Practice/PCN and Educator Approvals
Training hubs are now responsible for approval of Practices, PCNs. GP and Multi-professional educators in primary care to ensure learners are in an environment that delivers safe, effective and compassionate care. Training hubs are supported by the GP quality team and local primary care schools in the assessment and standardisation of educator environments for learners.
Information for Practices and PCNs to Become Approved Learning Environments - Click Here
The information below will help you navigate the registration, application and assessment process to register your practice or PCN as an approved learning environment.
It is recommended that the practice or PCN nominates an application lead to oversee and manage the application on behalf of the learning environment.
The nominated application lead will need to register the interest of the practice or PCN to become an approved learning environment to nelondonicb.traininghub@nhs.net.
The NEL Faculty and Quality team will contact the practice following the submission of their expression of interest with instructions to complete the application form and the documents they need to submit.
Once practice or PCN has submitted the application form and supporting documents, the NEL Faculty and Quality team will invite practice representatives to an assessment.
The NEL assessment panel will make a recommendation to NHSE WT&E to formally approve the practice or PCN as a recognised learning environment.
The next Panel Assessment Interview Dates are:
- Panel interview – Wednesday 25th June – afternoon (submission deadline for all required forms and information: Thursday 15th May)
- Panel interview – Tuesday 30th Sep – morning (submission deadline for all required forms and information: (Tuesday 19thAugust)
- Panel interview – Tuesday 16th Dec – morning (submission deadline for all required forms and information: (Tuesday 4thNov)
For a PCN application on behalf of educators and learning environments already approved: Educators and learning environments already approved to host placements and training will complete one application form collectively as a PCN.
For a PCN application on behalf of new and already approved educators and learning environments: New educators and learning environments can be added to the same PCN application form. However, they will also need to complete a separate application form and attend an NCL assessment.
Information for Educators to Become Approved Educators - Click Here
As a primary care clinician in North East London (NEL), you can support healthcare learners and new clinical professionals by becoming a trained and approved educator.
NHS England (NHSE) Workforce Training and Education (WTE) requires all clinicians who support learners on accredited training pathways to be Approved Educators who work in an Approved Learning Environment.
There are three steps to become an Approved Educator in NEL:
Step 1: Register your interest
All primary care clinicians in NEL must register their interest to become an educator.
To be eligible to apply, you will need to provide evidence of:
- Being in a substantive GP post in London (Salaried GP or partner working a minimum of 4 clinical sessions a week).
- At least 2 years post CCT (or equivalent).
- Capacity to attend all online sessions. (Course delegates are required to commit to attending all eleven sessions of the cohort that they have booked. )
- Capacity and support to train Foundation Doctors and/or GP specialty trainees within 1 year of completion.
- Engagement with your local clinical and educational supervisor workshop.
If you are eligible to apply, to register your interest please send an email to nelondonicb.traininghub@nhs.net
Step 2: Complete a Supervisor Training Course
Once you have registered your interest (step 1) you will be asked to complete expression of interest forms depending on your role.
If you would like to be an educator, you will need to complete the relevant supervisor training course based on your clinical profession.
Any educator that completed a recognised NHS England WT&E supervisor training course before 31 March 2023, or has a PG Certificate in Medical Education, may not be required to complete additional training. In this instance you may be asked to provide further information to your patch AD and NEL Training Hub to evidence how you have maintained your educational practice following the completion of your training when you submit your application for educator approval.
Please see below list of supervisor training courses for each clinical profession:
GP Supervisor Course
GPs who wish to supervise:
- GPSTs (1-3)
- GP Foundation Years 1&2
- Any other multi-professional clinician on an NHSE WTE accredited pathway
This is a mandatory course for GPs who want to become educational supervisors, or placement named clinical supervisors in primary care.
It is an interactive and virtual course that runs over 11 weeks (3 hours contact per week). There is an approximate time commitment of 45 hours.
There are two course intakes for London each year (September and February). See here the details: https://london.hee.nhs.uk/gp-supervisor-course
Link to Express your Interest: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdeYJdZdt-EWOT5qaifMTIBJHdZRuNvhzc29HWPd8HapDznWw/viewform
Multi-professional Supervision Course for Educators in Primary Care
All non-GP roles who wish to supervise clinicians of the same profession including:
- FCP educators can support all roles included on the FCP Roadmap to practice
- Nurse educators can supervise all nursing roles
- Pharmacy educators can support all bands of pharmacy
- Physician Associate Educators can supervise Physicians Associates
- Paramedics
- ACPs
- Practice Managers
This course is for multi-professional Primary Care educators with:
- 1-2 years post graduate experience
- relevant mentoring, supervision, and education experience in their clinical specialty
- who work in a learning environment and wish to become a Primary Care Educator
Link to Express your Interest: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfPnAydbaQ7a6H3pgr2spTx2aOgaBzyJ62axok_JdaRPd1aYg/viewform?vc=0&c=0&w=1&flr=0
Step 3: Assessment & Approval Process
Once you have completed your training course, please send an email to nelondonicb.traininghub@nhs.net, who will send you an application form (Form 1: Initial Recognition of New Educational Environments and New Educators in a Primary Care Network) and instructions in preparation for your assessment by the panel.
