Primary Care Education

The Career Start / Fundamental Pathway for practice nurses is a programme of three accredited modules. It also includes national cervical screening training; national core immunisation training if required.

Accredited modules included in the Pathway include: Context of Nursing in General Practice, Preventative Interventions in General Practice Nursing and Monitoring and Management of Long Term Conditions.

Currently this pathway is not being delivered whilst local organisations consider their pathway requirements. If you have any queries regarding GPN education please contact karen.l.elton@northumbria.ac.uk

This online module is for those who are considering a future career in Primary Care/General Practice Nursing, and is aimed at supporting students  pre-employment from any field of nursing. Anyone in England can apply to Northumbria university to undertake this module.

The module is designed for trainee nurse associates, registered nurse associates, student nurses (years 2 & 3) or registered nurses. It can be studied at three levels: non-accredited, level 6 or level 7.

Find out more and apply for the course at the link below:

The Community Specialist Practice Qualification (SPQ) Higher Apprenticeship programme is designed to equip Postgraduates with the skills required for Community Specialist Practice.

The Higher Apprenticeship programme is available full time (54 weeks) or part time (106 weeks).

Four pathways are available:

• District Nursing (DN)
• General Practice Nursing (GPN)
• Adult Social Care Nursing (ASCN)
• Community Children’s Nursing (CCN).

Find out more and apply for the course at the link below:

We no longer offer single modules, however modules can be studied as part of a programme at level 6 or 7. Students can choose to pause or withdraw from the programme as they see fit, with up to 5 years to complete. Advice is always available from the programme leads and models of funding are flexible within the programme to suit the needs of individual modules. Please see the list of modules below and follow the link provided for more details:

• AC6712 - AC7077 History Taking & Clinical Skills for Primary Care – Level 6

• AC6712 - AC7077 History Taking& Clinical Skills for Primary Care – Level 7

• AC6725/AC- (TBC) End of Life Care - Level 6

• AC6725/AC (TBC) End of Life Care - Level 7 (TBC)

• AC6729Prevention & Early Intervention in CAMH

• AC6759/AC7105 Sexual Health Advisor: Principles of public health and partner notification - Level 6

• AC6759/AC7105 Sexual Health Advisor: Principles of public health and partner notification - Level 7

• AC6700/AC7113 Diabetes - Level 6

• AC6700/AC7113 Diabetes - Level 7

• AC6711 Children and Young People's History Taking and Physical Assessment 

• AC6760/AC7111 Assessor and Supervisor Preparation in Clinical Practice - Level 6

• AC6760/AC7111 Assessor and Supervisor Preparation in Clinical Practice - Level 7

• AC6766/AC7101 Leadership, Management and Decision Making in Health and Social Practice - Level 6 (TBC)

• AC6766/AC7101 Leadership, Management and Decision Making in Health and Social Practice - Level 7

• AC6662/AC0786 Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Long Term Conditions

• AC6710/AC7066 Non-Medical Prescribing – Level 6

• AC6710/AC7066 Non-Medical Prescribing – Level 7

• AC6751/AC7110 Promoting Sexual Health in Healthcare Practice – Level 6

• AC6751/AC7110 Promoting Sexual Health in Healthcare Practice – Level 7

• AC6757/AC7097 Supporting Survivors of Sexual Violence/Abuse – Level 6

• AC6757/AC7097 Supporting Survivors of Sexual Violence/Abuse – Level 7

• AC6758/AC7098 Safeguarding Adults, Young People and Children Level 6

• AC6758/AC7098 Safeguarding Adults, Young People and Children Level 7

• AC6750 Improving outcomes in health & social practice

• AC6717 Respiratory Disorders - Level 6 

• AC7138 Respiratory Disorders - Level 7 Apply for this module here.

• AC6778 - Cardiac Health in Contemporary Clinical Practice - Level 6  Apply for this module here.

• AC7139 - Cardiac Health in Contemporary Clinical Practice - Level 7 Apply for this module here. 

This online module is for those who are considering a future career in Primary Care/General Practice Nursing, and is aimed at supporting students  pre-employment from any field of nursing. Anyone in England can apply to Northumbria university to undertake this module.

The module is designed for trainee nurse associates, registered nurse associates, student nurses (years 2 & 3) or registered nurses. It can be studied at three levels: non-accredited, level 6 or level 7.

