North Central London Training Hub homepage

Information for educators and how to apply for approval

As a primary care clinician in North Central London (NCL), 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.

Four steps to become an Approved Educator in NCL:

  • Step 1: Register your interest

  • Step 2: Complete a Supervisor Training Course

  • Step 3: Complete your Application Form & Supporting Documentation

  • Step 4: Attend an NCL Approval Assessment

Step 1: Register your interest

All primary care clinicians in NCL must register their interest to become an educator.

If you have not formally completed the GP Supervisor Course, Multi-Professional Supervisor Course, SSSA or a Post Graduate Certificate in Medical Education (or equivalent); once you have completed the expression of interest form, you will move onto step 2.

If you have formally completed the GP Supervisor Course, Multi-Professional Supervisor Course or a post graduate certificate in medical education; once you have completed the expression of interest form, you will move onto step 3.

Step 2: Complete a Supervisor Training Course

New educators will need to complete the relevant supervisor training course based on their clinical profession.

Once you have registered your interest (step 1) you will be added to the waitlist for the appropriate training course. Please refer to the accordions below for list of supervisor training courses for each clinical profession:

GP Supervisor Course

What does the course qualify you to be?

The GP Supervisor Course will accredit you to be an educational supervisor, or placement named clinical supervisor, for trainees on an NHSE WT&E accredited pathway for all roles in primary care.

Who is the course for?

Salaried GPs who wish to supervise the following roles:

  • GPSTs (1-3)

  • GP Foundation Years (FY&F2)

  • Any other multi-professional role on an NHSE WT&E accredited pathway

Pre-requisites

Applicants must:

  • Be in a substantive (salaried) GP post in London

  • Be at least 2 years post CCT

  • Have the capacity to attend all online sessions and complete all course pre reading and summative tasks

  • Have capacity and support to train Foundation Doctors and/or GP specialty trainees within one year of completion.

Time commitment

The GP Supervisor Course is a virtual 11-week course (3 hours per week). There is an approximate time commitment of 45 hours.

Course content

For more information on the content of the GP Supervisor Course, please see the NHS England website by clicking the button below.

Multi-Professional Supervisor Course

What does the course qualify you to be?

The Multi-Professional Supervisor Course will accredit you to be an educational supervisor, or placement named clinical supervisor for all non-GP trainees on an NHSE WT&E accredited pathway for all roles in primary care.

Who is the course for?

All non-GP clinicians who wish to supervise the following roles:

  • All non-GP roles on an NHSE WT&E accredited pathway

Pre-requisites

Applicants must:

  • Be in a substantive primary care post in London.

  • Be at least 2 years post CCT (or equivalent)

  • Have the capacity to attend all online sessions and complete all course pre reading and summative tasks

  • Have capacity and support to train Foundation Doctors and/or GP specialty trainees within one year of completion.

Time commitment

The Multi-Professional Supervisor Course is an in-person 4 day course (across 2-3 months). There is an approximate time commitment of 36 hours.

Course content

On completion of the course, applicants will be prepared to teach in practice using core concepts in lesson planning; navigate common supervision challenges, understand interprofessional education and assessment; and will have completed a peer review of education. The four days will cover:

  • Day 1 - Course introduction, preparing to teach and facilitate in the workplace.

  • Day 2 - Understanding and navigating the challenges to supervision; core concepts in lesson planning and teaching.

  • Day 3 - Interprofessional education and assessment.

  • Day 4 - Peer review, portfolio review and discussion, next steps.

Standards for Student Supervision & Assessment (SSSA)

What does the course qualify you to be?

The SSSA training prepares registered nurses and nursing associates to supervise and assess students in clinical practice. It equips them with the skills to support learners, evaluate their progress, and ensure they meet the proficiencies required by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). 

Upon completion, participants are qualified to act as Practice Supervisors and/or Practice Assessors. 

Who is the course for?

