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Staff Resources & Support

Newly Qualified Practitioners (NQPs) should attend a Day 1 and a Day 2 study day in their first year of practice, these contribute to your 24 hours protected study time.  NQPs may book on to a session at any of the sites, please ensure you discuss booking with SCN/SCM/Line Manager to ensure date is suitable for you to attend.  Information will be sent in advance of the session to print and bring with you. Please click the relevant box for available dates.

Return to Practice Education’s main page

Throughout your first year and your career, as a healthcare professional, you are likely to experience a range of emotions, which could affect your health and wellbeing. The link below will take you to the NHSGGC organisational page for health and wellbeing, where you can explore these emotions and become aware of the supports available to you, to ensure you can address your emotions in a positive way.

NHSGGC: Mental Health and Wellbeing for NHSGGC staff 

NHSGGC has also produced a brief booklet with a number of resources which can support staff to take care of their own mental health and support colleagues to do so too. Access this booklet here. 

As NQPs, commencing your career in healthcare, it is imperative that you are aware of, and look after your own wellbeing. Access this link Newly Qualified Staff – Looking after your wellbeing for guidance which could support you to do this.

It is recognised that exceptional demands are currently being placed on people working in health and social care. The National Wellbeing Hub contains information, resources and supports which you may find helpful at work and at home.  

(Please note: the Hub is not specifically for NQPs, but you may find the contents are beneficial to you).

Within this section you will find Flying Start portfolio examples, which have been kindly submitted by NQPs who have completed the programme.  This is to allow publication of examples for your information.

Please note: The portfolios have been published in the formats provided by the NQPs and are intended to be published in full.  For anonymity reasons there may be portfolios where a piece of evidence has been replaced with a blank template.  Furthermore, these portfolios may not reflect discussions which have taken place between NQP and Facilitator to meet learning outcomes.

Below you will find the Flying Start Facilitators Information Guide, which provides information on the programme, protected study time and the role of the Facilitator, as well as guidance around the resources that NQPs can use to evidence their learning.  Information regarding the LearnPro module: GGC Flying Start Facilitator Guide can also be found below. (Please note: For nurses and midwives, it is likely that your preceptor and facilitator will be the same person).

NHSGGC Flying Start Facilitator Guide

LearnPro module

There is also a LearnPro module GGC: Flying Start Facilitator Guide that your facilitator can complete to refresh their knowledge or to familiarise themselves with the role of facilitator.  Please find this information thin LearnPro, under CPD.

Facilitators Information Sessions

The NHSGGC Practice Education Team host Flying Start Facilitator information sessions on MS Teams for nurses, midwives and allied health professionals who are currently supporting, or will support, newly qualified practitioners (NQPs) in their first year of practice. These 60-minute group sessions (dates and times below), will offer guidance on supporting NQPs with the requirements of the Flying Start NHS programme, the NHSGGC Flying Start Portal and address any related questions or queries. Please click links below to book.

Dates TBC

Read and view some of the experiences of registered professionals who have completed the Flying Start programme. For newly qualified practitioners these highlight what they feel have been the benefits of the programme and some of their experiences throughout their first year in practice.  This is further reflected in the video messages from NQPs, which you will find helpful.

Facilitator testimonials are also included below and highlight the benefits of this role for both the NQP and the facilitator themselves.

Flying Start Journey

Nurses and Midwives
2024/2025

Nicola Hehir, Adult Nurse

2023

Mairi Calder, Midwife

Lilly Allan, Adult Nurse

2022

Eilidh Cole, Midwife

Barbara Vambe, Adult Nurse

2021

Francine Maclachlan, Adult Nurse

Katie Deas, MH Nurse

Allied Health Professionals
2023

Lauren Boyle, Paediatric Occupational Therapist

Rachel Hendrie, Community Mental Health Occupational Therapist

2022

Caitlin Vogt, Physiotherapist

2021

Nicole Dolan, Podiatrist

Kirsty Tamburrini, Podiatrist

Hannah Downey, Podiatrist

Hannah Greenway, Physical Health Occupational Therapist

Aimee Marshall, Orthotist

Flying Start Facilitator testimonials

Nurses and Midwives
2022

Louise McHardy, Senior Charge Nurse

2021

Linda Kendall, Depute Charge Nurse

Allied Health Professionals
2022

Samantha Davidson, Practice Development Podiatrist

Hannah Greenway, Occupational Therapist

Videos

Douglas Kerr – Adult Nurse
Katie Deas – Mental Health Nurse
Christina Hill – Midwife
Kirsty Wallace – Midwife
Hannah Greenway – Occupational Therapist

