Key News
FTSU Policy Launch
Coventry and Warwickshire Training Hub (CWTH) have launched a new Freedom to Speak Up (FTSU) Policy for General Practice.
Alongside the policy, we are introducing our Freedom to Speak Up Guardian, Mai Elftise, whose role will be to support you to speak up if you feel unable to do so by other routes. You can contact Mai via pcftsu.guardian@nhs.net and further information on the role can be found in the policy.
Associate Principal Investigator Scheme
The Associate Principal Investigator Scheme (PI) is a 6 month in-work training opportunity, providing practical experience for health and care professionals starting their research career.
Successful applicants will:
- Be mentored by a local PI over a period of 6 months
- Work through a checklist of activities that will enhance skills and undestanding of study delivery
- Receive Royal College and NIHR-endorsed certification as an Associate PI once complete
RCN Foundation – Inclusive Health
The RCN Foundation has launched the call for the next project in its Inclusive Health – enhancing the lives of individuals with learning disabilities programme. The call is for a tool for individuals with lived experience of a learning disability to use to access urgent and emergency care
Improving outcomes: encouraging physical health checks for people with SMI – Tuesday 12th March
The Race Equality Foundation and NHS England have launched a suite of resources to encourage physical health checks for African and Caribbean people with SMI. The resources have been designed to support NHS England’s Core20PLUS5 strategic approach to tackle healthcare inequalities, as well as the recently launched guidance for integrated care systems on improving the physical health of people with severe mental illness.
These resources will be launched at a webinar on Tuesday 12th March 2024, by Professor Bola Owolabi, Director, National Healthcare Inequalities Improvement Programme, NHSE.
Medical Education Team
Primary Care in Practice
Primary Care in Practice (PCiP) is designed to help navigate the world of Primary Care sharing insights into Population Health, Integrated Care Systems, Primary Care Networks and Finance in Primary Care. It will also cover leadership and coaching and mentoring.
This programme is open, free of charge to everyone new to Primary Care in Coventry and Warwickshire. The sessions will be held live, hosted by local GPs Maria Ceurstemont and Sarah Hall. They will be held as a combination of virtual sessions (through Zoom) and face-to-face sessions.
The next Primary Care in Practice session will be held on the 20th March and will be held virtually. The topic for this session will be ‘Leadership in Primary Care’. You can register for this event by clicking here.
March 2024 – PLT Sessions
- 6th March – Rugby PLT – In-house
- 20th March – Coventry PLT
- 20th March – Warwickshire North PLT – In-house
- 21st March – South Warwickshire – In-house
Health and Wellbeing
Mental Health Skills: Managers & Leaders
We are pleased to share an opportunity for managers and leaders within your PCN and Practice to register for the accredited Mental Health Skills for Managers training delivered by MINDs workplace mental health experts.
With the demands on General Practice remaining high there is a clear need to focus on looking after yourself and your teams.
This training workshop is centered around supporting you and by attending, you will learn to:
- Identify if an employee may be experiencing mental health issues
- Feel confident having open conversations about mental health
- Appropriately signpost to available support and know where to go for support and guidance for yourself
- Role model good self-care practice, inspiring your team to look after their own mental health and wellbeing
Training will take place during PLT, we aim for sessions to be face to face but there may be occasions when they are virtual.
Places are limited, please select the correct link below to register your interest
How to be happy at work
This month’s work well webinar is on Wednesday 13th March at 7:30pm
If you’d like to learn how to boost your happiness at work and prevent burnout, through setting boundaries, understanding your unique strengths and crafting a working life and career you’ll love, join March’s Work Well Webinar with Annie Hanekom and Dr Rachel Morris:
At this interactive webinar, you’ll learn strategies and tips to take control over the aspects of your work that will promote happiness and help you to thrive.
