Getting it right in business
With the Pegasus Health Board resolving that the organisation would not move into practice ownership and feedback from members indicating many wanted more assistance with managing the business side of their practices, Pegasus has been focused on providing further support to general practice business owners through initiatives designed to make the ownership of practices more attractive.
One of these initiatives has been the development of the Business Owners Forums which started in in April 2015. These forums are an opportunity to further engage with business owners to offer information and education on topics that are directly relevant to General Practice owners. For the April meeting these included human resources issues resolution, the Foundation Standard and an update on legislative changes.
“We were delighted at the response,” says forum organiser and Pegasus Health Quality Programme Manager Martin Carrell. “It was an excellent turnout and showed just how much interest there was in learning more about the business aspects of practice management and ownership.”
To build on the momentum of April’s forum, Pegasus Health is now offering a Business Owners Forum to members across Canterbury three times a year.
Feedback from members at each forum determines what topics will be covered at future events. Dr Mick Ozimek who is providing clinical leadership to the initiative says. “Forums will also be evaluated to ensure quality and relevancy remain high. It also enables us to get ideas from business owners on topics they would like to know more about.”
“Holding these forums is a great way for members to meet informally, learn about key aspects of business and management practice, ask questions and discuss issues with their peers and the team from Pegasus Health,” Pegasus Health Chief Operating Officer Mark Liddle says.
If there is enough demand, additional workshops will be arranged to meet the needs of particular business owners.
Members can also seek assistance from Pegasus Health through Support Plus, which provides expertise in many areas including HR and IT.