Flying Start testimonial comments

Adult Nurse

“Flying Start resources have given me the opportunity to become more self-aware by way of the reflective accounts I have to do. It enables me to see what point I ‘m at as a Newly Qualified Practitioner and how far I need to go to become a better practitioner.”

“Flying Start modules should also give me a headstart when revalidating as a nurse and will populate my portfolio ready for that.”

AHPs

“I still use the 4 pillars structure to help me navigate my way around my learning.”

“Being able to manage yourself, as well as leading your patients is important, this has made me more confident in my role.”

“Through Flying Start Leadership pillar, I took most learning in self leadership and strategies to help manage myself and the impact I have on other people.”

“Through Flying Start Evidence, Research and Development pillar, I became involved in developing a formal pathway for patient feedback, making feedback accessible for all, patients felt listened to.”

“By working through Flying Start, my portfolio evidence has helped me with my TURAS Appraisal and has enough in it to get me through the HCPC process.”

Midwives

“Flying Start has helped me bridge the gap from student to newly qualified midwife, and has allowed me to become more independent.”

“Meeting learning outcomes for Flying Start has supported my transition to being a capable confident midwife.”

Mental Health Nurse

“I realised the importance of the programme early on and this was reinforced by my colleagues supporting me.”

These Flying Start resources should be used to support NQPs working through the Flying Start programme.

Booklet 1: Getting Started

Booklet 1 has been designed to support you when working through the Flying Start programme. Please utilise this booklet for getting started and registering for the programme.

Booklet 1 cover image
Booklet 2: Resources

Booklet 2 has been designed to support you when working through the Flying Start programme. Please utilise this booklet and the resources, aligned with the presentations and videos, to ensure you are thinking about evidencing your learning and development when working towards meeting the learning outcomes of the programme.

Booklet 2 cover image
Booklet 3: Sign off for completion

Booklet 3 below has been designed to support you when working through the Flying Start programme. Please utilise this booklet for sign off for completion and downloading your completion certificate.

Booklet 3 cover image
Booklet 4: TURAS

Booklet 4 below has been designed to support you to create and build your TURAS portfolio. This can be used to document your learning throughout your career.

Booklet 4 cover image
Presentations and videos

The presentations and videos below have been designed to support you when working through the Flying Start programme. They should be utilised along with the guidance booklets, to ensure you are thinking about evidencing your learning and working towards meeting the learning outcomes of the programme.

Further resource videos from the NHSGGC Nurse Director and the NMC have also been included, as these will be helpful to you.

Flying Start Presentations

Zones of discomfort and personal development

Welcome to NHSGGC

Additional Resources

Flying Start Podcasts

As part of NHSGGC Let’s Talk Practice Education – Learn your way series of podcasts, the Practice Education Team have developed podcasts to add to the learning resources available within the NHSGGC Flying Start Portal. The addition of podcasts to our learning resources offers staff more flexibility with their learning.

The podcasts available are:

The resources within the Flying Start Portal aim to support nurses, midwives and allied health professionals, in the first year of practice as newly qualified practitioners (NQPs), whilst undertaking the Flying Start programme. Facilitators may also find these resources helpful when supporting the NQPs through the programme.

Please note: The use of the resources contributes towards NHSGGC Protected Study time and CPD for NMC Revalidation and HCPC Standards

Pillars of Practice

The four Pillars of Practice and related learning outcomes must be achieved to complete the Flying Start NHS® programme.  Please familiarise yourself with these and think about which learning outcomes you may be achieving, or can work towards achieving, dependent on your learning at that time.  How you meet these outcomes, will be specific to you, your role, and your practice setting. See also Pillars of Practice presentation.

