What we have done

Role of the Primary Care Training Hub in - Education and Training

Courses

Training provides a range of courses which are accessible to all staff in general practice. Further discussions are underway with NHSE/HEE as to how this is an integrated offer for all primary care staff including dental/optometry and community pharmacy.

The data below shows a year's worth of data on education and training courses offered and administered by the Training Hub. Funding at present is only aligned with general practice staff.

Besides a range of training courses, the training hub provides:

1. Monthly education general practice webinars lunch time and evening - attended on average by 150-200 workforce members across general practice.

2. Protected time to learn – PTL monthly event at PCN wide which includes inviting partners/providers to engage and train with primary care as deemed appropriate.

Uptake of PTL is typically very good, with the majority of (and in some months all) PCNs having at least one of their Practices utilising PTL. Recently some PTL have had to cancel due to the industrial action.

Role of the Primary Care Training Hub in – Recruitment and Retention and supply

a. Commissioning platforms for General Practice to access – Primary Care Careers – including support in developing role descriptions etc.

b. Commissioning on Locum deck – for GP and nurses – with 109 GP practices registered - monthly requests around 40-50 which are fulfilled over 90%

c. Apprentices for nurses

d. National and local programmes including

• New to Practice Programme – GPs/GPNs (Supporting the increase in number of GPs in Primary Care)

• Local Enhanced GP Fellowship Programme (increase the number of GP speciality training within the system

• Supporting Mentors Scheme – (supporting retention of General Practice staff)

• Practice Manager/Nonclinical staff training programmes (educational opportunities)

• Primary Care Careers Fair – recruiting the future healthcare workforce (offer as many routes as possible to school leavers)

• Career clinics and much more

 e. Student Placements across each place

Herts and West Essex ICS New to Practice Fellowship Scheme

• The national General Practice Fellowship Scheme (New to Practice Programme) is a two-year programme of support that is available to GPs and GPNs who have qualified in the previous 12 months (at the point at which they join the scheme and are in a substantive role). 

• It is a programme of support, PCN portfolio working, learning, and development post-registration, supporting nurses and GPs to take up substantive roles, understand the context they are working in, become embedded in the PCN, and increase and maintain high levels of
  participation in the primary care workforce.

PCN Portfolio Working

• ‘PCN portfolio Working’ is accessible to participants after their first six months on the programme. This allows participants to work outside of their usual practice environment, working across the PCN and experiencing other ways of working and stretching their skills. This is an opportunity not just for the individuals but for the PCNs as this time is fully funded. 

• Year 2 Quality Improvement Project working with the PCN

• Shadowing and Portfolio Experiences

Enhanced GP Fellowships

• The enhanced fellowship is a 1-year Programme designed to promote career development for GPs who are in their first 5 years post CCT that haven’t accessed a Fellowship programme previously.

• Practices within Herts and West Essex Integrated Care System (ICS) have directly employed the GP Fellow as a salaried GP or Partner for a minimum of 4 sessions per week. 

• The GP Fellow has a specialist placement with a Provider for 2 sessions per week. Placements enhance clinical, management and leadership skills or are based around commissioning.

• The training hub are currently working with providers including acute and community trusts to develop a suite of specialist placement options.

Funding

• Funding increased in 2021/22 and is now based upon the GP/GPN’s current salary plus 30% to cover on-costs.

• A GP or GPN working for 9 sessions a week would receive the full session payment (to fund 52 sessions of CPD time for the year) with those who work less receiving less on a pro-rata basis (and undertaking less sessions of CPD)

• An MOU is in place and payments are made to the GP directly to carry out the activities related to this programme.

HWE ICS Training Hub PCN Training Teams

A Vision for the Future

• Future vision for education in primary care

• PCNs as learning organisations with a PCN Training Team

• Support retention and recruitment of the workforce in Primary Care to get the best from their growing teams and support new ways of working

Next Steps

1. Implication of the NHS Long Term Plan and Primary Care Strategic Plan on how we support primary care workforce- a number of the initiatives can be replicated across all professionals in primary care.

• Further build on workforce planning/attraction and recruitment/retention:

• Increase the number of apprenticeships.

• Increase the number of student placements

• Increase the number of mentors.

• Understand/improve workforce data and use to explore innovative ways of supporting the expansion of roles and development of new initiatives to ensure a fuller understanding of the entire workforce/support workforce planning.

• Continue to work with PCN Training Teams to further understand the needs of the Primary Care workforce.

• Development of PCN learning organisation across HWE learning from 2 in place

• Evaluate the learning from the developmental role of Community pharmacy PCN Clinical lead role to inform next steps.

2. Optometrists, Dental and Community Pharmacists

• Support engagement events

• Map competencies/support required.

• Identify training and education gaps.

Useful Links and How to Apply

National guidance can be found at:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/gp/the-best-place-to-work/gp-fellowship-programme/

Details of the scheme in Herts and West Essex together with resources can be found at:

https://www.hwetraininghub.org.uk/resources2/new-to-practice-programme

Applications or enquiries can be emailed to: hwetraininghub@nhs.net

Further information