How to apply to become an approved learning environment
If you would like to apply to become a primary care learning organisation in the East of England, please watch this short video:
Individual organisations may apply to become training organisations although where possible it is encouraged that organisations should apply as a locality, for example, a primary care network.
In order to apply for approval as a training environment, please complete this form. A useful guidance document to help you complete the application form.
The form must be completed electronically, and once completed, please send to your local Training Hub for processing:
- Bedfordshire, Luton, and Milton Keynes
- Cambridgeshire and Peterborough
- Hertfordshire and West Essex
- Mid and South Essex
- Norfolk and Waveney
- Suffolk and North-East Essex
Ongoing quality monitoring
The national quality monitoring approach means that educators and learning environments are no longer “reapproved”. Instead, a risk-based ongoing quality monitoring approach will be used to ensure that standards are being met by both educators and learning environments.
The local Training Hubs perform this function for NHS England East of England, collecting evidence from a variety of sources to assess whether there are any quality concerns.
Please visit the webpage for further information on ongoing quality monitoring webapge.
Frequently asked questions: Becoming an approved primary care learning environment
What happens once my form has been completed?
If you are applying for recognition as an educator and/or learning environment the paperwork needs to be completed in full and returned to your local Training Hub.
Prospective learning environments will require a visit which will be led by the local Training Hub, assisted by ADs, TPDs, clinical ambassadors and learner representatives. The learning environment will need to ensure that, at the very least, the educational leads and placement manager are present at the visit.
Visits and interviews may be undertaken virtually, although if a primary care network is applying for the first time to be recognised and there are no pre-existing training practices there will need to be a tour of the available facilities.
Route 1 applications will not require a visit but will be assessed by the local Training Hub as a desktop review.
All recommendations from the interviews and visits are reviewed by the quality oversight panel within the deanery before they are endorsed and finalised.
The Training Hub will inform the applicant of the outcome, and the primary care school will update the training section of the GMC records. There are three potential outcomes:
- recommended for recognition (ongoing quality monitoring)
- recommended actions and review (an action plan and review should be provided by the Training Hub)
- not recommended for recognition (reasons for the decision will be conveyed to the applicant)
What quality assurance processes do you have?
To ensure consistency of application of the quality monitoring process 10% of all assessments will be reviewed centrally by NHSE EoE.
Additionally, the Training Hubs meet on a regular basis to discuss quality monitoring processes.
What right of appeal do I have if I disagree with the outcome?
In these circumstances, the learning environment should raise a formal appeal in writing (via email will be sufficient) within one month of notification of outcome to their local TH providing the rationale for their appeal with any accompanying evidence as appropriate. The TH will collate the appeal communication and forward to the NHSE primary care quality team who will convene an extraordinary quality and oversight panel that will consist of AD’s not involved in the original decision.
What happens if there is significant change to the learning organisation in which educators work?
When completing the self-declaration as part of ongoing quality monitoring this should be declared. If the change happens outside of the self-declaration period, the placement manager will need to contact the local Training Hub to discuss the impact of this on learner placement. Such changes include new premises and practice mergers. Please see the guidance on merged and federated practices.