Aim of the PCN Educational Lead

As Primary Care Networks (PCNs) become more established with additional clinical roles it is important to ensure all staff are supported to develop their skills and competencies to meet the needs of primary care. This could improve staff well-being and retention, leading to improved patient outcomes. There is significant variation in the uptake of educational opportunities across West Yorkshire for a variety of reasons. There are opportunities to ensure efficient use of limited resources and identify any gaps in provision by improving communication from those working in primary care with those providing educational support. It is anticipated that an individual working within PCN could offer significant insight into the local workforce development needs which could be communicated at scale via the Training Hub. This would allow sharing of best practice and increase the quality of educational opportunities within primary care.

PCN Commitment

• Appointment of an appropriate Educational Lead. (Note: This can be flexible, to allow an existing member of the PCN clinical team to take this on as a portfolio role.) (Appendix A)
• Regular PCWTH Engagement at formal 6-monthly meetings and via phone/email as needed
• Ensure Fellowship enrolment for both newly qualified GPs and new to primary care GPNs and coordinate portfolio projects in the PCN
• Ensure national/local funding offers are claimed and utilised across the PCN
• Ensure a clear understanding of the importance of clinical and core supervision across the PCN and evidence this is implemented
• Develop an Annual Educational Plan. (Note: This will feed into the PCN Development Matrix.)
• Clinical Supervision planning/Supervisor Training for ARRS staff across the PCN
• Ensure there is at least one Roadmap Supervisor in the PCN
• Look at ways to increase placement provision for all primary care staff across the PCN
• Consider opportunities within the PCN to increase GP training placements including, but not limited to, increasing the number of GP trainers at the PCN
• Promote all training offered by PCWTH
• Engagement with Primary Care Educators, Primary Care School and the Faculty for Wider Workforce as needed, supported by the WY PCWTH
• Production of invoices as agreed in line with milestones

WY PCWTH Commitment

• Support with selection and appointment eg providing a template Job Description
• Coordination of formal 6-monthly meetings, followed up with Action Logs to record progress and development
• Enrolment of all eligible GPs and GPNs to their relevant Fellowship programme with support to practices with funding claims
• Support with a template to record PCN progress against KPIs, with support to complete at the 6-monthly meetings
• Support with information about GP training and intending GP trainer programmes and appropriate contact information
• Communication of dates for Roadmap Supervisor training, and linking with Primary Care Educators to ensure support
• Regular correspondence re educational and funding opportunities throughout the year
• Advice and support upon request with all elements of workforce insight and planning
• Regular contact with PCN Educational Lead re placement opportunities and capacity planning
• Funding release as agreed in line with milestones

Educational Outcomes

We expect that data will be supplied by the PCN and the Educational Lead including but not limited to:

• Career intentions and workforce planning
• Uptake of training/schemes/roles offered by the WY PCWTH
• Uptake of Fellowships by eligible clinicians
• Information on Fellowship portfolio projects across the PCN
• Total and percentage spend of National funding
• Development of PCN Annual Educational Plan
• Details of the PCN Roadmap Supervisor and the ARRS staff they have supported
• Evidence of increased placement capacity
• Evidence of barriers faced within the PCN regarding placement capacity

This evidence will be gathered via the two formal meetings per year and on the reporting templates supplied.

If your PCN has not yet appointed a PCN Educational Lead and you are interested, please discuss this with your PCN Clinical Director and Manager.

For further information and to apply please email wy.traininghub@nhs.net