The Primary Care Academy is provided by Rochdale Health Alliance and works in collaboration with NHS Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale Clinical Commissioning Group.

The Primary Care Academy was launched in September 2018 to focus on training, education, workforce development and research across the entire primary care workforce in HMR.

It aims to create and provide new opportunities for people working in primary care and entering primary care, to shape, inform and influence the career opportunities and environment they would like to work in.

We will collaborate with, NHS Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale Clinical Commissioning Group, Higher Education Institutes and other identified stakeholders in supporting service redesign, education and training of the workforce across primary care.

The HMR Primary Care Academy is supporting the implementation of the NHS strategic direction, the Five Year Forward View and the programmes that underpin it, particularly the GP workforce 10 point plan, which stresses the urgent need to recruit doctors and nurses into general practice, retain current staff and support returners.

Our Key priorities are:

• To help future proof General Practice in HMR – providing clinical and non-clinical staff with the necessary workforce skills, values and support tools, such as mentoring to improve the quality and continuity of safe primary care services in HMR

• To promote HMR as the first-choice career location – influence GPs, Nurses and other health professionals planning their future and highlight the many benefits of living and working in the area with an emphasis on introducing roles emerging and apprenticeships available

• Valuing Primary Care Staff – their role is essential in securing the sustainability of the NHS and acknowledges the need to nurture and support career development.

• Recruitment and retention- initiatives to support GP Practices

• Grow our own staff – working with local training providers, schools, colleges and universities

• Support practices and system leaders– respond to the changing needs of local health and care systems and helps to avoid future vulnerability by understanding and planning for future change now

• Research and development – to identify those members who would like to be involved in research and form links with universities/networks.

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