Digital supervision platform

NHS Digital and NHS England have been working collaboratively to develop existing technologies to enable digital supervision in primary care. The digital components of the platform are being developed from NHS Digital’s Digital Learning Solutions system which already hosts the well-established and well utilised IT Skills Pathway Service.

With the help of General Practice Nurses and GP leaders nationally, the platform will include a document repository, electronic evaluation and search function, with supporting video-conferencing facilities, all to enable remote supervision.

Developed alongside the platform will be a consistent national model of supervision for General Practice Nurses which the platform is destined to enable.    

How we are using digital technologies to enable supervision in primary care

The digital supervision platform will: 

• support nurses to continue giving high quality care to patients by keeping clinically up to date and well supported through regular supervision
• help nurses access supervision online at work, reducing the need to travel to other venues and time away from patient contact
• enable nurses to gain wider access to experienced supervisors, which may be lacking within their own locality
• provide opportunities for peer support and review - the Care Quality Commission (CQC) highlights the provision of supervision as a benchmark for excellent care
• support remote preceptorship of newly qualified nurses and experienced nurses who are new to general practice
• allow nurses to communicate and support each other, improving on the minimal supervision that currently takes place in general practice

The initial concept of supervision over a digital platform has been piloted and evaluated within three primary care environments.

National rollout of the platform, initially to General Practice Nurses, is expected in Spring 2021.

The development of this platform has ensured that the functionality is flexible enough to be used in other health and care settings.

NHS Digital

Cath Johnson - Clinical Specialist and General Practice Nurse (GPN) Lead

Kevin Whittaker - Senior Developer Live Services

NHS England

Jason Westwood - Senior Project Manager Nursing Directorate, Nursing and Midwifery Team

The development team can be contacted by email: [email protected]