Becoming an approved primary care learning environment in the East of England

As a learning environment, also known as a learning organisation in the East of England, you have the opportunity to guide and shape our future primary care workforce.

As the NHS transforms to bring care closer to communities through the 10-Year Health Plan, approved learning environments play a vital role in preparing aspiring GPs and multi-professional primary care learners with the skills and confidence to deliver excellent patient care.

Becoming an approved learning environment allows you to attract and retain high-quality staff. Integrating training can drive excellence across your multidisciplinary teams so they are equipped to meet the evolving needs of your community.

Increasing your training capacity allows you to strengthen your legacy, continuously enhance patient care and foster a culture of continuous learning so your multidisciplinary teams are equipped to meet the evolving needs of your community.

You are needed now more than ever to shape the future of primary care.

Becoming a GP educator has transformed Dr Jamie Parker’s professional life in ways he never expected. He describes his experience:

"It is so refreshing to spend time with enthusiastic resident doctors and other educators. I have developed some very close relationships over the years and see my educational role as key to my professional happiness.”

His GP practice recognised the value of his educational work by allocating him a dedicated session each week, allowing him to properly support resident doctors without feeling overwhelmed. This time investment has benefited both Jamie and his practice.

The benefits for your practice

By expanding training capacity, you're not only supporting learners but actively participating in the transformation that will improve patient care and deliver that care closer to where people live.

Becoming an approved learning environment brings tangible benefits to your practice, including:

• contacts and networking with other doctors and practices training
• helping to further develop a learning environment at the practice
• increasing diversity of activity in the practice including educational and quality improvement activities
• increasing in the number of appointments available for patients
• strengthening the care, you provide to your local community
• creating opportunities for recruitment of former GP registrars

Your commitment to training leaves a legacy, with improved patient care, increased capacity to meet community needs, and a culture of continuous learning that benefits both your current team and future generations of primary care professionals.

Hear from primary care educators working in approved learning environments

Interested in becoming an approved learning environment but want to know more about how it works in practice? Read our case studies to discover the benefits for you, your service and patients.

What do I need to know before I apply

There is plenty of support available to help you through this process. It’s a good idea to speak to:

• other GP practices in your network
• clinical leads at the Training Hub
• local GP training programme directors
• practice manager champions

Learning environments will need to ensure that all prospective sites are aware of the implications of becoming a recognised learning environment. Having learners within an organisation will require input from administrative as well as clinical staff. The local Training Hubs have a network of practice manager champions that can provide help and information on what to expect and prospective organisations should access this support.

When applying consideration should be given to all types of learners that the organisation feels able to support, for example, nurses, physician associates, pharmacists, advanced care practitioners and so on. The application form should be completed in such a way that it applies to all the learners that the organisation wishes to host.

We would encourage organisations to apply at scale, for example, primary care networks. This will reduce the number of forms needing to be completed. Please note that current non-training practices may be recognised within a PCN approval with the support of their colleagues.

Route 1 applications are where an existing learning environment wishes to accommodate a wider group of learners within the organisation. In order to do so, organisations will need to complete the learning environment application form rather than a self-declaration.