As part of our commitment to developing our own workforce Black Country ICB’s Training Hub are seeking the assistance of GP practices in providing placements for students who are undertaking both pre-registration and apprenticeship nursing degrees.
All primary care employers have a part to play in developing our practitioners of the future and hands on work experience is critical for students to be able to put their learning into practice.
To host students you will need to be educationally audited prior to placement. This means the University/ICB will meet with your practice to ensure it meets the guidance set by the NMC for hosting students.
Placement durations vary but could be one day a week for a period of 12 weeks to a block placement of several weeks. Practices would need appropriate nursing supervision for when students are placed. Supervisor training will be offered for this. A placement tariff is available for pre-registration nursing programmes.
What are the benefits of hosting a student?
- Students with primary care experience are more likely to consider a career in primary care.
- Hosting students is known to improve retention of existing staff.
- Hosting students impacts positively on the whole team with an increase in critical thinking for all staff.
- Addition of learners to the practice team brings in diversity and differing skills sets.
- Enables smaller practices to have a role in workforce development and education.
- Opportunity to share students with neighbouring practices/PCNs if the mentor/supervisor is part time.
- Gives existing primary care staff experience of teaching students, raising their profile as educators.
- Students can act as a resource. For example, nursing students can support GPN’s by undertaking designated tasks e.g., dressings, blood pressures, urinalysis, weights.
- Income from the placement tariff is payable to the practice for some student groups.
The process to become a placement site does take time so please get in touch ASAP if you are interested in finding out more. The Practice Placement Team can also facilitate placements for other professional groups (e.g., physios, podiatry, pharmacists), contact the team for further information.
For more information contact our Primary Care team here, or complete this form.
Supervisors and assessors are a vital resource to support the training of our workforce of the future. If you are interested in becoming a supervisor or assessor please contact the GPN Team at bcicb.
