Supporting continuous learning in Primary Care

The Protective Learning Initiative (PLI) team organise and deliver educational events for healthcare professionals on a wide range of topics. The aim of the events is to support clinicians in updating and improving their clinical practice.

Every PLI event is funded and planned by the CCG, with expert contributions from local GPs, doctors and nurses from Sheffield’s provider Trusts, Public Health colleagues in Sheffield City Council, and Sheffield based voluntary sector organisations. They also occasionally invite speakers from other organisations. The educational events aim to meet the learning needs of GPs and Practice Nurses, and this year they have begun to introduce more content for Health Care Assistants

Leading on a variety of topics

During 2017, our education events ran by the PLI team attracted 2,200+ healthcare professionals. The broad range of topics included the best starts for babied and families, pain management, integrating mental and physical health, safety in drug administration, and sexual health.

The GP training on adult safeguarding this year looked at the topic of neglect and self-neglect, and was delivered by an education company who use theatre to deliver examples and experiences, using scenarios based on real life that were written by the clinical team.

The “protected” aspect of the Protective Learning Initiative is in reference to how the CCG makes sure that GPs can attend these events without any concern; the CCG funds clinical cover on those PLI afternoons, making sure that staff can undertake training.

Jane Howcroft, Programme and Performance Assurance Manager for the PLI Team, said: “Our team supports GPs, Practice Nurses and Healthcare Assistants by running education events. These events help keep their knowledge up to date and help ensure that patients receive safe, quality services.”

The following quotes gathered from PLI events show how patients are receiving better services thanks to the education shared with healthcare professionals:

“As a result of what I have heard today, I am going to ask my patients much more directly if they have thoughts about suicide in future, and proactively follow up patients who express suicidal thoughts.”

“I now have an increased awareness of sepsis and clinical tools to use to help diagnosis.”

“I will offer HIV testing more routinely in order to pick up infection at an earlier stage.”