Association of Managers in General Practice
AMGP
The Association of Health Centre and Practice Administrators (AHCPA, later the AMGP) was founded on 26 October 1975. Founder members included Kathleen Robinson and Jo Gibson. Branches were steadily formed throughout the UK. In the early 1980s ‘Introduction to Practice Management’ courses were launched with six task-oriented modules:
- Management – systems for planning, information and decision-making
- Finance – basic principles of book-keeping, PAYE, Red Book, fees and forms
- Employment law
- Problem-solving
- Recruitment, selection and training
- Communications
The first Diploma course was run in conjunction with Tottenham College, London and Debden College, Essex in 1981. It covered management, law, finance and the FPC with a final 4,000–7,000 word written project. Many of these projects being adopted as ‘best practice’ examples. Topics included such things as producing a practice leaflet, computerising the practice and producing an annual report. The first annual course was held at Abingdon in 1982. Mary Talbot as Chairman and Ellen Kemp as Education Officer became leading figures in practice management.1985 saw the launch of the first modular training manual “The Kilby Kore” named after Sandra Kilby, one of its principal authors. Kore being an acronym for Knowledge; Organisation; Resources and Education. Closer links were forged with the Royal College of General Practitioners in 1984–85 when a joint working party, and an Education Advisory Panel were formed with representatives from the College.
Beginning in 1986 joint training sessions were held involving GPs and practice managers in the form of Management Appreciation workshops under the direction of Sally Irvine (now Lady Irvine) and Dr June Huntington held in London and Newcastle. Sally Irvine, as General Administrator of the Royal College of General Practitioners, had worked with the Association since 1983 and was, later, to serve as President of the Association for four years. Her signal contribution is still celebrated with the Sally Irvine Lecture given annually by a notable speaker at the Institute’s annual conference. There were also local initiatives such as that in North Thames Region in 1988 when a joint working party was formed by the then Chairman of the Association, Sandra Gower, with the BMA and AMSPAR to promote jointly with the Association a structured professional management training scheme for GPs and Practice Managers in the region.
Training and education remained an essential feature of the Association’s work. Regional training was formalised with the first of two ‘Training for Trainers’ courses held in 1984–85. An Education Team was formed in 1986 led by Brenda Sawyer, as Education Officer, who undertook the revisions to the Introduction to Practice Management and Intermediate Practice Management courses into Certificate and Diploma modular programmes. Brenda Sawyer was the first practice manager to achieve an MSc in Healthcare at Exeter University. She was granted Licentiate Membership of the IHSM in 1990 and she was awarded AMGP Fellowship in the same year.
The introduction of the new GP contract in 1990 saw the Association’s membership more than double during Sandra Gower’s Chairmanship. This turning point in the Association led to a series of ‘Leadership: Training for Trainers’ series run by Dr Keith Bolden at the Institute of General Practice, Exeter University. During the 1990s, under the direction of Professor (now Sir) Denis Pereira Gray and Dr Keith Bolden the Institute of General Practice, Exeter University became an AMGP Centre of Excellence for its pioneering inter-professional work in developing small group skills. Keith Bolden held the AMGP Presidency from 1996 and steered the Association through to the formation of the IHM.Other significant events during 1990 included the first annual Practice Manager of the Year awards, gaining representation on the MESOL steering group, and the establishment of an Education Board. Both Ken Jarrold and Alison Baker were members of the Board in later years. The first MESOL Open Learning Centre for managers in general practice was launched at Winchester in 1992. The same year saw the formation of the first examiners and assessors team at Exeter.
Growing in both membership and confidence the Association gained the approval of its membership in 1993 to introduce full membership by qualification in 1995. This was preceded by the development of the first ‘Management Standards for managers working in general practice’. In 1994 the Federation of Scottish Practice Managers amalgamated with AHCPA and the adoption of a new name, the Association of Managers in General Practice. Rosey Foster was appointed its first Chief Executive this year and permanent offices were established at the RCGP in London. The Association also achieved representation on the King’s Fund steering group on Organisational Standards in Primary Care.By 1995 membership had passed the 2,500 mark and it launched its Code of Principles at the annual course held that year at Ashridge College. Stage II of the Principles was launched in the following year and work on ‘Fellowship by Assessment’ began under the Chairmanship of Jackie Maun.
The second Centre of Excellence was established at the Newcastle City Trust in partnership with the University of Northumbria and New College, Durham.The annual course moved to Brighton in 1997 alongside the NHS Confederation conference. The campaign to include GP staff in the NHS Pensions scheme, in which the Association played a pivotal role was at last successful as well. Publication of the Primary Health Care Handbook with Kogan Page and the launch of the postgraduate Management of Primary Care course at Southampton University added a gloss to a very good year.In 1998 the Association held its annual course at Malvern jointly with the IHSM. The ballot of members at this event and the postal ballot saw members wholeheartedly support the move to form a new organisation with the IHSM. Association members also joined the House of Commons All Party Group for Primary Care and Public Health. The Association’s representatives on the Shadow Executive included Barbara Daniels, the chairman and Graham Dickerson, the honorary treasurer.