You’ll learn:
- The unhelpful stories we tell ourselves about how to be successful
- The four things that make us truly happy
- How to craft your work for enjoyment and happiness
Health and Wellbeing Champions
Big Savings & Mental Health support – all in one place!
Vivup is your employee assistance programme, it’s free for anyone working in General Practice across Coventry and Warwickshire to access.
If you haven’t registered yet…it takes 2 minutes to pop your details in and you have access to mental health support, financial wellbeing advice and lifestyle savings…
To register, click here and remember you must register using the organisation name ‘Coventry and Warwickshire -General Practice…’ to have access to all of the relevant benefits and features.
Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging (EDIB)
Too Hot To Handle
NHS leaders are urged to listen to, and act on, the concerns of their black and minority ethnic staff following the launch of a new report by Middlesex University academics and human rights charity Brap that found racial prejudice remains embedded in the health service despite initiatives to remove it.
The 66-page report, Too Hot To Handle: An Investigation Into Racism In The NHS, shines a light on the problem and the failure of healthcare organisations to provide a safe and effective means for listening to and dealing with concerns raised by BME staff.
General Practice EDIB Staff Network
We are pleased to share that we will be launching our very first EDIB staff network for General practice staff across C&W this month!
Our aim is to ensure our General Practice workforce feel fully supported, safe and happy whilst at work. A staff network is a safe space to discuss and learn from those in underrepresented groups and who have experienced inequality and discrimination. These discussions and learnings will enable us to put support in place; improving the experience of staff in General Practice and impacting patient care.
Who can join a staff network?
All members of staff within General Practice are welcome to attend to get involved with discussions.
Confidentiality
Any personal discussions had during meetings aren’t shared elsewhere without explicit permission from all of those who are mentioned or involved.
How can I register my interest to become a member?
You can register your interest by filling out the survey below.
Training & CPD
CPD Funding – 2023/24
As training and education slowed down during the winter period, we would like to take this opportunity to ask you to encourage your eligible staff to use their £333 CPD funding by the end of March 2024.
Please review the range of training and education sessions available via the Coventry and Warwickshire Training Hub calendar which can be found here.
Training and CPD Calendar
Our calendar shows upcoming training and education events for all workforce roles across Coventry and Warwickshire.
Browse the calendar by date or search by keyword, then click on the event to find out more information, such as the location, times, cost, and how to book!
Learning and Development Opportunities
Mentoring Scheme – For GPs, PMs & Nursing Staff
Regular mentoring can help you with a range of professional issues.
You might like to chat with a colleague about your role and get support with career development, discuss how to handle a working relationship or ask for well-being advice.
For information on each of the mentoring schemes we run, please click on the links below
Mary Seacole Programme
The Mary Seacole programme is an innovative and inspirational leadership development programme from the NHS Leadership Academy.
Specifically for those newly in or aspiring to be in a formal first time leadership role, the six month-long programme has been exclusively designed and developed for people working in health and social care.
For more information on the programme and key dates, please visit our webpage.
Multi Disciplinary Team (MDT) News
Clinical Pharmacy Away Day
Our Clinical Pharmacist away day at The Welcome Centre was brilliantly received by all who attended. Clinical Pharmacists from across coventry and Warwickshire came together to network, learn and share best practice.
We would like to thank our speakers who gave up their time to speak at this event and event slides will be shared shortly on the Clinical Pharmacist role page.
GPA Training Programme
The end of February saw the launch of our GPA Training Programme. There were 17 attendees with background of admin, clinical support roles, those new to the role completely and new to General Practice plus learners who have worked in General Practice for many years and want to change their role.
We are pleased to be supporting their progress through the GPA competency framework with support sessions over 3 modules: Administration and Health Records, Care and Communication and Clinical modules.
The GPAs will have the opportunity to gain their care certificate, complete phlebotomy training and have hands on practice with our experienced team at the Training Hub.