Find out more and apply for the course at the link below:

This two day short course follows the National Immunisation core training guidelines and is delivered via face to face sessions.

Your workplace must be able to support your clinical practice and you will require to be supervised within your own practice area for the purpose of assessment and competency sign off.

This masterclass includes the national requirements within the face to face teaching session. The topics covered include the following:

• The aims of immunisation, national vaccine policy and schedules
• The immune response to vaccines and how vaccines work
• Vaccine preventable diseases
• The different types of vaccines, their composition and the indications and contraindications
• Current issues in immunisation
• Communicating with patients, parents and carers about vaccines
• Legal issues in immunisation
• Storage and handling of vaccines
• Correct administration of vaccines
• Anaphylaxis and adverse reactions
• Documentation, record keeping and reporting
• Strategies for optimising immunisation

Find out more and apply for the course at the link below.

This short course follows the National cervical screening training guidelines and is delivered via blended learning, i.e. one day in university and one day e-learning.

Your workplace must be able to support your clinical practice and you will be allocated an external mentor for the purpose of assessment and competency sign off.

This masterclass includes the national requirements within the face to face teaching session. The topics covered include the following:

• Topic 1: the NHS CSP
• Topic 2: background to cervical screening
• Topic 3: organisation of the NHS CSP
• Topic 4: equality of access to cervical screening
• Topic 5: cervical screening sample requests
• Topic 6: understanding the test results
• Topic 7: anatomy and physiology of the pelvic organs
• Topic 8: practical aspects of taking cervical samples

Due to changes in funding streams for mentorship there will be limited training after June 2024 until the new 2025 financial year across all training providers

Find out more and apply for this course at the link below.

This masterclass is aimed at nurses new to undertaking ear care consultations and reviews. It will cover the assessment of the patients ear symptoms and the management options for those with excessive cerumen.

The topics covered include the following:

• Anatomy and Physiology of the ear
• Accountability and legalities
• Assessment of the patient with ear symptoms
• Common ear conditions
• Hearing pathways
• How to use an otoscope to examine ears
• Identification of red flags and referral
• Undertaking the ear care consultation and documentation
• When to perform ear irrigation and alternative therapies
• Infection control of Ear care equipment and its safe use

Find out more and apply for this course at the link below.

This masterclass will enable you to deliver safe and evidenced based health care regarding B12 administration within primary care. Students will be provided with a  a competency assessment to complete in their own practice area.

Your workplace must be able to support your clinical practice and you will require to be supervised within your own practice area for the purpose of assessment and competency sign off.

Topics covered include:

• The natural sources of B12 and why humans need B12
• Causes of B12 deficiency
• Identify common symptoms of B12 deficiency
• Diagnosis and investigations in primary care
• Long term effects of B12 deficiency
• Understanding pernicious anaemia
• Therapeutic management
• Legalities of the B12 administration-accountability and responsibility
• The administration consultation, including ascertaining informed consent
• Make appropriate records and refer to other health professionals where necessary
• Safety issues for administering intramuscular injections
• Practical session for intra muscular injections (if required)

Find out more and apply for this course at the link below.

This session is aimed at nurses new to undertaking blood result reviews. It will cover what tests are appropriate in primary care according to the evidence, safety issues for the patient and staff member, common blood test requests and optimal results, how to manage those outside of optimal ranges.

The session will include case scenarios to illustrate practice application. Topics covered include;

• When are blood tests necessary?
• Profiles of common blood tests:
  - FBC
  - HB
  - anaemia
  - platelets
  - WCC
  - ferritin
  - B12 & folate
  - coagulation screens
  - HbA1c
  - glucose
  - U&E
  - eGFR
  - AKI
  - LFTs
  - CRP
  - ESR
  - bone profile
  - lipid profiles
  - TFTs
  - tumour markers

Find out more and apply for this course at the link below.

The masterclass update for Non Medical Prescribing will build upon your existing professional and healthcare knowledge to improve the quality of care you are able to deliver.

The content has been requested by local CCGs, and is therefore not condition specific, but aims to ensure that existing V300 qualified staff are contemporary regarding prescribing guidance and frameworks.

This one-day masterclass will allow you to explore the contemporary practice issues that support high quality prescribing practice.

Find out more and apply for this course at the link below.

This two day masterclass will cover an introduction to wound care management, aseptic techniques and infection control and prevention within the primary care setting.