Clinical Practice

Critically reflect on your contribution to the delivery of safe care.

Examine your practice in relation to enhancing person-centred care.

Leadership

Examine your practice in relation to how you demonstrate self-leadership.

Critically reflect on your behaviours and actions that impact on working collaboratively with colleagues.

Facilitating Learning

Engage in professional development that demonstrates your commitment to career-long learning and excellence in practice.

Demonstrate ability and confidence in developing and supporting others to learn.

Evidence, Research and Development

Source evidence relevant to an aspect of your practice.

Review service user participation in your workplace.

Responsibilities

It is your responsibility as a registered professional to ensure you are aware of the requirements of the programme.  The following information is a list from The Definitive Guide, which highlights who is involved in the process to support you, and the responsibilities of each individual.

NQP starts the programme

What you need to do: Go to learn.nes.nhs.scot/735/flying-start-nhs

Who is responsible: NQP

NQP completes ‘Flying Start NHS Essentials’

What you need to do: Complete the short eLearning resource ‘Flying Start NHS Essentials’

Who is responsible: NQP

Flying Start Facilitator provides support and guidance to NQP throughout the programme

What you need to do: Assign Flying Start Facilitator to NQP

Who is responsible: Line Manager

What you need to do: Work together throughout the programme.

Who is responsible: NQP and Flying Start Facilitator.

NQP meets learning outcomes for the programme

What you need to do: Carry out learning activities to achieve all of the programme’s learning outcomes.

Who is responsible: NQP

What you need to do: Confirm that NQP has met all learning outcomes across the programme.

Who is responsible: Flying Start Facilitator

NQP keeps a portfolio

What you need to do: Actively gather evidence of learning in a portfolio.

Who is responsible: NQP

Time to learn

What you need to do: Discuss and negotiate time to learn.

Who is responsible: NQP, Flying Start Facilitator, and Line Manager.

NQP completes the programme in their first year of practice

What you need to do: Meet the requirements of the programme within first year of practice.

Who is responsible: NQP

Flying Start NHS® programme supports newly qualified practitioners (NQPs), to become confident and capable health professionals. The Scottish Government requires all NQPs to complete Flying Start NHS® in the first 12 months of practice.  In line with this, it is a requirement of NHSGGC for all NQPs to undertake and complete the Flying Start programme.  To support completion, NQPs are afforded 24 hours protected learning time away from the workplace (see related briefing paper) and information below.

Flying Start NHS® programme information

What is Flying Start NHS®?

Flying Start NHS® is the national development programme supporting transition of newly qualified practitioners (NQPs) in the first year of practice. Supporting NQPs to become confident, capable health professionals . Preceptorship is also fundamental towards development of NQPs.

The foundations of the refreshed Flying Start programme are the four Pillars of Practice. These provide the opportunity to be flexible in their learning, utilising the learning opportunities available to them. NQPs should choose sactivities that will benefit their development and are relevant to their area of practice. Undertaking Flying Start NHS® will also allow the NQP to develop their skills in critical thinking and reflection. Completing the programme supports NQPs to generate evidence contributing to TURAS Appraisal, CPD portfolios, NMC Revalidation and HCPC standards requirements.

NQPs undertaking Flying Start should register for a Turas account (see Booklet 1: Getting started).

The Definitive Guide to the Programme provides a comprehensive overview for both NQPs and Facilitators/Preceptors. The NHSGGC Flying Start resources supports NQPs’ learning, development and portfolio development. It also provides resources to those who may or will be Flying Start Facilitators. For nurses and midwives, it is likely that your preceptor and Flying Start facilitator will be the same person. Your Practice Education Facilitator (PEF) or Care Home Education Facilitator (CHEF) can also offer additional support.

