The Institute of General Practice Management (IGPM) has named Rosa Wyldeman, Operations Officer at Lincolnshire Local Medical Committee (LMC), as the first-ever recipient of its IGPM Award for Outstanding Contribution to Practice Management.
The award recognises Rosa’s exceptional commitment to championing the role of the Practice Manager in general practice and her longstanding support for the IGPM since its earliest days.
Throughout her work with Lincolnshire LMC, Rosa has been a passionate advocate for Managers in Practice, recognising the vital role they play in the successful running of general practice and the wider primary care workforce.
Lincolnshire hosts over 30 accredited Practice Managers, reflecting Rosa’s commitment to professional recognition, standards and development. Through her organisation and encouragement, she has helped Managers gain recognition for their skills, experience and contribution to primary care with those important MIGPM letters,
Rosa has also been integral to the development and launch of the new Level 6 Apprenticeship this year, helping to support the future of Practice Management through enhanced training and development opportunities.
The IGPM Award for Outstanding Contribution to Practice Management has been established to recognise individuals who go above and beyond in supporting, developing and championing the Practice Management profession. As the first recipient, Rosa embodies the values at the heart of the IGPM: professional recognition, collaboration, development and ensuring that the voices of Practice Managers are heard.
Kay Keane, Director, said:
”Rosa has been a genuine champion of Practice Management and of the IGPM from the very beginning. She has consistently recognised the professionalism, skill and leadership of Practice Managers, and more importantly, she has done something about it.
From encouraging professional accreditation, championing a level 5 apprenticeship and then supporting the development of the new Level 6 apprenticeship, Rosa has helped create opportunities for Practice Managers to be recognised, supported and developed at the same time as completing her own apprenticeship journey.
Rosa is also one of those people who quietly gets things done. Her support for the IGPM, and for the profession more widely, has been unwavering. I can’t think of anyone more deserving to be the first recipient of this award, and I am absolutely delighted that we are able to recognise everything she has contributed.”
Rosa said:
“Practice managers are often overlooked when people think about general practice teams, yet they are the people working behind the scenes to ensure GPs and their teams can deliver patient care. They hold so much together, and practices simply could not function effectively without them.
In Lincolnshire, this work began when we identified a potential future workforce gap. Having experienced my own apprenticeship journey, I recognised the opportunity to help practices ‘grow their own’ future managers through apprenticeships, while embedding meaningful succession planning. Equally, we wanted to recognise and retain the wealth of experience already within the profession. This is where IGPM accreditation became so important, giving practice managers recognition for their expertise, enabling them to demonstrate their professional standards, and opening up access to a wealth of resources and support.
By bringing together apprenticeships and professional accreditation, we have created a pathway that supports the development of future managers while recognising and strengthening the skills of those already in post. I am incredibly proud of what we have achieved in Lincolnshire, and delighted that our work has helped contribute to these opportunities becoming available to practice managers nationally. Winning this award is a wonderful recognition of the importance of investing in the people who help keep general practice running.”
The IGPM continues to work nationally to raise the profile of Practice Managers, promote professional standards and ensure that those responsible for leading and managing general practice receive the recognition and support they need.
Rosa’s award celebrates not only her individual contribution, but also the importance of the partnerships and individuals who help strengthen Practice Management as a recognised and valued profession.
