The NHS is collectively Europe's largest employer. The increasing number of practice managers who become partners will find they not only need to focus on their professional and development needs but must also keep abreast of the vital changes in the NHS Pension scheme.

Many practice managers have to accept that communicating their service levels and performance are the main issues to be monitored to reduce any threat of debt or liability to their surgeries brought on by incorrect NHS Pension deductions. Payroll can be complicated by other calculations, such as the complex GP registrars' pay, maternity pay, rolling sick policy, and the new NHS Pension tiers.

"We concentrate on risk management," says Maureen. "In the event of the practice manager not being available, the key factor is making sure that the payroll and pension administration continues to run smoothly. Given the current economic downturn, many practice managers are now seeking more cost-effective ways to pay their staff."

Managers, due to cold weather, are often tackling a flu epidemic while overseeing the financial side and management of their practice. Many currently use HMRC-accredited software to assist with the payroll, but the new NHS Pension Scheme requires specialist knowledge, particularly for AW8 retirement forms. Compupaye has the right experience, proficiency and resources to assist.

Compupaye is offering experienced support during the credit crisis to administer payrolls for practice managers. Their recent customer satisfaction levels hit a 10-year high according to the results of its client survey report published in December 2008. The survey carried out between January and December 2007 revealed client satisfaction was up in a number of key areas, including:

• An average of 97.9% of clients said they were satisfied with the overall performance of Compupaye.
• Friendliness of staff – at 98%, the highest satisfaction rating, with clear advice and staff knowledge being considered the most important aspect of the payroll and NHS Pension administration services provided by Compupaye.

Said Maureen: "Yet further evidence that we are in direct touch with our clients' requirements and the daily realities of providing an outsourcing pensions and payroll administration service are the clear benefits that practices are looking for. The more we identify with our customers, the better we can manage our relationships with them."

Compupaye ensures that all its clients are kept abreast, by Maureen's team of qualified staff, of the slew of NHS pensions and payroll legislation compliance and practices.

Maureen admits: "Most practice managers find this area daunting, but by streamlining NHS pensions and payroll under one operation with us, time management can be applied elsewhere with little risks to their practice. Compupaye embraces modern customer relationship management (CRM) technology to maintain a high level of service. We can also reduce surgeries' carbon emissions by supplying all our reports and payslips electronically via email."

She adds: "There is online support and new clients benefit from the delivery of our website, newsletter and general advice. Our staff are all equipped with a 360-degree view of our client's pension and payroll portfolio to deliver highly personalised customer service and respond to queries rapidly. We tailor to individual client's needs with sound pensions and payroll methods, which will help see practice managers through the credit crunch."

  

Editor’s Notes

The survey was carried out by the Compupaye Customer Relationship Management Team (CRMT).

 Before handing over your payroll operations, small businesses need to consider:

• whether the service provider can tailor a suitable package
• whether they are experienced with your type and size of business
• whether they can supply payslips in a format suitable for your business
• if the service includes calculating and submitting annual returns
• the charge for setting up the payroll system
• the charge for administering the system
• the ability to pay your staff wages by bank transfer (Bacstel-IP)
• whether the fees include making all the types of deductions
• how easily scalable their service is (eg if you take on another employee)
• whether they provide customer support on payroll legislation
• whether they provide online payroll facilities
• what software they use, whether it is HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) accredited, and if it is compatible with your own.

Compupaye is a BACS Approved Bureau with ISO9001 quality systems.

For enquiries about the company, please contact Maureen Gordon at Compupaye on +44(0)20 8880 4276.

This page was last updated 24/01/2010