Registered nurses and nursing associates working in primary care or other healthcare settings who are involved in student supervision or assessment. 

Pre-requisites

Applicants must hold an NMC registration.

SSSA course options

You can register for one of the two course options - either the SSSA Foundation or SSSA Update:

SSSA Foundation

SSSA Update

Time commitment

2 days:

  • Day 1: 6.5 hours  

  • Day 2: 5.5 hours 

3 hours

Course content

This foundation course equips participants with core knowledge and skills to begin supporting and assessing learners. Based on the 2019 NMC SSSA Standards, it includes interactive, practice-based learning.

The course runs across two days:

  • Day 1 - Includes the evolution of SSSA, new professional roles, and practical tools to become a Practice Supervisor

  • Day 2 - Included how to conduct midpoint/final interviews, manage underperformance, and apply action plans to become a Practice Assessor.

This update serves as a refresher of the essential knowledge, skills and behaviours required to support learners in practice.

The update will cover: 

  • Refresher on SSSA Standards - An overview of key standards and practices. 

  • Effective Communication - Techniques for facilitating meaningful interactions with learners. 

  • Performance Management - Strategies for assessing and managing learner performance to ensure successful outcomes. 

Eligibility

All new Nurse Practice Assessors and Supervisors.

Recommended that all Nurse Practice Assessors and Supervisors complete the update annually.

How to register

Please click the link below.

More information about training for nurse roles is available in the NCL Training Hub Nursing webpages: https://www.ncltraininghub.org/training-and-support/nurse-support.

Questions about SSSA training can be sent to the NCL Training Hub Nursing team at: nclicb.nclcpd@nhs.net.

You will be contacted by NCL Training to formally book a course please when spaces become available.

The NCL Faculty and Quality team manages bookings for the GP Supervisor and Multi-Professional Supervisor Course and the NCL Nursing Team manages bookings for the SSSA.

There are limited places available on each supervisor training course; by booking a place you are committing to attend all course days and complete all pre-reading and any summative work.

Step 3: Complete your Application Form & Supporting Documentation

When starting supervisor training, educators will receive links and guidance to support you to complete your application, and an invitation to attend an NCL Approval Assessment (step 4). If you have already completed appropriate training (and do not require step 2) you will receive these on registering your interest.

All educators should complete the application form including: 

All educators should submit the following supporting documentation: 

  • Educator training course certificate of completion  

  • Educator PDP

  • Educator, induction and learner timetable

  • Feedback on two peer-reviews of a teaching session

The NCL Quality & Faculty team have developed a suite of resources to guide you when completing the application form and supporting documentation. This includes a narrated slidedeck which breaks down the relevant educator sections of the Form 1 and gives guidance on how to demonstrate you meet the requirements. Further guidance can be found on the approved educator and learning environments resources page.

Step 4: Attend an NCL Approval Assessment

All new educators must attend an NCL assessment for the Training Hub to recommend your approval to NHSE WT&E.

On completion of an application that meets the required quality standards, the NCL Training Hub Faculty and Quality team will invite you to an NCL assessment.

Where your application does not meet these standards, your local borough Training Hub can support you to make the required amendments.

Please note that educators can only be approved if they are working in an Approved Learning Environment. If your practice is not approved, your practice will also need to be represented at an assessment.

What to expect from an NCL Approval Assessment

NCL assessments are completed at scale; educator applications are batched and assessments cover all GP and all multi-professional roles.

Assessments run as workshops to onboard new educators and are facilitated by a panel of experienced educators and supervisors from across NCL.

The workshops are scheduled for 90 minutes virtually over MS Teams.

You can find out more about the NCL assessment here.

Next steps after the assessment

The NCL assessment panel will make a recommendation to NHSE WT&E to formally approve you as an educator. You should expect to wait a minimum of one month to be informed that NHSE WT&E have ratified your approval.

Once you have been approved as an educator, it is your responsibility to reach out to you local VTS/placement provider to take on a trainee in primary care.