Once you have submitted your form and evidencing documents, you will then meet the panel for panel to make recommendation to NHSE WTE to formally approve you as an educator. Assessment panel may ask you to complete additional tasks and present additional evidence before making a recommendation to NHSE WTE for their formal approval.
The next Panel Assessment Interview Dates are:
- Panel interview – Thursday 26th June – morning (submission deadline for all required forms and information: Monday 19thMay)
- Panel interview – Monday 22nd Sep – morning (submission deadline for all required forms and information: Monday 11thAugust)
- Panel interview – Tuesday 9th Dec – morning (submission deadline for all required forms and information: Tuesday 28thOctober)
Please note that educators can only be approved if they are working in an Approved Learning Environment. If your practice is not approved as a learning environment you will need to apply for educator and learning environment approval together. Please contact your training hub for more information on practice approval process.
Information for PCN annual self-assessment Form - Click Here
Each year, approved PCNs must complete a form to reaffirm their adherence to NHSE WT&E’s Quality Framework standards
This annual process replaces the previous five-year re-validation application, as approvals are no longer time-stamped.
The self-assessment audit is designed to assure NHSE WT&E, Higher Education Institutions, and Regulators that placements remain safe for learners and that quality standards continue to improve.
The steps below provide information about the PCN Self-Assessment form and process.
What is a PCN self-assessment?
Each year, PCNs that are approved as PCN learning environments are required to complete a form reaffirm their adherence to the NHS England Workforce, Training and Education (NHSE WTE) quality framework standards. This process replaces the re-validation application previously required every five years, where approvals are no longer time-stamped.
The self-assessment paper-based audit is designed to provide assurance to NHSE WTE, Higher Education Institutions and Regulators that placements remain safe for learners and that environments are continuing to drive up quality standards.
Who should participate in the Annual PCN Self-Assessment process?
Within approved PCNs, the self-assessment applies to practices already approved as learning environments, and approved educators of all primary care clinical roles who supervise learners in these practices.
PCN Leads are requested to lead on the completion of the self-assessment form, gathering information from the following roles:
- Approved/previously recognised educators
- Practice managers
- PCN Educator Leads
- Faculty Programme Directors
PCNs that were approved as learning environments within the last twelve months will not yet be requested to submit a self-assessment form.
Instruction to complete the Annual PCN Self-Assessment form
Please click HERE to download a copy of the form.
A nominated PCN lead should oversee the form’s completion on behalf of the PCN. The form requires the following information:
Names and details of all currently approved educators from all professions that support learners in practice – this should include the following:
- Educators who have been approved via the current educator approval process
- Educators who were previously recognised as such prior to the current educator approval process
- Educators who have completed an appropriate NHS England WTE supervisor training course before 31 March 2023 with ongoing learning, feedback and reflection.
Practices in the PCN approved as learning environments.
Self-reflective statement of peer review teaching session for each educator in the PCN:
- This applies to all educators listed on as approved educators.
- The statements should demonstrate how educators apply their teaching and can adapt to fit the needs of the trainee and/or the curriculum.
Responses based on the six NHS WTE quality domains to evidence PCN ongoing commitment to high-quality standards in supporting training and education over the past year and share plans for maintaining these standards for a further 12 months. Evidence should be provided in responses to each domain, with examples below:
- Learning environment and culture (e.g. QI activities and patient feedback that have produced change)
- Educational governance and commitment to quality (e.g. learners having an input at clinic/practice/PCN meetings, EDI considerations that have been acted on)
- Developing and supporting learners (e.g. structured involvement with multi-professional education groups, adaptations to timetables for learners requiring extra support)
- Developing and supporting supervisors (e.g. ways in which learners are monitored to make sure they are on track to meet curriculum learning outcomes and how placements and assessments are reviewed)
- Developing programmes and curricula (e.g. regular engagement with HEIs and Training Hubs to understand training needs)
- Developing a sustainable workforce (e.g. plans to take on learners of different professions and how learners are exposed to other roles)
Submission
The PCN nominated lead should complete the self-assessment form and submit it to nelondonicb.traininghub@nhs.net
All sections of the form must be completed prior to submission.
Review process and recommendations
Forms will be reviewed by Training Hub against a checklist. The NEL self-assessment panel will review submissions and make recommendations. No assessment meeting will be held.
The NEL self-assessment panel will recommend one of the following to NHSE WT&E:
Recommend continued recognition for 12 months
Recommend continued recognition with actions for 12 months
Not recommended for continued recognition. PCNs not recommended will engage with NHSE WT&E to address any concerns or notification of major changes impacting the PCN.
PCNs not recommended will work with NEL Training Hub Quality team and NHSE WTE to address any concerns impacting the PCN or practices.
NHSE WTE will sign off the self-assessment forms.
Click HERE for the Guide to complete Form 1
Click HERE for the Guide to complete Form 2
Multi Professional Quality Assurance in Primary Care – 18 Oct 22
Multi Professional Approved Learning Environments Q&A Session – 24 Mar 22