A progress update on the development of a centralised GM Practice Education Centre of Excellence.

In 2020, Health Education England (HEE) awarded Greater Manchester (GM) funding to be used across all non-medical professions with the agreement to plan and deliver systems in support of Enabling Effective Learning Environments (EELE) and develop a strategy to take this forward.

A major output of the EELE funding was the (GM) Health & Care Learning Environments Strategy (H&C LES), which was launched in April 2021.

A key deliverable within this strategy is the development of a centralised GM Practice Education Centre of Excellence (PECE).

Sitting under the Educating the Educator workstream, the purpose of PECE is to reduce duplication and effort of work, improve communication between all stakeholders, maximising inter-professional collaboration which will provide a clear direction to facilitate sharing of innovation across all GM pre-registration programmes.

GM PECE will be an advisory group providing best practice recommendations through, independent research, knowledge exchange, quality assurance and innovation.

Additionally, the centre will oversee key actions from the GM H&C LES ensuring continued implementation and sustainability driving GM forward as leaders for Practice Education.

Initial development work commenced in 2021 led by Annie Dixon (Head of Clinical & Professional Education, Pennine Care) and several GM colleagues forming a Task & Finish Group.

However, more recently, following a successful bid to the GM Project Management Office (PMO), The University of Bolton are now leading on the design and implementation of PECE with the appointment of Project Lead (Helen Bowler) in March 2022.

Since being appointed initial scoping has taken place across GM to understand and capture knowledge of the project and glean any interested parties.

The first steering group was held on 26 April which identified a clear consensus that there should be representation from all stakeholders to ensure collaboration from a variety of organisations, specialities, and fields acknowledging the needs for each professional group.

The focus of the steering group is to ensure the creation and implementation of GM PECE by the end of August 2022, with further outlined workplans and objectives to include:

• Determining the design of GM PECE through collaboration with GM colleagues
• Identifying challenges and barriers for implementation
• Determining the governance structure
• Agreeing membership (ensuring inter-professional group)
• Developing and agree Terms of Reference in collaboration with steering group members
• Developing and agree recommendations for sustainability
• Researching best practice
• Writing and publish project process and outcomes

The GM PECE steering group meetings will be held fortnightly effective from 10 May (3-4pm) via Teams.

For more information, please contact the Project Lead, Helen Bowler.

Email: h.bowler2@bolton.ac.uk

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