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Submit EOIs for remaining places on General Practice Assistant Programme 2022/23

Remaining learner places are now being offered to existing non-clinical staff on the General Practice Assistant (GPA) programme, to support your practice in training and developing your non-clinical workforce. 

The General Practice Assistant (GPA) role supports doctors in the smooth running of their surgery by handling routine administration tasks and some basic clinical duties.

Early evidence illustrates that the GPA role has the potential to:  

  • Improve patient access and release highly qualified staff to concentrate on treating and managing patients with more complex conditions   

  • Improve patient flow within surgery hours, increasing the time efficiency of appointments, and reduction of waiting times; supporting patient experience by ‘translating’ or reiterating information from the GP  

  • Have a positive impact on GP retention and job satisfaction   

After running the programme successfully in six other regions across England, Training Hubs have been appointed to deliver the GPA programme for the London Region. Key points about the programme are as follows:   

  • The practice commits to freeing up an existing employee (non-clinical staff member) for 1 day/week over 6 months, to enable the learner to achieve the competencies on the accredited GPA programme (see framework) - backfill funding is provided to support.   

  • The practice commits to providing a named GP mentor and secondary mentor e.g., Practice Manager, to guide the learner through the framework and sign them off as competent. There is funding towards this, however it does require commitment from the GP Mentor and Practice Manager for the learner to successfully complete the programme.   

  • A defined competency framework is accessed via a City and Guilds online e-portfolio to track learning and confirm progress. (The learner uploads evidence onto the e-learning platform and on completion receives a GPA Level 4 certificate/ 10 credits).

For more information about the GP assistant role, click here or view the video below: 

This role may not suit all practices/ PCNs, however, this new and innovative way of managing patients could help support efficient GP working, and thereby improve the patient care you are able to provide to your community.

  • Candidates can be put forward by the mentoring GP, or the Practice Manager.  

  • If you’re interested in applying, please complete the EOI form at the following link https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/GPANOV22 

If it is of interest and you can see how this would fit in with your Practice/ PCN, then please feel free to get in touch with Tessa Shields at: tessa.shields@nhs.net    

GPA FAQs to support the ARRS scheme can be found here: GPA | Wandsworth Training Hub