Primary Care to share COVID-19 learning in ‘Protected Learning Time’ event
In its continued work to adopt innovative ways of working during the COVID-19 pandemic local health commissioners will be delivering virtual shared learning and professional development sessions to GPs and primary care staff in the Vale of York.
NHS Vale of York Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and Hull and York Medical School’s Academy of Primary Care have been providing professional learning and development opportunities to primary care based staff for the last 18 months. The sessions, dedicated to improving services and outcomes for patients, are usually provided face to face. In a proactive move to continue to deliver important learning, the session has been moved to online.
Protected Learning Time (PLT) events are peer-led sessions for GPs, Registered Nurses, Health Care Assistants, Allied Health Professionals and Physician Associates from across the Vale of York, which provide an opportunity to learn about new clinical developments, updates to national guidance, and best practice whilst also sharing their own experience and knowledge.
The PLT events usually take place four times a year, with the next event occurring virtually on Tuesday 7 July. This will include workshops focusing on the COVID-19 response such as cancer referrals, nursing innovations, safeguarding children and families while in lockdown and supporting people to get their mental health back on track.
Dr Nigel Wells, Clinical Chair at the CCG said: “The Vale of York area is fortunate to have high quality primary care services, but we are now experiencing challenges with coronavirus, the recruitment of new staff, the retention of experienced colleagues and an ever-increasing work load.
“We recognise that Protected Learning Time sessions are a valuable event for colleagues to take time away from practice to share and learn which is why we are keen to keep the momentum going now more than ever.”
“Throughout the coronavirus pandemic practices have adapted to innovative new ways of working and increased the use of virtual online communications to deliver care to patients and support to colleagues. The protected learning time event on 7th July will discuss these developments and help shape how patient care continues past the pandemic.”
Professor Becky Malby, Professor in Health System Innovation at London South Bank University, will lead the keynote session to develop a collective understanding for sustaining and improving innovation achieved throughout the coronavirus pandemic – to ensure that we meet the health needs of our population in the future.
Local patients will continue to receive the care they need from their local practice on Tuesday 7 July 2020, via Vocare, the local Out of Hours GP provider. Vocare will be supplying clinical cover from 1pm to 6pm to those practices that choose to take up this virtual learning and development. Patients can call Vocare on 0300 123 0762.
Find out more about the series of Protected Learning Time Events here: www.valeofyorkccg.nhs.uk/about-us/protected-learning-time/
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