The new 10-year plan for the NHS, released July 2025, contains many measures which may require staff to be trained in new and developing ways. In this article, Thornfields healthcare training specialists, part of FPM Group and the Stericycle family, explore how you can get ahead of the curve. PLUS news of our 25% discount on all ILM 3 and 5 courses commencing this September.

Digital and AI Proficiency:

The 10 year plan emphasises a shift from analogue to digital, with tools like the NHS App and digital triage systems becoming central to care delivery. There are likely to be training needs around the increasing use of AI-powered tools designed to save time, such as digital scribes which auto-summarise patient notes; and there will be a need to manage and interpret data from the new so-called ‘Single Patient Record’. GPs have also been urged to appoint a ‘clinical safety officer’ (CSO) before utilising any transcription tools with at least two day’s training – and there have been many conflicting opinions on which tools to use, and how, in order to manage data correctly and avoid liabilities.

How Thornfields can help:

• Our workshop on Information Governance and Confidentiality in Primary Care covers all aspects of information governance and the requirements for primary care including policies, strategies and best practice.
• The Clinical Coding for Primary Care Staff workshops we run for England and Wales provide an understanding of the background and context of SNOMED CT, re-enforcing awareness that accurate clinical coding is central to General Practice provision of safe, high-quality patient care and good data.

Skills for Community-Based and Preventative Care:

The plan marks a major shift from hospital to community care, with a focus on prevention and personalised care. In particular, the skills required for working in multidisciplinary neighbourhood teams will become even more crucial, as will delivering preventative (and not simply reactive) care. 

How Thornfields can help:

• Our Total Team Working workshop is fun and interactive, and gives team members the opportunity to learn about and reflect upon their own team work style, and includes an action-based team work exercise.
• We also run a workshop called Social Prescriber, Link Worker Activation which will activate newcomers to this increasingly vital role within the community, so link workers become operationally effective as soon as possible. Delegates will be given a clear understanding of how they fit into multidisciplinary teams (MDTs), how they can make a difference, safely, and how that difference can be measured.

Leadership, Innovation, and System Change:

Primary care providers are expected to lead neighbourhood health services and innovate at scale. Hot topics for training needs are likely to include leadership and change management; understanding value-based healthcare and commissioning; leading neighbourhood provider organisation; implementing innovation and service redesign; and navigating new contracts and financial models.

How Thornfields can help:

• Managing Change in Healthcare: it seems that change is the only constant in healthcare, so our workshop teaches delegates how to communicate change and achieve successful change management: the journey, the resistance and the team strategy to keep the team focused, up to date and motivated towards effective change.
• Thornfield’s ILM awards and certificates are internationally recognised, adding real value and providing development opportunities for healthcare leaders and managers.
• We also offer Leadership and Management Apprenticeships which are a minimum of 95% government funded and are ILM/City & Guilds approved. Click the link above for full details. 

NEW OFFER: 25% discount on all ILM Level 3 and 5 courses commencing in September!

Ending the ‘8am scramble:

Total triage using a streamlined online e-consultation digital triage process has worked in many practices, with some reporting that routine appointment waits have fallen from 14 days to 3 days, with over 95% of patients seen within a week. But training will continue to be needed on this vital area of managing access at the GP surgery, which acts as the ‘front door’ to the wider NHS. 

How Thornfields can help:

• Take our Tackling Access workshop – it provides managers with tips and tools to help them develop access and responsiveness and improve the experience of patients. 
• Sign up to our Exceptional Customer Service workshop – it shows how health and care staff can consistently work towards delivering exceptional customer service, while working under pressure.

Integrated and Community-Based Care Delivery:

The NHS’s new 10 year plan promotes a move from hospital-centric to neighbourhood-based care as one of its main tenets. That means it’s likely that staff may need upskilling in how to work effectively in multi-disciplinary teams (MDTs); how to manage long-term conditions in the community; and how to co-ordinate care across services and sectors. 

How Thornfields can help:

Did you know we run a workshop on Partnership Working? The aim of this full-day workshop is to develop understanding and the ability to work effectively with partner organisations to achieve a common goal.

Patient-Centred Communication and Care Planning:

The NHS plan prioritises personalised care, shared decision-making, and care plans for people with complex needs. Staff will need to be comfortable and skilled in co-creating care plans with patients and their carers; how to support self-management amongst patients and their use of personal health budgets; and being ‘culturally competent’ and able to communicate in an inclusive way.

How Thornfields can help:

•    Promoting Quality and Handling Complaints: By the end of this one-day workshop, delegates will understand the primary care complaints procedure and be able to identify the key responsibilities and actions required at each stage. Delegates will also be able to handle complaints in primary care effectively using this procedure.
•    Thornfield’s workshop on Improving Communications with Staff and Patients guides delegates to develop and commit to a Personal Learning Plan which they will then deliver over the following 6 weeks, aimed at increasing that most important of skills in healthcare and care management – communication. 

To view the full range of our workshops for individuals click here, and to see the workshops we offer to organisations click here. We also run webinars which you can sign up for here, run by subject matter experts, which provide a safe space for healthcare professionals to come together, share best practice and support each other.