The General Practice Podcast

In this week's episode, brought to you in partnership with Practice Index, we welcome back podcast regulars Claire Houston & Robyn Clark to explore why appraisals are a vital part of staff development in general practice, and how to make them meaningful rather than just a tick-box exercise. They discuss whether 'appraisal season' is helpful or whether reviews should be spread throughout the year, how to structure objectives so they align with wider practice goals, and why appraisals should never contain surprises. The conversation covers practical tips on preparation, 360° feedback, handling difficult conversations, and setting SMART objectives that genuinely support both individual growth and organisational strategy. The episode also explores the unique challenge of appraising practice managers, the benefits of a four point scoring system, and how digital tools like the Appraisals Manager within the Practice Index Hub can streamline the entire appraisal cycle, from scheduling and documentation to tracking objectives and progress.
Introduction (0:09)
Practice Index Appraisals Manager: what it offers (00:35)
Is there such a thing as 'appraisal season'? (01:25)
Why appraisals should never contain surprises (02:15)
Formal appraisals (03:10)
Aligning individual objectives with practice strategy (04:00)
Setting meaningful objectives (and how many to set) (06:30)
Using SMART objectives effectively (08:30)
The importance of preparation and pre-appraisal questionnaires (10:30)
360° feedback and gathering wider perspectives (11:30)
Avoiding difficult conversations,  and why you shouldn't (13:45)
A practical structure for giving constructive feedback (14:45)
Rethinking scoring: why move from five points to four? (16:50)
Documenting objectives and tracking progress digitally (18:20)
Who appraises the practice manager? (19:15)
Using the IGPM appraisal toolkit (20:30)
Accessing the HR package and Appraisals Manager in the Hub (23:30)
Episode summary and close (24:30)
Book an HR Package demo here












To access the IGPM Appraisal Toolkit, join IGPM here.











To visit the Practice Index website, click here or contact James Dillon here.
For all enquiries about the Ockham podcast, please contact Ben Gowland here.

In this episode, Ben is joined by Catherine Pope, Professor of Medical Sociology at Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, to explore how access to general practice really works in practice and what happens to appointment systems over time. Drawing on over 30 years of research and findings from a recent study, the discussion examines the sustainability of different access models, the legacy of initiatives such as Advanced Access, and why practices continually adapt systems to manage demand. The episode explores the limitations of top-down, standardised and digital first solutions, the impact of access systems on patients, reception teams and clinicians, and why variation is often necessary to meet the needs of local populations. The conversation also highlights patient experiences of navigating access, the risks of diversion and looping between services, creative approaches such as the 'Phones and Ladders' game to illustrate access challenges, and the case for more patient-centred, locally adaptable models that prioritise need, continuity and sustainable general practice.
Introduction (00:08) 
Your recent study on access to general practice (01:00)
Did you find that practices were able to sustain the benefits of new access systems? (04:04)
Have practices managed to stick with the changes they made over time? (09:41)
Does this impact sustainability, because eventually people stop doing it? (13:39)
'Phones and Ladders' (15:30)
Should access start with local population needs? (19:28) 
Are current access outcome measures too crude if they focus only on waiting times? (22:05)
If people want to access the research or learn more, where can they find it? (24:33)
Visit the 'General Practice: Innovation, impact and sustainable change' research here.
For all enquiries about the Ockham podcast, please contact Ben Gowland here.

In the first episode of 2026, Ben is joined by Dr Zalan Alam, General Practitioner, Director of Medical Education and GP Partner, to explore Rochdale's selection as a site for the National Neighbourhood Health Implementation Programme (NNHIP) and what this means in practice for general practice and PCNs. The discussion focuses on improving patient journeys, particularly for frail patients and those in the last year or 1,000 days of life, by strengthening connectivity between primary care, community services, hospices, ambulance services and acute trusts, using standardised frailty assessments, shared care plans and tools such as the Greater Manchester Care Record. The episode also covers targeted neighbourhood working in Rochdale South, the importance of peer leadership and measurable impact for frontline practices, and what comes next as the programme moves from planning into delivery, with an emphasis on locally adaptable models rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.
Introduction (00:08)
Why Rochdale was selected for NHIP (00:29)
Population, PCNs and deprivation (01:22)
How the programme is structured (02:42)
Early priorities and patient journey focus (03:35)
Targeting Rochdale South as a proof of concept (05:33)
Connectivity gaps and 'lightbulb moments' (06:25)
How neighbourhood working operates in practice (07:03)
Standardising care plans and frailty pathways (08:40)
Using data to identify priority cohorts (10:07)
Shared tools, shared vision (12:01)
Impact on PCNs and general practice (14:09)
System-level integration and why it works in Rochdale (16:12)
Moving from planning to delivery (17:42)
Measuring impact and managing expectations (18:40)
Learning from other NHIP sites (19:13)
Reflections & next steps (20:26)
Listen to Zalan's previous podcasts 'Innovative intermediate care' here and 'Integration working in practice' here.
Contact Zalan via email here.
For all enquiries about the Ockham podcast, please contact Ben Gowland here.

In this episode, Ben is joined by Judy Oliver from Oliver & Company to discuss the role of the voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) sector in healthcare and general practice. Judy explains why the voluntary sector is essential yet often misunderstood. She explores how social prescribing and asset mapping can better connect patients with non-clinical support, highlights successful collaborative models such as the Bromley by Bow Centre, and discusses the challenges VCSE organisations face around funding and visibility. The conversation focuses on practical ways PCNs and practices can work more effectively with local voluntary groups, move towards neighbourhood-based care, and take simple next steps to build meaningful partnerships that improve patient outcomes.
Introduction (00:08)
The Voluntary Sector in General Practice (00:22)
What does VCSE mean? (02:23)
Does it deliver real benefit? (03:21)
How have PCNs worked with the voluntary sector? (05:22)
How to find what's available in your area (07:40)
Finding the right people (10:22)
From PCNs to neighbourhood working (15:01)
Next steps (18:18)
Getting in touch (19:47)
Visit the Oliver & Company website here, or contact Judy via email here, or Charlotte here. 
For all enquiries about the Ockham podcast, please contact Ben Gowland here.

In this week's episode, brought to you in partnership with Practice Index, we're joined by Claire Houston from Practice Index, Paul Gordon from Atomos, and ​James Gransby from Azets to break down what the latest budget really means for general practice. We explore how tools like the salary calculator and benchmarking manager can support smarter decision making as practices respond to rising costs. 
They also look closely at how these budget changes affect personal finances, from the withdrawal of personal allowances for high earners to the long term impact of frozen tax thresholds. With insights on NHS pensions, future tax considerations, and the importance of revisiting financial plans, this episode offers straightforward guidance to help practice teams and individuals stay confident, informed, and financially resilient.
The Budget (00:08)
Benchmarking Manager (02:28)
Reactions to the budget (03:30) 
What should people be doing differently now? (07:55)
NHS Pension (09:09)
What will be different? (10:58)
Increase in the National Living Wage (14:27) 
The Carr-Hill formula (16:31) 
The timeframe (19:25) 
Other changes.. (20:34) 
ISA changes.. (21:37)
Final thoughts.. (24:16) 
To book your free Benchmarking Manager demo, click here or to access the Salary Calculator, login here. 
To visit the Practice Index website, click here or contact James Dillon here.
For all enquiries about the Ockham podcast, please contact Ben Gowland here.