Primary Care Training Needs Analysis 2023 - Shape Your Professional Development

You Said, We Did! 

This year, we conducted our Primary Care Training Needs Analysis (TNA) 2023 in March to help shape the professional development opportunities we would provide you over 2023-24. We conduct this survey to ensure our offers are tailored and relevant to your current training needs.  
 
We had 823 responses which was an amazing response rate and represented 18.2% of our Notts Primary Care workforce population (up from 258 responses in 2022-23). 

Not sure what the TNA is? 

To highlight how much we value and listen to your feedback as part of this annual survey, we have highlighted the impact of your voice in our ‘You Said, We Did’ summary. This shows what we have delivered so far from April 2023 to end of the year and what we plan to deliver up to March 2024 in response to your feedback. Please note, this is not an exhaustive list of all our NATH offers. 

Staff new to practice / Primary Care 

180 respondents (21.9%) were new to Primary Care and 121 respondents (14.7%) were newly qualified in the last 18 months. Our Multi-Professional Support Unit (MPSU) runs a specific programme of training tailored for those new to practice. 
 
These include: 
 
Overview of Mental Health Conditions 
"I gained more understanding of values of blood results and what illnesses could develop for a person." 
Delegate from June’s ‘Making Sense of Medical Numbers’ event 

The Top Topics! 

Here are the top priority training areas identified within each of these categories and how we have / are planning to address them: 

Clinical topics 

Training need 
1. Women’s health  
(inc. obs and gynae, and menopause) 
Delivered 
A Individual approach to menopause care 
 
CPD Day - Trust Your Gut: Mastering Abdo Pain 
 
Radiology/Allied Health Professionals including Therapies and Rehab 
 
Menopause - an overview, how to diagnose and the different stages 
 
Just a quick contraception check- Combined oral contraceptives 
 
An introduction to contraception and sexual health 
Planning 
HRT - types of HRT, different preparations, Risk assessment and counselling 
 
Just a Quick Contraceptive Consultation!’ : Progestogen Only Contraception 
 
Renal 
2. Endocrine and diabetes 
CPD Hot Topic Day: All Things Renal, Cardiac and Diabetes 
 
Lunchtime Chronic Disease Update Series: Diabetes Focus 
Introduction to Type 2 diabetes: Diagnosis and Management within Primary Care 
3. Respiratory conditions 
CPD - Chest Auscultation: Introduction and Building Skills 
 
MPSU: Chronic Disease Update Series COPD Update 
 
Radiology/Allied Health Professionals including Therapies and Rehab 
MPSU Chronic Disease Update Series: Asthma 
 
Introduction to Asthma: Diagnosis and Management within Primary care 
 
Introduction to COPD: Diagnosis and management within primary care 
4. Cardiovascular 
Cardiology/Cardiac Surgery 
 
CPD - Chest Auscultation: Introduction and Building Skills 
 
CPD Day - Trust Your Gut: Mastering Abdo Pain 
 
CPD Hot Topic Day: All Things Renal, Cardiac and Diabetes 
 
Doppler and Compression Training 
 
Doppler Training and Update 
 
Heart Failure in General Practice 
 
MPSU Chronic Disease Series: Hypertension 
Doppler Training and Update 
5. Clinical assessment and decision making 
CPD Hot Topic Day: All Things Renal, Cardiac and Diabetes 
 
Radiology/Allied Health Professionals including Therapies and Rehab 
 
“Excellent speaker. I learned that menopause medication can help with a vast number of long-term conditions and don't be afraid to use it.” 
Delegate from the Individual Approach to Menopause Care event 

Non-clinical topics 

Training need 
1. Difficult conversations / conflict management 
 
Delivered 
Dealing with Difficult Consultations 
Planning 
Conflict management in the workplace session 
2. Promoting workforce wellbeing 
At our Primary Care Conference: 
 
Helen Garr ran a session on how to keep yourself energized at work - embracing ideas, appreciating ourselves and each other, positive thinking and moving forwards 
 
We ran a session on how to manage feeling overwhelmed and burnt out to support your mental health and wellbeing 
 
We ran a session on how to say goodbye to the ‘Imposter Syndrome’ and strengthen your self-belief and self-esteem 
 
Outside the Conference: 
 
Yoga Sessions: Four Part Series 
Embracing the Journey: Navigating the Path as a Newcomer in Primary Care 
3. Care navigation / signposting 
Offered care navigation training to 250 front line admin and reception staff between July and December 2023 
 
Signposted to National NHSE care navigation training offer 
First Contact Occupational Therapists - everything you want to know over coffee 
 
Digital Business transformation manager - everything you want to know over coffee 
4. Good practice in clinical coding 
 
Introduction to clinical coding 
5. IT skills in electronic health records 
MPSU: Making sense of medical numbers 
 
MPSU: Fit note podcast and padlet 
MPSU: Making Sense of Medical Numbers and Abbreviations (improved and adapted content based on feedback) 
 
MPSU: Record keeping 
“I enjoyed everything! I liked that there was a balance between information about the work going on in primary care as well as information and talks about the well-being of the workforce in primary care, such as the first 'stand up' talk and imposter syndrome talk.” 
Delegate from the Notts Primary Care Conference 

Personalised care topics 

Training need 
1. Innovative care pathways 
Delivered 
CPD Day - Trust Your Gut: Mastering Abdo Pain 
 
Find out more about Double Impact and Support Services Available 
 
Update regarding Talking Therapies / IAPT in Nottinghamshire 
Planning 
First Contact Occupational Therapists - everything you want to know over coffee 
2. Improving the patient experience 
At the Primary Care Conference, Emma Wiklo ran a session on how to ensure patient safety whilst managing workload, list size and patient contacts 
 
