Can we become members and how do we go about it?

Membership is open to practice managers and anyone interested in or working in practice management.  Details of membership categories, costs and how to join are here

What does membership include?

See the members benefits page for full details of why you should join

What qualifications do I need to do the CVPM?

None at all - the CVPM is designed to be an open access qualification. You do have to be working in a veterinary practice with an appropriate level of responsibility, and have undertaken appropriate CPD or training - but O levels, GCSE's, MBA's etc are not compulsory! For more details, request a registration form from the secretariat (email link below), and read the CVPM pages

Do I have to have been working in a practice management role to do the CVPM?

In a nutshell, yes.   The CVPM shows that you have the skills and experience to manage a veterinary practice.  You do have to be working with management responsibility before you can complete your three portfolio projects satisfactorily.  If you need any advice, do contact the Chairman of of the CVPM Board c&tchair@vpma.co.uk

What sort of course is the CVPM and what does it entail?

The CVPM is not a course as such, it is an accreditation process which you can prepare for an any way you feel most appropriate.  Most colleges offer supervisory and operational management courses, and our diary contains a number of useful meetings.  Training does not have to be veterinary specific, although examiners will expect a degree of veterinary knowledge appropriate to a working veterinary practice manager. The reading list is published regularly in the journal, and registered candidates have access to a mentoring network.  The best preparation is actually managing a practice.  The idea is that anyone who is genuinely managing a practice should be able to prepare for and be successful in the examination.

Is there anyone whom we can speak with if we come across problems whilst doing the CVPM?

All the examining board will be happy to help with questions.

I am looking for a job – do you have an employment register? Where do I look for job adverts?

Practice Manager jobs are advertised in the Veterinary Record and Vet Times.  There are also several websites which advertise job vacancies. The VPMA employment register may be helpful

Can we put an article in the journal? If so, how do we go about it?

Great!   VPMA Journal editor is always looking for topical management articles of interest to our members. Contact the editor at journal@vpma.co.uk

What is the VPAC and how does it work?

The Veterinary Practice Administration Certificate is awarded by the VPMA to VPMA members who have achieved the appropriate number of credits with the OCN, by attending a college course and fulfilling continual assessment.  The VPAC is available where level of demand is sufficient for colleges to run a course.  Check out the VPAC page for more details

What are the differences between the membership types?

Details are on the membership page

What colleges run the VPAC? If not in my area, do you offer open learning courses?

For current information on the VPAC please contact the secretariat at secretariat@vpma.co.uk

How much salary should a practice manager receive?

This is not an easy question to answer because no two practice managers carry out the same job or are paid the same salary. There is no set pay scale for veterinary practice managers. The VPMA Practice Manager Salary Survey carried out in 2001 showed a huge variation in salaries from £10000pa to £28000pa. and although each of these salaries was for a Practice Manager the responsibilities residing with the jobs varied from basic administrative tasks to considerable management responsibility. Generally speaking however a full-time manager responsible for 20 or more staff would expect to earn in the range of £16000pa - £20000pa. Managers of larger/group practices would usually earn correspondingly more

Could you give advice on preparing a Health and Safety policy?

Writing the practice health and safety policy is the first step to take when looking at how health and safety is to be organised in the practice.

The health and safety policy sets out in writing exactly how the practice will ensure the health safety and welfare of its employees.

It should begin with a general health and safety statement and then list the different health and safety measures which the practice will undertake and who will be responsible to carrying them out.

The policy should cover the following areas :-

• Health and safety statement
• Responsibilities for health and safety ie. which personnel have specific responsibilities for the different areas of health and safety in the practice
• Risk assessments which will be undertaken
• How the practice will consult with employees
• How the practice will ensure equipment safety
• The practice COSHH policy
• The practice arrangements for the provision of health and safety information, training and supervision
• The practice accident and first aid arrangements
• The practice fire procedure
• How the practice will ensure the safety of contractors and visitors

The policy should be signed by the employer - who has the overall responsibility for health and safety - and dated. The policy should be reviewed on a regular (usually annual) basis and revised when ever circumstances change (eg is a member of staff with specific health and safety responsibilities leaves).

All staff should have access to and read the practice health and safety policy

Where can I find benchmarking information on practice performance?

The following references might be helpful:

• How Well is Your Practice Performing?  2000, In Practice 22 pp 44-46
• First Year's Results of BVA/SPVS/VPMA Quarterly Practice Finance Survey 2001  In Practice 23 pp557-559
• Details on participating in the survey from Derek Thorpe at the BVA 020 7636 6541
• Contact Anval for latest news on their BVA/SPVS Practice Survey 01637 881416
• A number of pharmaceutical and computer companies run benchmarking schemes - ask your representatives.

USA figures are available in the 2001 Well Managed Practice Study - order online at www.vmpgstore.com at $170

Could I please have some business planning advice?

The best business planning advice is of the do it yourself variety! Share your worries and your worries will be reduced dramatically.
Regular meetings with the owners of the business, the senior team members, the practice accountants, your bankers - and don't scrimp on the networking nor on any training opportunities, both for yourself and for any appropriate personnel.

The owners will normally be the partners and you should have at least a lunchtime update each week and a major presentation each month at amonthly management evening meeting with a set agenda and based on Finance andHuman Resources issues. It is the only sensible way to get out of the people that matter what your practice needs for them to be able to make the planning decisions on.
Try and get the accountants to attend the meetings on a regular basis and regularly get the bank manager in to press the bank on what they look for and what is deficient in your reporting for them.

Never waste an opportunity to travel to other practices to look at good practice and, similarly, surf the three or four e groups - VPMA, SPVS and VCU groups are recommended. With the e groups, don't be afraid to put your oar in and either give your point of view or clearly show your predicament and don't be afraid of showing your ignorance on issues that you have not got a handle on. Most of the pharmaceuticals and computer companies will provide you with advice, reporting and planning strategies. It is simply a case of asking.  Most of us are aware of the Fort Dodge Index which has been running for at least six years now and although the FDI only provides turnover information, it is fascinating to have that tool to aid your planning.

All the major veterinary associations have names they will point you at but I go back to the beginning and you must continually ask:" what do I need to bring my business planning to a level that will allow the partners and the manager to construct a plan to give the business a near 99% chance of retaining market share and planning for successful years to come?"

Standard advice on business planning techniques is readily available in most financial and business management texts - look in your local bookshop, and ask your financial advisors.

I want to set up my own practice. How do I go about it?
I am a student looking for information to help me with my project. Who should I contact?
Can you give help with putting together plans for building a new surgery?
Do you have info on client surveys, and on someone who could do them for my practice?
I want to become a practice manager.
How do I go about it? What qualifications do I need?
What would be expected of me? What courses do you run?