Approval process to become a Midlands GP educational supervisor
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Process overview
From June 2025, all Midlands educators for GP programmes will be trained to the educational supervisor (ES) level, and we will no longer provide training for new, solely clinical supervisors (CS) for GP programmes. Details about the routes to train as an educational supervisor and an educational supervisor for foundation resident doctors can be found on this page.
Anyone interested in becoming an educational supervisor in the East Midlands must be eligible to train and follow the process on this webpage. Please note that these training pathways are open to fully qualified GPs working in a GP setting. If you're a doctor working in a secondary care setting wanting to achieve General Medical Council (GMC) Recognition of Trainers status, visit the GMC trainer in secondary care webpage.
Educational supervisor training
Eligibility to train as an educational supervisor
In the first instance, contact Julia Taylor, Associate Dean, to discuss your eligibility to train as an educational supervisor (ES), the training requirements and the application process. You may also want to meet with your local Training Programme Director (TPD) to discuss expectations.
To be eligible to apply for any route, you must be working a minimum of four clinical sessions in a GP practice. Either one that is already a training practice or one that will support you and become an approved learning environment (LE). This will increase/maintain training capacity.
In addition, Julia will want to discuss:
- whether or not you are in an existing GP or foundation training practice, this will help us to assess the amount of preparation that you will need to undertake to become an ES/training practice
- what Continuing Professional Development (CPD) activities you have undertaken or plan to undertake to develop your skills as an ES and how these fit in with your Professional Development Plan (PDP)
- how to contact your local GP Training Programme Director team (if you have not already been in contact) — this is to ensure that your local GP Training Programme Director team is aware of your intentions, and talk to you about your plans, as their support for your application is essential, and they will also consider the local need for new ES
Your local GP Training Programme Director will invite you to local educators' meetings and add you to an email circulation list, and begin to get you involved in the world of medical education. You should:
- begin to attend educator meetings/workshops at least three months before you plan to undertake an ES course
- ensure the full support of the wider practice to become an ES/LE
- work towards a minimum of four sessions within an already approved learning environment, or one that is seeking approval imminently, to be eligible for the course
- understand the requirements and possibilities related to you becoming a supervisor of foundation doctors in GP
Training courses
The training options will be discussed with Julia upon expressing an interest. The options for training are dependent on your experience and qualifications and include the following options.
Educational supervisor training course
The ES training course will consist of five days in total, part face-to-face and part on MS Teams. In the East Midlands, there will be three cohorts a year, with them being in May, September and January. You must be able to attend all the dates. Spaces are limited and will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis, once you have met with Julia Taylor, with a waiting list in place.
Clinical supervisor for the educational supervisor training course
An alternative route to the ES training course is for experienced GP clinical supervisors (CS) to convert to ES. You must have been an active CS for a minimum of three years in a learning environment, or five years in a non-training practice, to apply. There is a small portfolio of evidence required on applying and homework post-course. Communication regarding this opportunity comes from the central team, and there will be a Microsoft Form sent for you to complete to express your interest.
Foundation doctors supervision
If you are interested in clinically supervising foundation doctors on a placement in the community and are already an educational supervisor, you can complete the top-up training to equip you with the skills to undertake supervised learning events. To find out more, visit the become an ES for foundation doctors webpage.
After completing an NHS-England-approved educational supervisor course
Having completed an NHS England-approved educational supervisor course, a prospective ES must then:
1. Complete the online Microsoft form to apply for formal approval as a Midlands GP educational supervisor (You will receive an email confirming receipt of your application)
2. Complete the Multi-professional Educator Approval (M-PEAT) self-assessment form (which will be attached to your email confirmation) and return it to the Associate Dean who will review your application (who will also be copied into your email confirmation)
3. Provide additional documents to the Associate Dean ahead of your formal review, including your:
- valid NHS equality, diversity, and inclusion training certificate (or other evidence of completion)
- copy/copies of relevant supervisor course certificate/s
- weekly supervisor timetable demonstrating protected time for teaching and supervision
- organisational induction booklet
- induction timetable for learners
- weekly timetable for learners
4. Once completed, you'll need to arrange a formal review meeting with the specified Associate Dean.
5. After the meeting, the Associate Dean will share their report and, if appropriate, confirm their recommendation to the Midlands' primary and community care team (PCCT) to update the General Medical Council (GMC) register and ePortfolio.
Please note: If the learning environment the prospective ES is linked to (for example, GP practice) has never previously been approved as a site for GP training, it must undergo a Training Hub-facilitated process for multi-professional LE approval.
Figure 1: Flow chart of the approval process to become a Midlands GP educational supervisor
Reapproval
From 19 June 2025, the GMC no longer requires educators to be formally reapproved every five years as a minimum. In line with this, to ensure continued delivery of quality supervision per our duties as the Local Education Provider (LEP), the Midlands GP Schools are moving to an annual affirmation survey where all current GP educators confirm their continued status as a trainer, along with their attendance at educational activities to continue development as a trainer, and other information relevant to maintaining their recognition.
Senior educators are developing the form from the East and West Midlands GP Schools, and we anticipate this will launch soon.
Keeping up to date as an educator
Your educator role should form part of your annual appraisal and you should undertake CPD to keep updated and current. Please ensure you are on the mailing list with your local training programme and the foundation programme (if appropriate) so that you receive information and invites to educator events, including workshops and conferences. Attendance at Annual Review of Competency & Progression (ARCP) panels is also important - please contact your local training programme for more information.
Supervisor Refresher Training for existing trainers, GP ES & GP CS will continue to be offered online three times a year. The morning is for GP training and covers workplace-based assessments and the 14Fish portfolio. The afternoon covers foundation training, supervised learning events and the Horus portfolio. This training is only for those already trained and approved as GP ES or F2 Supervisors, & for CS who completed the CS training in the past & wish to continue in the CS role within an approved learning environment.
Please see below for details of how to book your chosen date via Accent Course Manager. You must be working a minimum of four sessions as an existing ES or CS to be eligible for the course. Please do not share links to the course with other GPs – all attendees must book on via Accent Course Manager to control course numbers and provide some governance. Attendance certificates can be found on your Accent Course Manager account after completion of your course evaluation.
Dates for refresher courses
Refresher courses run as half‑day sessions, with the morning session for those working with GP specialty resident doctors, and the afternoon session for supervisors of foundation (FY2) resident doctors.
Upcoming educator refreshed course dates:
-
CS/ES or Foundation CS on 12 May 2026
-
CS/ES or Foundation CS on 8 December 2026
-
CS/ES or Foundation CS on 9 February 2027
Please do not share links to the course with other GPs – all attendees must book on via Accent Course Manager to control course numbers and provide some governance.
Attendance certificates can be found on your Accent Course Manager account after completion of your course evaluation.
Learning environment approval process for primary care
From June 2025, a LE approval process must be completed for any LE not previously approved for GP training. Practices that have previously been approved for GP training, and currently host GP resident doctors are not required to undertake the LE approval process
The responsibility for the approval and ongoing quality monitoring of the LE has moved to NHSE Training Hubs. The application to become an approved LE is made by a practice, or by a group of practices based within the same primary care network (PCN), to the relevant Training Hub, separately from the approval of individual trainers.
For more information about this process, visit our LE webpage.
Clinical Supervisor training
From June 2025, all Midlands educators for GP programmes will be trained to ES level, and we will no longer provide training for new, solely CS for GP programmes. Details about the routes to train as an ES can be found on this page. If you are on the GP register, working in a GP setting, have already completed CS training and still wish to be recognised as a CS, contact the GP team.
Useful webpages for existing or aspiring GP educators and practices in the East Midlands