3. Patient coaching and behaviour change 
Introduction to Motivational Interviewing 
 
Find out more about Double Impact and Support Services Available 
Introduction to Health Coaching 
4. Signposting / care navigation 
Offered care navigation training to 250 front line admin and reception staff between July and December 2023 
 
Signposted to National NHSE care navigation training offer 
 
“Overall, really useful. I think it's great when services can communicate so we know what to advise patients on. Being able to ask questions and discuss the service together instead of just looking at a website was really helpful. Everyone was approachable and friendly.” 
Delegate from the Update Regarding Talking Therapies / IAPT in Nottinghamshire event 

Management and leadership topics 

42.0% of respondents were managers and/or leaders of people, teams or projects, and 13.7% wanted to develop into this type of role. 
Training need 
1. Improving workplace culture 
Delivered 
Embrace Leadership Programme 
 
Notts Primary Care Conference 
 
Overview of an "Appraisal" Process 
Planning 
 
2. Difficult conversations 
Dealing with Difficult Consultations 
 
Embrace Leadership Programme 
 
3. Compassionate and inclusive leadership 
Embrace Leadership Programme 
 
Overview of an "Appraisal" Process 
Bi-monthly GPN Lead nurse forum - includes training and opportunities to Network 
 
Bi-monthly Nursing team forums for all members of the nursing team 
4. Quality improvement 
Overview of how I approach auditing in general practice 
GPN Mid Career fellowship programme due to start April 2024 
5. Influencing and negotiating 
Overview of an "Appraisal" Process 
 
Clinical supervision training 
 
“I enjoyed that people joined in [the discussions] and were happy to share experiences. I learned what to take into consideration with not only your own limits, but theirs too.” 
Delegate from the Dealing with Difficult Consultations event 
We have supported around 15 leadership apprenticeships in 2023/24. These cover degrees as well as senior leadership roles across both Primary and Social Care. An example of a Level 7 Senior Leader apprenticeship standard can be found here
 
We have also supported 11 people into leadership positions as they have taken on one of our ARRS Ambassadors roles, being the champion and voice for their ARRS role, and leading on project work across the whole of Nottingham and Nottinghamshire. This will expose them to a variety of the management and leadership topics listed, and we will support and empower them on their development journey. 
 
We also recruited 10 pharmacy mentors from across the Integrated Care System (ICS) as part of our Widening Participation project. They have each been matched with a pharmacy student mentee from University of Nottingham. They are developing their leadership skills through this opportunity whilst supporting students who may have less opportunities to facilitate their healthcare career journey. This in turn supports workforce planning for Primary Care and our EDI agenda to make opportunities accessible to all. 
“I have found the wide variety of resources useful in preparing to meet my mentee. I have been able to further develop my communication skills and find useful resources for my mentee. I've also learned about the current Pharmacy degree programme and pressures / priorities Pharmacy students are facing.” 
Pharmacy Mentor 

Equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) topics 

Training need 
1. How to create positive cultural change in our workplace 
Delivered 
Black history month - Saluting our sisters 
 
Celebrating with PRIDE 
 
Notts Primary Care Conference 
 
Stories to Tell - Celebrating South Asian Heritage Month 
 
Meeting with Practice Managers at the LMC PM forum to offer NATH support and guidance 
Planning 
Completing the NATH EIA and sharing good practice and findings with our PCN and practice managers 
 
Increasing awareness of what a Freedom to Speak up Guardian is and how they can be used in Primary Care through social media posts 
 
Continuing Monthly EDI hot topic podcast 
2. How to speak out against discrimination 
Working with ICS EDI lead to promote Freedom to Speak up Guardians in Primary Care Black history month - Saluting our sisters 
 
Stories to Tell-South Asian Heritage month 
 
PRIDE podcast 
 
Breastfeeding podcast 
Liaising with our Secondary Care colleagues and exploring a new Active Bystander training offer being made to N&N from 2024 
 
Continuing work with ICS partners to encourage the introduction of Freedom to Speak Up Guardians in Primary care 
 
Producing good resources to signpost practices and Primary care staff to have structured conversations around difficult issues 
3. How to speak out against racism 
4. Anti-racism education 
Black history month - Saluting our sisters 
 
South Asian Heritage month 
Working with other providers to explore the roll out of Anti racism training which may be delivered at internal or joint PLT sessions 
5. Developing organisational cultural safety 
Black history month - Saluting our sisters 
 
Celebrating with PRIDE 
 
Stories to Tell - Celebrating South Asian Heritage Month 
Connecting and engaging with Secondary care roll out of Active Bystander Training, NATH will keep up to date with progress made and lobby for the roll out to Primary care when able 
 
Working with Practices and PCN managers to utilise the tools on our website to help facilitate internal conversations and have a better understanding of the needs of our diverse workforce by encouraging kind curiosity 
 
Continuing History months podcasts 
“I really enjoyed hearing all the personal stories. The speakers were engaging, and the networking opportunities were good. It brought history, and people’s experiences to life.” 
Delegate from the Celebrating South Asian Heritage Month event 
We organised a Primary Care Conference in September 2023 where the EDI Lead had the opportunity to speak to a captive audience addressing the importance of upskilling our Primary Care colleagues to understand what Equity, Diversity and Inclusion is, how NATH can help them better understand EDI and apply that training to ensure a better working environment for our diverse workforce and better care for our patients. We were able to outline our EDI agenda and signpost colleagues who were interested to contact us for further information. 
We will look more closely at how our Training Needs Analysis Survey helps us ensure that our work encompasses and incorporates equality, diversity and inclusion in a future post. 
 
Read more about some of the other findings highlighted by the TNA survey here. 
 
In the meantime we hope this introduction gives you an insight into how the feedback you give us helps to shape our plan for the coming year. 
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