Contact

If you are unsure who this is please email:

NHSGGC Flying Start protected learning time

Scottish Government requires all NQPs to complete Flying Start NHS® in the first 12 months of practice.  It is a requirement for all NHSGGC NQPs to undertake and complete the Flying Start programme.  NQPs are afforded 24 hours (3 days equivalent) protected learning time away from the workplace. This permits attendance at protected learning days 1 and 2. These are based on two 12-hour shifts undertaken by nursing and midwifery staff, and will be rostered and planned for.  The study time will occur at approximately month 2 and month 8 of employment.  If there are any queries around facilitation of this learning time, please contact your PEF/CHEF .

Protected learning days are supported with facilitated learning resources compiled by NHSGGC Practice Education team. These support NQPs with their learning and development, to meet the learning outcomes for the programme.  These resources include:

Electronic resource booklets: Four electronic resource booklets which will support you in Getting Started with Flying Start, provides evidence forms to allow you to document your learning, these can be printed, saved and/or uploaded to your professional portfolio, guide you through the sign off process for completion and how to get started with your Turas professional portfolio.

Learning resources utilised will guide your learning and development and support your understanding of the Flying Start programme includes templates, videos and presentations. These cover reflection, pillars of practice, teamworking and working styles and characteristics, zones of discomfort and self development, resilience, leadership, consolidation of learning, evidencing portfolio and moving forward in your career, as well as staff resources for your Health and Wellbeing. 

Queries can be directed to your PEF or CHEF or via email to:

NQP Signifier Badges

NQP Signifier Badges are endorsed by Professor Angela Wallace, Nurse Director and Fiona Smith, AHP Director. These should be worn throughout your first year in practice, whilst working through the Flying Start NHS programme. This will allow your colleagues to offer you further support and guidance.

If you have commenced in post and not yet received your NQP Signifier Badge, please email Practice Education. The team can arrange for this to be sent on to you.

ggc.practiceeducation@nhs.scot (Nurses and midwives)

ggc.gjnhahpepl@nhs.scot (AHPs)

Welcome to Let’s Talk Practice Education – Learn your way, the podcast of the NHSGGC Practice Education Team. An informal Podcast designed with you in mind, a resource for those supporting learners in health care.  Opinions expressed are not necessarily endorsed by NHSGGC.

We recognise that at times it can be difficult for staff to attend scheduled training and education sessions. Hence, the addition of a podcast to our portfolio of resources to offer a level of flexibility for staff. We have podcasts to complement the resources within the NHSGGC Flying Start Portal. Additionally, we offer a series of 5 podcasts giving information on the new NMC Education Standards (2018). Also, one dedicated to transition to the new PS/PA roles. Both complementing the learning resources on our Practice Supervisor / Practice Assessor Portal.

We are delighted that the Podcast has been endorsed by our previous NHSGGC Board Nurse Director Dr Mags McGuire.

As the podcasts are designed with you in mind, we would like to invite you to suggest any practice education topics that you would be interested to hear covered. Or, are you aware of good practice, quality improvement work or initiatives being done by any of your colleagues or teams? We would support staff to utilise our podcast platform to share the good work that is being done. We would also welcome any feedback on the podcast to ensure that these are meeting your needs.

Please email us on letstalkpracticeeducation@ggc.scot.nhs.uk or contact your local PEF / CHEF.

Our podcast is available to download or stream from your phone or mobile device via your favourite podcast player. You can also listen to or download the podcast from the below.

If you don’t see the Podbean plugin, our podcasts can also be accessed via this link.

Welcome to the NHSGGC Healthcare Support Worker (HCSW) resource and development hub. We wanted a place where all resources for HCSW professional development are in the one place. What’s more, we have links to different support sites such as NHS Education for Scotland (NES), our own development programmes and a sample of training courses and instructions on how to access them.

The Open University Healthcare Support Worker Pathway

HCSW interested in becoming a Registered Nurse with an Open University BSc (HONS) qualification for Adult, Child or Mental Health Nursing?

Applications for 2025 intake are now closed.  

