerial job functions.

Why choose FPM's Recruitment Service?

Partners/Principals may not be particularly experienced in recruiting staff (especially senior staff) and yet the appointment of their Manager is the most important appointment in the Practice.

What does it cost?

A lot of work goes into providing the comprehensive service described above; our Recruitment Consultants (who are all current or former Practice Managers) will put in many days work on each project. We provide all the services described above for a fixed fee of  £4,300 + VAT, plus the cost of advertising (this is typically in the range £750 - £1000 + VAT).

What now?

If you are interested in our Recruitment Service, please contact us using our enquiry form or phone us on 0333 240 4010.