You will examine skin and wound aetiology and be able to identify red flags. Day two builds on the learning from day one and will include ABPI measurements. It will suggest management options for more complex wounds and leg ulcers.

Find out more and apply for this course at the link below.

This is a 5 day short course (non-accredited) that supports the care certificate for HCAs new to general practice, and follows the care certificate chapters and content.

The course will cover:

• communication skills
• legal and professional issues
• consultation methods & types of consultation
• delivering health promotion
• obtaining valid consent
• ear care (competencies assessed)
• B12 (competency assessed)
• Phlebotomy (competency assessed)
• basic wound care and aseptic technique
• Core observation recording (BP/TPR/Urinalysis/BMI/ECG)

Find out more and apply for this course at the link below.

This one day masterclass will cover the anatomy & physiology of the relevant body area with common MSK presentations and management of such, in accordance to the evidence, when to X-Ray, and how to manage chronic arthritic pain.

The MSK that this day will specifically cover will be :

• hands
• wrist
• elbows
• shoulder

Find out more and apply for this course at the link below.

This one day masterclass will cover the anatomy & physiology of the relevant body area with common MSK presentations and management of such, in accordance to the evidence, when to X-Ray, and how to manage chronic arthritic pain.

The MSK that this day will specifically cover will be :

• hips
• knees
• ankles
• feet

Find out more and apply for this course at the link below.

This one day masterclass will cover basic introduction to phlebotomy practice for those who have not undertaken this training previously.

A practical skills workshop is included. A competency assessment document is provided for in-house competency assessment post course attendance.

Content will include;

• legal/professional issues for staff
• accountability and consent
• anatomy & physiology of veins
• phlebotomy sites and equipment
• preparation of the client
• sharps disposal
• risks & hazards of phlebotomy
• documentation

Find out more and apply for this course at the link below.

This masterclass will examine the requirements of the annual review of those clients with learning disabilities within your practice, across the spectrum of severity.

This session will be delivered by a GP with specialist interest and a CCG lead role in learning disability and mental health.

Content will include;

• what is a LD
• statistics for LD in UK
• current evidence/research overview
• ranges of LD
• effects of LD on patients
• associated health issues for LD patients
• what are reasonable adjustments
• providing the annual health check
• health action planning and the multi-disciplinary approach
• Managing risks for LD patients
• social determinants of health
• equality/access to healthcare
• capacity & consent

Find out more and apply for this course at the link below.

This 2 day masterclass will examine how/when/what contraceptive methods can be commenced in a routine and post emergency contraception situation.

It will advise on contemporary guidelines and the use of the UKMEC to guide practitioners.

Content will include;

• History taking for commencing contraception
• Combined hormonal methods
• Progestogen only methods
• Contraindications and drug interactions of hormonal contraception
• Long Acting Contraception
• Using the UKMEC guidance
• Missed method guidance
• Emergency contraception-methods and which to use
• Contraception following emergency contraception use

Find out more and apply for this course at the link below.

This one day masterclass will concentrate on the management of diabetic foot health.

Content will include;

• overview of the global burden of diabetes
• what is type 1 and type 2 diabetes
• perceptions of diabetes
• risk factors
• social determinants of health and diabetes prevalence
• non-diabetic hyperglycaemia
• overview of diabetic management therapies
• complications of diabetes
• QOF indicators
• wound classifications
• current guidelines for foot disease management
• what is included in the annual foot review
• monofilament tests
• foot pulses
• foot ulcers
• diabetic peripheral neuropathy
• foot assessment
• health promotion and when to refer

Find out more and apply for this course at the link below.

This one day masterclass is aimed at registered practitioners who will be assisting women with menopausal symptoms and their management. 

Content will include;

• Anatomy & physiology including the reproductive cycle
• What is the menopause
• Menopause symptoms and phases of the menopause process
• How to diagnose the menopause in primary care/investigations
• Early menopause
• Initial consultation and examination
• Overview of the types of HRT available and the risks/benefits of HRT
• HRT regimes
• HRT Side effects and their management
• Alternatives to HRT
• Contraception and menopause
• Scenario based discusssion

Find out more and apply for this course at the link below.

This half day masterclass is aimed at all immunising staff who regularly administer vaccines as part of their role.

This session will provide contemporary updates on all vaccine related issues in accordance to national guidance and developments

Find out more and apply for this course at the link below.