To be eligible to apply, you must:

  • Work 26+ hours a week in a permanent post
  • Have 12 years’ experience in full time education (including all school years)
  • Core communication skills at SCQF Level 5 or Standard Grade English (passed at credit level) or National 5 (or the equivalent) in English at the time of application
  • Core numeracy skills at SCQF Level 5 or Standard Grade Mathematics (passed at credit level) or National 5 (or the equivalent) in Mathematics or Arithmetic at the time of application
  • Good character and good health and
  • Have your line manager’s support

For further information please read the awareness and application presentation 2024/2025.

This information sheet outlines how applicants can check their current level of Numeracy and Literacy, as well as information on potential courses that they can undertake to achieve these qualifications prior to application (please note D&G N5 Numeracy course isn’t open for applications yet on the website, but any interested candidates could register for update/notifications).

Completion and submission of this enquiry form will automatically generate the sending of an application pack when the application window opens.  However, you can also ask for an application pack by emailing scotland-nursing-applications@open.ac.uk 

OU Pre-Registration Nursing Programmes 2026 awareness sessions dates

Come to a 2026 awareness session to find out how you can prepare to study nursing with the OU.

2026 Open University Awareness Sessions – NHSGGC

OU BSc (Hons) information for managers and employers:

Information on OU induction:

Watch a narrated OU Nursing Presentation which was presented to new students on year 1 of the programme.

HCSW Resources and Development

NHSGGC HCSW induction and code of conduct 

Healthcare Support Worker Central

Support Worker Central | Turas | Learn (nhs.scot)

Healthcare Support Worker Central is a key tool for all HCSWs, holding recourses from personal development planning, HCSW learning framework and qualifications.

Their latest news, newsletter, forthcoming events, and webinars can be found here. These include an upcoming launch event: Development and Education Framework for Level 2-4 NMAHP Healthcare Support Workers.

Follow NES_hcsw on Facebook.

Scottish Vocational Qualifications (SVQ)

Greater Glasgow and Clyde for SVQ information click the link below:

Scottish Vocational Qualifications (SVQ) – NHSGGC

RCN Scotland

RCN Scotland has a series of bite-sized video guides for HCSWs working in Scotland!  The guides are designed for all HCSWs and they cover a range of topics.

RCN Scotland We Care
RCN web site We Care

Courses for HCSW

Adult/Paediatric basic life support – Can be booked through eESS in coordination with your line manager and should be renewed every 12-18 months.

ABLS – This 1.5 hour session is appropriate for nursing support staff, some registered nursing staff and allied health care professionals.

PBLS – This 2 hour session is appropriate for nursing support staff, some registered nursing staff and allied health care professionals, some school/nursery staff

Cannulation and venepuncture – Can be booked in coordination with your line manager, a learnpro module is a pre requisite of this course.

Moving and handling competency assessor training – Healthcare support workers can become M & H assessors within their area, promoting best moving and handling practice to ensure patients are moved safely and hopefully reduce staff injury.

HCSW’s would attend a one-day training session with the Moving & Handling team and after this they would be able to carry out the assessments within their ward /dept.

Can be booked in coordination with your line manager.

Basic IT skills available for all: Basic IT Training (sharepoint.com)

Gender based violence training for HCSW and training for trainers provided by medics against violence to support HCSW in the instance of voluntary disclosure:

GBV training for HCSWs – Updated.pdf

GBV Training for trainers.pdf

HCSW Newsletters

Click here for the latest NMAHP newsletter from NES.

Any comments or questions please email: ggc.practiceeducation@nhs.scot

Content continually developing, please check in from time to time.

The Competency Programme (TCP)

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Practice Education development programme for nursing healthcare support worker (HCSW), The Competency Portfolio (TCP). TCP is a work based programme aimed at development of the knowledge and understanding required for HCSWs to function in a safe and competent manner in order to protect the public.

The portfolio:

  • provides clear understanding of the nursing HCSW role
  • evidences competency
  • links directly with personal development review
  • offers opportunity to grow and develop
  • provides introduction to further study

The portfolio has been mapped to the Mandatory Induction Standards (Scottish Government, 2009a) and the Code of Conduct for Healthcare Support Workers (Scottish Government, 2009b). It also links to NHS Education for Scotland’s guide to Health Care Support Worker Education and Role Development (NES, 2010) and the NHS Knowledge Skills Framework (Department of Health, 2004). The portfolio competencies reinforce good practice through reflection, building upon the mandatory standards.

