We hear from Thornfields Associate and Recruitment Consultant Heather Cook about how she got started and why she thinks the FPM Recruitment Consultancy service has been so successful over the years.

Q. Hi Heather, tell us a bit about yourself, and what your areas of expertise are in your role as a Thornfields Associate?

I have been in senior strategic management roles for over 30 years, so I have a lot of knowledge about business, compliance, corporate and employment law. I had my own telecom company for 15 years and came into General Practice to help an accountant to recover a practice after fraud.

Q. How did you come to be a Thornfields Associate?

The practice I worked in used the FPM recruitment service for a new PM and I engaged well with [former associate] Ruth to facilitate the process. I left the practice after 6 years and was encouraged by Ruth to consider an independent consultancy role with FPM, which I did. Initially it delivered recruitment, consultancy and Introduction to Practice Management (ITPM) training services, which I still do and thoroughly enjoy. In 2016 I was one of the first to attend the ‘Thornfield’s Academy’ and have since delivered the majority of the areas of training offered. I do limit myself to the training I deliver, now just the ITPM as there is no PowerPoint and engaging with the cohort this way works well and seems to match my personality, leaving all other courses for the excellent team of trainers.

Q. How did you feel when you first started, and what advice would you have today for new trainers or those considering the role?

Thornfield’s training was a little out of my comfort zone as I was used to F2F training without PowerPoint, however I very quickly became knowledgeable about the expectation and was a very willing traveller throughout the UK for these deliveries; until 2020 when we all had our wings clipped with COVID.

"The cohorts we are given for the training are generally lovely and engaging so being open minded and kind does help them to participate and help with the deliveries."

For F2F deliveries, I mingle throughout the room, so I am available for anyone a little embarrassed about asking a question.

Q. You’ve been heavily involved in FPM’s Recruitment Consultancy service offering – can you describe it for people who haven’t used it yet? Why do you think it has been so successful?

The first meeting with the partners or team is to reassure them and engage in a way that shows how committed and interested we are in their practice or business. Initially, I meet with all involved with the process on Zoom or Teams so we can build a sound working relationship and ease them into the journey to conclude a successful recruitment. From this meeting I am able to guide the partners into creating a suitable post for their vacancy, and then produce a comprehensive document which includes much about the practice, its location, team ethos and also the job description and contractual terms. This is accompanied by an advert.

The adverts are all managed by me and run for 2-3 weeks, during which I RAG-rate all of the applications, no matter how many. I also remind any who have shown an interest and haven’t applied by the closing date that this is pending.

The partners are then better informed about how many would suit their vacancy and be appropriate for interview without having to go through ‘time wasters’ applications (a “Subway sandwich artist” springs to mind!).

We don’t discriminate and existing team members are directed to the adverts if they wish to apply, so are assessed along with all other applicants.

The interview process is managed online with group introductions giving information which is not seen on their application and then there is a short group task. This time in the process is valuable as it shows their personality and also behaviour in a meeting. The partners are given a categorised list of questions so they can select what they would like to ask at individual interviews. I help the partners, and guide them on how to avoid discrimination and assess each candidate fairly. I facilitate the whole process with guidance and encouragement.

I am the deliverer of bad news to those unsuccessful after first interviews, and second interviews are at the practice premises, again facilitated by me in an online presence.

I draft the offer and reference letters and then email reminders to assess the new person once they are in post, at months one and three, and then to review prior to concluding probation.

"It is a very personal delivery of an end-to-end service, and many of the practices have used us again and also kindly referred us to others."

I build sound business relationships with all involved and take great pleasure in being invited into the practice if I’m ever passing, and occasionally meeting the new recruit again at the Introduction to Practice Training which I deliver for Thornfield’s.

Q. What trends are we seeing in the healthcare recruitment market at the moment?

It is very quiet at the moment regarding recruitment. Training programmes are including Aspiring Managers as a programme to encourage succession from within, and there is a wider pool of talent within the PCN. There are of course also financial concerns within GP practices.

Q. Is there a particular individual who has had a big impact on your career, or your role as a trainer, that you’d like to thank?

In telecoms, the bank manager gave me 6 months to progress from being a sales manager into a Managing Director, or he would put a management consultant into the business to protect their overdraft. He encouraged me to learn and trust in my own abilities until I had the confidence to buy the business outright from the other shareholders.

Ruth Long (who has since retired) encouraged me initially to join FPM and I have really enjoyed having the free reign to develop the ITPM training course, adapting it and the recruitment service to online and more efficient deliveries. Donna has always been my rock in administration for which I am incredibly grateful, and Helen is very thoughtful and kind in keeping my diary as busy as possible.

Q. And finally… how do you relax at the end of a busy day?

I have two large and gorgeous rescue dogs which keep me grounded and feeling loved! I love cooking and creating new recipes, Vietnamese and Korean being my areas of interest at the moment. I also have a haven in my very private garden which has been a labour of love to landscape. At this time of year gardening is replaced with knitting snuggly outfits for my great niece and nephew, and I always have a book on the go in my Kindle.

If you would like to become and Associate and help Thornfields deliver training to our fantastic health and care clients, or help us to keep our policies and procedures up to date, then contact us today!