The impact of IiP on TQM and staff motivation in general practice

The white paper Working for Patients introduced fundholding to general practitioners (GPs), quickly followed by “The New Contract” and the “Patient’s Charter”. All have radically changed the way GP practices are run and managed. In response to increasing demands mechanisms are needed which will harness the motivation and commitment of practice staff. This paper reports the findings of an empirical study into GP practices conducted during 1998. The research aims were to establish the impact of the investors in people (IiP) programme on the attitudes and motivation of staff and examine any links with total quality management (TQM). The findings highlight significant differences between IiP and non‐IiP and raise some interesting issues for practice managers. There is strong evidence to suggest that using IiP as a tool to promote a TQM culture can work, but this is influenced and limited by the management style adopted.