As a learning environment, 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.

As a learning environment, you have the opportunity to lead the way in primary care training. 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.

Dr Alison Heaton, a GP Partner in Gateshead has successfully transformed Glenpark and Teams Medical Services into a thriving approved learning environment. Alison, says: "Initially I got the practice 'training ready', I have expanded the number of resident doctors from one to two personally and five as a practice.Her influence has extended beyond her own educational activities. "I have encouraged other people at the practice to become educators and developed the use of group tutorials and a standardised trainer record."

Dr Tom Farmer has expanded learning opportunities beyond the practice walls: "I've brought my trainee into a couple of projects, like a community dermatology workshop at our local children's hub, which has been a good way to tie learning into community health programmes." 

The community dermatology workshop exemplifies the quality of learning opportunities Tom creates. "My trainee gained important experience in discussing and managing skin conditions, in a supportive setting, and also picked up skills in public health and community engagement. They came away much more confident, and patients really benefited too."

The benefits for your practice

Educators are the backbone of healthcare education and training, delivering vital learning experiences across general practices, neighbourhood hubs and community services. By providing our current and future NHS workforce with the learning, support, supervision and assessments they need, you help ensure excellent care for patients and communities now and in the future.

Approved learning environments contribute to:

- attracting and retaining high-quality staff

- building a culture of continuous learning

- strengthening patient care

- meeting community needs

Approval process

To host a resident doctor in general practice, known as GP registrars, for more than two sessions per week, your location must be approved with the General Medical Council (GMC).

If you're unsure whether a location has GMC approval, please view the list of approved programmes and sites.

GMC approval is not needed for:

- a patient's home where a doctor in training is visiting alone

- a location where a doctor in training will spend short periods of training time as part of their ongoing training programme

- each site of a multi-site GP practice (the overarching GP practice would hold the approval)

- GP branch practices

Environment approval visit

The environment approval visit will be carried out by a clinical lead using an environment approval checklist.

Prior to the visit, trainers are required to read the trainer standards document.

If your practice will host GP registrars, you will need to complete and submit supplementary information prior to the visit.

If you have any queries regarding approvals, please contact Tammy Armstrong.

Hear from GP educators working in an approved learning environment

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.

Hub and Spoke model

Any practices that are interested in the Hub and Spoke model need to identify the other practice. The interested practice needs to approach a neighbouring practice to discuss the model and how it will work.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) outlines the standards and requirements for each practice.

The Hub practice must be an already approved training practice or in the process of becoming an approved training practice.

The spoke trainer will need to attend a Level 1 introduction to clinical supervision course (if not already done so). There will be a visit to the spoke practice as part of the approval process for the GMC.

In order to apply for this model, a job plan and the signed MoU will need to be submitted and approved by the relevant GP training programme. The contact details for the training programmes are included on the job plan.

Further information

Find out more about the requirements for becoming an approved learning environment, what the GP educator role involves, support available for GP educators and the applications steps to become a GP educator in North East below:

- become a GP educator in the North East and Cumbria

- GP educator course overview

- GP educator course dates

- GP educators and supervisors