GP News
Professional Curiosity Scheme
We recently concluded round two of the Professional Curiosity Scheme, a programme which aims to connect those in General Practice with those in secondary care. By doing this, we can create opportunities to collaborate, encourage learning from one another and facilitate spending time in each others roles.
This year we saw 62 clinicians sign up from a range of specialties, including haematology, A&E, acute medicine and gynaecology. 100% of clinical said that they found the experience enjoyable and would recommend the scheme to others, with 89% saying they may change their clinical practice as result of the scheme.
Locum Champion and Survey
The Training Hub would like to welcome Dr Chris Boyson to our team. Chris will be joining as our Locum Champion, working to develop a local GP Locum Network across Coventry and Warwickshire. Please see below for a short introduction from Chris and our Locum survey, which you can fill out by clicking here.
I am Dr Chris Boyson and am here in my role as Locum Champion of Coventry and Warwickshire Training Hub. I have only ever worked as a doctor in the Midlands, from day 1 as an FY1, (excluding 6 months in Australia!) through to my current portfolio career, based in Warwick. I am here as an advocate for sessional GPs and work with the Training Hub to help support and integrate our locums. Please do contact me if you have any suggestions, or would simply like a chat: c.boyson@nhs.net
International Medical Graduates
The aim of the International Medical Graduate (IMG) Scheme is to create awareness for IMG GPs that there is support specifically targeted to cater to their needs post-CCT, to create opportunities for networking with colleagues/peers who share similar experiences, and to encourage them to access wider Training Hub offers.
To take part in group discussions, access peer support, and receive up-to-date information on IMG Scheme events, you can subscribe to updates from the IMG scheme by clicking here.
Parental Leave Support Network
The next support circle is on the 26th March, starting at 10am at Kenilworth Methodist church. Please join the WhatsApp group if you are a GP who is on parental leave or just returned to work, so we can share parental advice and learning events.
For more resources around parental leave, please visit our webpage.
GPN News
Nursing Team – Contacts
The GPN Retention Fellows will be actively involved in various aspects of General Practice nursing to aid in the implementation of retention initiatives. To contact them, please see below.
Training for ACPs
The Midlands Advanced Practice Primary and Urgent Care Educational Forum is putting on a series of forums for ACPs in the Midlands. For more details, please see this poster.
Midlands Faculty Update Bulletin
Please see below a link to the Midlands Advancing Practice Faculty bulletin. A bi-monthly update featuring the latest news for ACPs.
GPN Recognition
This year, we want to celebrate the huge wealth of experience and commitment given by Nursing teams across Coventry and Warwickshire, and to thank you for your service.
If you or a colleague within your Nursing team (HCA, NA, Practice Nurse, ANP, ACP) have completed 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 years of General Practice service, or are due to retire within the next six months, or you have just completed your first year as a Practice Nurse, we wish to celebrate this with you.
Please email kate.freeman3@nhs.net with your details or a colleagues.
Late-Career Nurses – EOI
Are you a late career nurse thinking about flexible retirement in the next five years and what roles may be available to you on a temporary basis?
Coventry and Warwickshire Training Hub would like to explore interest in creating a resource that links / introduces experienced GPNs and ANPs in Primary Care with GP practices in the Coventry and Warwickshire area that may require your valuable skills on an ad hoc/temporary basis.
For more information and to express your interest, please view the attached document.
Core Competency Framework
HEE are encouraging nurses to view and use the core competency framework for Primary Care to understand and guide development of Nursing Teams in General Practice.
This framework sets a standard and offers the opportunity for nurses at all levels to develop and evidence their knowledge and skills, enabling the highest standards of practice as well as providing a structure for career and role development within Primary Care.
Shortened Midwifery Programme for NMC Registered Nurses
The three-year delivery plan for maternity and neonatal services recognises that although there has been investment to increase the midwifery establishment, we need to continue to build our pipeline, one route to consider is for adult nurses to undertake a shortened midwifery programme. For more information on this programme, please see this document.