Access to the programme

All new members of staff working in a Healthcare Support Worker (HCSW) role, including staff transferring internally to a new post within NHSGGC, will be expected to meet the mandatory induction standards and adhere to the HCSW Code of Conduct after 3 months in post (or part-time equivalent up to a maximum of six months). This must be completed prior to commencing TCP.

New to Post HCSWs

On completion of the mandatory induction standards, HCSWs should commence TCP. The SCN/line manager should contact their PEF to arrange an Introduction to the Portfolio session for the HCSW and their assessor/s. Nomination proforma should be completed and returned to the PEF administrator via ggc.practiceeducation@nhs.scot. Candidates should aim to complete the portfolio within the next 9 months.

Existing Employees

HCSWs that have previously completed other competency profiles may not need to undertake the core section of TCP. Depending on their area of employment, the HCSW may only need to undertake Unit 6 competencies which are specific to each specialty within NHSGGC. Role development should be discussed with their SCN/PDP Reviewer and PEF to ascertain learning needs prior to nomination. The nomination process above should be followed.

Existing HCSWs who have not previously had access to TCP or other competency programmes can access TCP following discussion with their SCN/line manager as above.

Employees who have previously attained SVQ level 2/3 in Care or an equivalent/higher qualification should discuss this with the SCN/PDP Reviewer and PEF for the area to determine if these meet the needs of the service. Again, depending on the area of employment and speciality, they may be required to only complete Unit 6 competencies.

All candidates will be supported by work based assessors. Candidates and assessors will be supported by the PEF Team

On completion of the above programme, please contact your Practice Education Facilitator (PEF) or email ggc.practiceeducation@nhs.scot. Once confirmed your PEF will issue you a certificate of completion.

Assessors

A key area in the successful implementation and development of the programme will be the commitment and support provided by workplace assessors. A workplace assessor will be a registered practitioner who has been updated suitably prepared for this role. They will have the responsibility for supporting and assessing the HCSW through the programme. Support for assessors in ensuring that appropriate evidence is gathered and documented in the HCSW competency portfolio will be provided by their PEF.

Bank staff

As a result of the transient nature of their employment, bank staff cannot be supported and assessed through the programme.

Nomination Form

Contact

All nominations to Practice Education mail box: ggc.practiceeducation@nhs.scot

For further information and advice contact your PEF.

Assistant Practitioner Information

Managers Information:

Band 4 Assistant Practitioner Manager Information Sessions

FAQs for Managers

SNA Flowchart – Acute

SNA Flowchart – HSCP

Candidates Information:

Band 4 Assistant Practitioner Candidate Information Sessions

FAQs for Candidates

National Early Warning Score

A new programme for Band 3 Healthcare Support Workers to undertake National Early Warning Score (NEWS) (Acute services and HCSP/Community)/Paediatric Early Warning Score (PEWS) or Modified Early Warning Score (MEWS) is available to book via eESS.

Please see link below for Adult and Paediatric NEWS:

Adult HCSW NEWS pre reading booklet – NHSGGC

Paeds HCSW NEWS pre reading booklet – NHSGGC

Endorsed HNC in Healthcare Practice/Pre-registration Nursing

2025 applications: Please note the deadline for applications has closed.

Opportunity has arisen for HCSWs to become Registered Nurses (Adult, Child, Learning Disability and Mental Health) by undertaking a HNC in Healthcare Practice at a local Further Education Institution and articulating into year 2 of a pre-registration nursing programme at Glasgow Caledonian University or the University of the West of Scotland. Further information can be accessed below:

Endorsed HNC Information Booklet

Endorsed HNC Information Sessions – NHSGGC

NHSGGC Endorsed HNC Pre-Registration Nursing Programme Information Session Presentation (2025)