General Practice Assistant (GPA) Training Program

If you have previously expressed your interest through NHSE’s online form, then you may have received an email (26th Oct 23) asking you to confirm your interest by directly emailing ARU Writtle.

To express ongoing interest in a place on the training PCNs or GP practices are asked to contact the training provider ARU Writtle to enquire about additional places gpassistant@writtle.ac.uk

Please also see below a link to the GPA programme on the e-earning for health website, which has been developed to help GPAs and their Mentors understand the requirements for gathering evidence.

https://www.e-lfh.org.uk/programmes/general-practice-assistant/

Please see below for the previous training program documentation which can be used to support any in house training.

Support and develop those in your practice!

GP Assistants (sometimes referred to as Medical Assistant) support doctors in the smooth running of their surgery by handling the routine administration and some basic clinical duties enabling the GP to focus on the patient, leading to an increase in GPs time, patient satisfaction and job satisfaction.

Key points:

• Completion over a 6 month period
• Framework that covers 5 domains (2 clinical and 3 non-clinical) and awarded 10 credits and Level 4 is achieved
• Open to existing staff who are already in roles such as Receptionist; Phlebotomists; Secretaries; HCAs; Administrators – banded 3-4 (AfC).
• Confirmation of a dedicated, named GP mentor who can provide mentorship, guidance and supervision and sign off submitted programme work. Secondary ‘non-clinical’ mentor possible.
• On-line portal ‘Learning Assistant’
• Write up and present evidence for the GP mentor to mark and sign off
• Each learner has one day protected learning time (½ day self-learning, ½ day mentor supervision)
• Certification upon completion and sign off by the University of Chester
• Mandatory evaluation of programme for both learner and Mentors

More information

For more information on the scheme please download the supplementary documents below.

For additional information and video on the role of a GPA visit the HEE webpage:
VISIT WEBPAGE

Watch this video for context and a deeper explanation of how GPA’s came about. (NB: this was made for the Midlands region in 2019 so some information may not apply to those in the East)
WATCH VIDEO

Programme overview

GPA Learner Guide

GPA Mentor Guide

Training Programme FAQs