1. Greater Manchester Postgraduate Workforce Group Mentorship Strategy
Carol Le Blanc – Bolton FT Joanna Dunn – Manchester Met Dr Jacqueline Leigh - University of Salford

2. Context and reporting arrangements
GM Delivery Group
Nursing Associate Workforce Group
Nursing & Midwifery Graduate Workforce Group
Post-Graduate Workforce Group
Mentor preparation project subgroup
GM Director of Nursing Forum
GM Strategic Workforce Board

3. GM Involvement
All 13 NHS Trusts / 10 CCGs across GM engaged in work streams
All 4 GM university partners engaged in work streams
University of Manchester
Manchester Metropolitan University
University of Salford
University of Bolton
10 Localities of
Greater Manchester

4. Objectives of work stream
Transition arrangements for supporting learners in practice with move to new NMC standards
Develop an education framework for new NMC standards
Objectives of work stream

5. New approach to supervising and assessing students in practice:
Realising professionalism Part 2: Standards for education and training (NMC 2018)
New approach to supervising and assessing students in practice:
Practice Supervisor
• Practice Assessor
• Academic Assessor

6. Outcome -focused Key changes:
Allow for local innovation in programme delivery
One approach for all NMC approved programmes
Increased opportunities for wider health and social care professional support of students
Flexibility in models of supervision and assessment
Revised definition of supernumerary
Separate roles for supervision and assessment in practice settings
Tripartite assessment with new academic assessor role
Outcome -focused
Process:
Considered the HCPC and draft NMC requirements for supervising and assessing students in practice, mapping current provision to these.
Group members shared their vision of what the new model for supervising and assessing students would look like …….
Reviewed existing practice to evidence meeting draft NMC standards
Smaller group reviewed evidence of what works well with current system and evidence base about weaknesses and challenges
Considered the many opportunities that the new NMC (2018) standards offered.

7. Process:
Considered the HCPC and draft NMC requirements for supervising and assessing students in practice, mapping current provision to these.
Group members shared their vision of what the new model for supervising and assessing students would look like …….
Reviewed existing practice to evidence meeting draft NMC standards
Smaller group reviewed evidence of what works well with current system and evidence base about weaknesses and challenges
Considered the many opportunities that the new NMC (2018) standards offered.
What we did …..

8. Challenges Tendency to want to re-badge existing approach
Focus tended to be on pre-registration nursing and acute settings
Representation about the group - decision makers who can influence
Buy in from groups not represented
Meeting needs of wide range of health and social care organisations and HEIs
Challenges

9. Not just pre-registration nursing!
Applies to all NMC approved programmes:
trainee nurse associate
pre-registration nursing
pre-registration midwifery
specialist community public health nursing
community specialist practitioner
prescribing (V100/V150/V300)
return to practice
Not just pre-registration nursing!
The NMC are currently reviewing a range of standards including RTP, SCPHN, community specialist practitioner, and midwifery. All current information can be found at:

10. Role Recommended Approach Practice Supervisor
An NMC registered professional and other registered health and social care professional who meet the NMC outcomes for practice supervisor
Upholds public protection
Provide inclusive, tailored learning experiences
Gives feedback
Contributes to decisions on assessment and progression
Raises concerns where necessary
Preparation for practice supervisor
Flexible approach to meet increased range of practice supervisor roles:
Technology enhanced learning
Workshops
Simulation
Individual support
Written material – fast facts
Bespoke preparation for practitioners with existing experience in supporting students (i.e. NO automatic migration)

11. Role Recommended Approach Practice Assessor
AEIs and practice are jointly responsible for assigning students to a nominated practice assessor.
The assessors registered nurses or midwives with appropriate equivalent experience for the student’s field of practice or programme i.e. NMP, SCPHN.
All students will be assigned to a practice assessor for a practice placement or a series of practice placements.
Is appropriately prepared for the role (outcomes within section ); and consistently perform objective holistic assessment and verifies student’s evidence of achievement of the programme proficiencies & intended learning outcomes.
Will receive protected time for groups of students for part of the programme.
Preparation for practice assessor
All practice assessors will be required to undertake a period of preparation and have had coaching and E&D training
Flexible approach dependent on background and setting, utilising technology where appropriate:
Initial update/induction session to progress current registrants to the new role (face to face or online)
The development of a portfolio of evidence to meet outcomes
Workshops focusing on outcomes
Non-credit bearing / credit bearing programme of study

12. Role Recommended Approach Academic Assessor
The scope of the academic assessor role will act in a moderation role and not supervise students in practice. With regard to student performance and achievement of NMC proficiencies they will review prior to progression for each part of the programme.
Each AEI will decide how the part(s) of the programme are structured.
Each AEI will have operationalise the academic assessor slightly differently and will communicate with practice learning providers. Academic Assessors may be personal tutors; programme leads etc.
Preparation for academic assessor
Must hold or work towards relevant qualifications as required by their academic institution and local and national policies
AEIs normally require PGCE or fellowship of Advance HE/HEA.
Due to high expectation required of this role and in order to effectively meet the NMC outcomes (9.1), GM AEIs will agree preparation and ongoing support and development for role.

13. GM Model for supervision and assessment in practice agreed -
30th NOVEMBER 2018
Communications for the model and transition arrangements developed and shared across organisations - 31st DECEMBER 2018
Training requirements and a phased approach to delivery agreed through GM PEG (phase 1 NMC registrants; Phase 2 other registered professionals) must include pre and post Reg programmes - 31st JANUARY 2019
Staff within all clinical placement areas have been assessed/ trained as meeting the practice supervisor outcomes and appropriate number of staff upskilled to undertake practice assessor roles
- 30th SEPTEMBER 2019

14. EXAMPLE : Academic Assessor
Pre-Registration Nursing: Personal tutor model- personal tutor work as part of cohort team (i.e. 16 personal tutors per cohort of students with own group of students). Academic assessor drawn from the cohort team and rotates academic assessor role for each part of the programme for different group of students (part is each year of programme -year 1, 2 and 3). Academic assessor is field specific for all years of the programme. Personal tutor is not the academic assessor for any part of the programme.
Midwifery: No personal tutor, year leads who work within PBL groups for cohort of students. They are the academic assessor for the part of the programme. Student has the different year lead, hence different academic assessor for each part of the programme.
NMP: Academic assessor to have the independent prescribing qualification & registration with professional body- looking at a model using practice assessor and practice supervisor roles

15. Challenge practitioners to promote innovation and think differently about the roles and preparation
Focus on opportunities that a new approach can bring
Making sure there is representation from all professions and health/social care settings
Context of change – new standards of proficiency require a different approach in practice
Key learning points