Primary Care Preceptorship Programme
The training hub has partnered with Northamptonshire Healthcare Foundation Trust (NHFT) to be able to offer a comprehensive multi-professional preceptorship programme to our eligible staff.
This programme is open to registered nurses, nursing associates and allied health professionals (AHPs) who are newly registered or new to primary care. Details of the programme can be found here:
document NHFT Preceptorship Programme (591 KB)
If you’re an individual wishing to join the preceptorship programme, or an employer wishing to nominate one of your staff then please complete this short form in the first instance
Join The Preceptorship Programme
For registered nurses only, we have an alternative programme which also includes essential clinical skills for new general practice nurses.
Find Out About The Career Start Programme
What is preceptorship?
Preceptorship is described as a period of structured support and development for newly registered practitioners, or those undergoing periods of career transition*, during which a preceptee is supported by a preceptor to develop their confidence as an autonomous and accountable professional.
The main aim of preceptorship is to welcome and integrate the registered practitioner into their new team and place of work. Preceptorship helps professionals to translate and embed their knowledge into everyday practice, grow in confidence and have the best possible start to this phase of their career.
Preceptorship isn't designed to replace appraisals or be a substitute for a formal induction and mandatory training.
What are the benefits of preceptorship?
Preceptorship helps newly registered, or career transitioning practitioners have the best possible start in their new role. This is recognised and advocated by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) and the Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC).
We know preceptorship has a variety of benefits for employers and preceptees, among others.
Benefits for the preceptee:
- Structured support to transition their knowledge into everyday practice successfully.
- Initiates a lifelong journey of reflection and the ability to self-identify continuing professional development needs.
- A positive preceptorship experience can result in practitioners having increased confidence, a sense of belonging, and feeling valued by their employer.
Benefits for employers:
- Effective preceptorship outcomes are linked to improved recruitment and retention.
- Attracting and retaining skilled practitioners is imperative for delivering better, safe, and effective care.
*may include return to practice staff, international staff, complete change of specialism (e.g., moving from secondary to primary care).
Preceptors
Any registered healthcare professional of an equivalent or senior level to the preceptee, and within the same discipline, may be a preceptor. They should have a minimum of 12 months’ experience post-registration, with experience of working within the setting, and they should attend initial training. Nursing associates (with a minimum of 12 months’ experience post-registration) may act as preceptors for newly registered nursing associates.
Preceptor training can be accessed here:
Multi-professional Preceptor training
Registered nurse/Nurse associate preceptors should also be SSSA trained:
NMC
The NMC have developed Principles for Preceptorship which can be found here:
Principles of preceptorship - The Nursing and Midwifery Council (nmc.org.uk)
HCPC
The HCPC undertook a consultation on preceptorship during Oct-Dec 2022 and aim to publish their final preceptorship principles later this year. The consultation outcome can be found here :
Consultation on principles for preceptorship – analysis and decisions | (hcpc-uk.org)
National Preceptorship Framework
To reduce variation and improve the quality of preceptorship, NHS England established a National Preceptorship project, the outcomes of which were published in October 2022.
This National Preceptorship Framework was developed in collaboration with stakeholders from the seven regions of the country, through extensive consultation. The critical elements of a preceptorship programme have been identified through research analysis and a literature review, taking account of learning from other organisations’ experience of implementing preceptorship frameworks.
While the framework is intended for nursing, it is expected to be used as a core set of standards for multi-disciplinary preceptorship programmes and is designed to be inclusive in its use of language and terminology.
The core elements of a programme include:
- A preceptorship policy that defines the roles, supernumerary period, and protected time.
- A formal structured programme of learning for the preceptee
- Identification of development for the preceptor.
- The role of the preceptorship lead, monitoring and evaluation must also be included to align with the NMC Principles
You can read more about the framework here:
NHS England » National preceptorship framework for nursing
There are also several standard documents which can be tailored according to individual practices’ needs.
document Standard Documentation - National Preceptorship Nursing Programme (51 KB)