Podcast – Freddie Charrington – From Problem to Platform: Building 'Dispensary Market'
Release Date: 02/23/2026
Podcast – Sian Stanley – Can General Practice Lead System Transformation?
The General Practice Podcast
In this episode of the General Practice Podcast, Ben is joined by Dr Sian Stanley, GP Partner, PCN Clinical Director and Health System Transformation Leader to explore how general practice can play a central role in reshaping urgent and community care. Sian shares the story behind a GP-led urgent treatment centre collaborative in West Essex, bringing together primary care, community services, the acute trust and wider system partners to redesign patient flow and reinvest savings back into local services. This is a fascinating discussion about practical system leadership, collaboration, and the...
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Podcast – Practice Index – The GP Contract & What It Means for Practices
The General Practice Podcast
In this week’s episode, brought to you in partnership with Practice Index, we welcome back podcast regulars Claire Houston & Robyn Clark to unpack the realities of the 2026/27 GP contract and what it means for general practice. Claire & Robyn share practical insights into how practices are managing rising expenses, the limitations of current funding allocations, and the increasing challenge of balancing demand with limited resources. They also reflect on wider system issues, including the sustainability of general practice, the risks of shifting workload without adequate funding, and...
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Podcast – Sarah Coope – Managing Conflict in General Practice: A Practical Framework for Leaders
The General Practice Podcast
In this week's episode, Ben is joined by Dr Sarah Coope, former GP, mediator and CEO of Wild Monday, to explore one of the most challenging aspects of working in general practice - conflict. Sarah shares why conflict is both inevitable and, when handled well, a positive force within teams, particularly in high-pressure environments like general practice and PCNs. The conversation explores why unresolved conflict is so common, how workload and system complexity contribute, and why avoiding difficult conversations can often make things worse. The episode also highlights the emotional toll of...
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Podcast – Tara Humphrey – From Networks to Neighbourhoods
The General Practice Podcast
Ben recently joined Tara Humphrey from THC Primary Care on The Business of Healthcare Podcast, to explore what lies ahead for primary care, the importance of strong relationships in leadership, and what recent GP contract developments mean for Primary Care Networks and neighbourhood-focused approaches. Interested in hearing more from Ben and Tara? Join them at PCN Plus LIVE 2026 on Wednesday 22nd April 2026, where they’ll be focusing on how deeper collaboration, locally driven innovation, and bold thinking can shape the future of healthcare delivery. Visit the website to...
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Podcast – Practice Index – Breaking Down the 2026/27 GP Contract
The General Practice Podcast
In this week’s episode, brought to you in partnership with Practice Index, we welcome back to the podcast Peter Maynard, Executive Partner at Horfield Health Centre and Ceri Chaplin, Managing Partner at Hereford Medical Group. Following the publication of the 2026/27 GP contract, they discuss the headline changes and what they could mean for general practice. While the announcement highlights new investment, the reality for practices may be more complex, with funding pressures, operational changes and unanswered questions about how the proposals will work in practice. The conversation...
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Podcast – Freddie Charrington – From Problem to Platform: Building 'Dispensary Market'
The General Practice Podcast
In this week's episode, Ben is joined by Dr Freddie Charrington, GP Partner at Phoenix Health Group in Tetbury, to discuss the growing financial challenges facing dispensing practices, and how the practice transformed its dispensary from near break-even to sustainable profitability. Freddie shares how he unexpectedly became dispensary lead soon after becoming a partner and was tasked with determining whether the service should continue at all. Working alongside his dispensary team, family members and a data scientist, Freddie developed ‘Dispensary Market’, a tool that compares drug prices...
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Podcast – Practice Index – Why Appraisals Matter in General Practice
The General Practice Podcast
In this week’s episode, brought to you in partnership with Practice Index, we welcome back podcast regulars Claire Houston & Robyn Clark to explore why appraisals are a vital part of staff development in general practice, and how to make them meaningful rather than just a tick-box exercise. They discuss whether ‘appraisal season’ is helpful or whether reviews should be spread throughout the year, how to structure objectives so they align with wider practice goals, and why appraisals should never contain surprises. The conversation covers practical tips on preparation, 360° feedback,...
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Podcast – Catherine Pope – Access to General Practice: What Works, What Lasts, and Why
The General Practice Podcast
In this episode, Ben is joined by Catherine Pope, Professor of Medical Sociology at Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, to explore how access to general practice really works in practice and what happens to appointment systems over time. Drawing on over 30 years of research and findings from a recent study, the discussion examines the sustainability of different access models, the legacy of initiatives such as Advanced Access, and why practices continually adapt systems to manage demand. The episode explores the limitations of top-down, standardised and digital first...
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Podcast – Dr Zalan Alam – How Rochdale Is Implementing the National Neighbourhood Programme
The General Practice Podcast
In the first episode of 2026, Ben is joined by Dr Zalan Alam, General Practitioner, Director of Medical Education and GP Partner, to explore Rochdale’s selection as a site for the National Neighbourhood Health Implementation Programme (NNHIP) and what this means in practice for general practice and PCNs. The discussion focuses on improving patient journeys, particularly for frail patients and those in the last year or 1,000 days of life, by strengthening connectivity between primary care, community services, hospices, ambulance services and acute trusts, using standardised frailty...
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Podcast – Judy Oliver – The Role of the Voluntary Sector in General Practice
The General Practice Podcast
In this episode, Ben is joined by Judy Oliver from Oliver & Company to discuss the role of the voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) sector in healthcare and general practice. Judy explains why the voluntary sector is essential yet often misunderstood. She explores how social prescribing and asset mapping can better connect patients with non-clinical support, highlights successful collaborative models such as the Bromley by Bow Centre, and discusses the challenges VCSE organisations face around funding and visibility. The conversation focuses on practical ways PCNs and...
info_outlineIn this week's episode, Ben is joined by Dr Freddie Charrington, GP Partner at Phoenix Health Group in Tetbury, to discuss the growing financial challenges facing dispensing practices, and how the practice transformed its dispensary from near break-even to sustainable profitability. Freddie shares how he unexpectedly became dispensary lead soon after becoming a partner and was tasked with determining whether the service should continue at all. Working alongside his dispensary team, family members and a data scientist, Freddie developed ‘Dispensary Market’, a tool that compares drug prices across multiple wholesalers, helping practices make smarter purchasing decisions. Freddie also explains how the tool has expanded beyond his own practice, remaining free for GP practices while helping improve both profitability and medication availability across dispensing sites.
Introduction (0:08)
Freddie’s background and becoming dispensary lead (0:20)
Why dispensing practices are under financial pressure (1:21)
Rural challenges and workforce pressures (2:27)
Discovering the true dispensary finances (3:07)
Identifying purchasing inefficiencies and drug margins (4:01)
From spreadsheets to building a solution (4:45)
Developing Dispensary Market (5:27)
Expanding wholesalers and improving margins (6:30)
Implementing change with the dispensary team (7:21)
How the platform works in practice (8:24)
Why drug prices change constantly (9:24)
Real-time pricing and system design (10:10)
Early results and product evolution (10:44)
Lessons in change management and user adoption (11:44)
Rolling out to other practices (13:23)
Keeping the platform free for GP practices (14:43)
What is ‘Dispensary Market’ and how to access it (15:08)
Uptake and current usage (16:11)
Balancing GP work and running the platform (16:21)
Supply chain benefits and stock availability (17:06)
Closing reflections (18:10)
Check out the ‘Dispensary Market’ website here.
For all enquiries about the Ockham podcast, please contact Ben Gowland here.