The 2025/26 contract prioritises improving patient access, particularly through online consultation tools, which will be active throughout core hours from October 2025.

Our Workforce Planning Module is invaluable for managing the rise in online requests alongside traditional methods. It guides you in assessing patient demand patterns and aligning workforce capacity to meet these new requirements effectively. You’ll explore strategies for workload management and staff well-being in the face of increased digital interactions.

The Project Management Module offers guidance on structuring IT and procedural changes for online consultations, helping you plan implementation effectively. From defining project scope to overseeing roll out and monitoring impact, this module ensures a seamless transition.

The contract mandates that GP Connect functionality be enabled by October 2025, allowing read-only access to patient records for other NHS providers and enabling pharmacies to send consultation summaries.

The Contract Management Module explores the legal and compliance aspects of data-sharing agreements and contracts with providers to facilitate GP Connect. It delves into data protection regulations and how to align contracts accordingly.

Additionally, the Risk Management Module reinforces the importance of information governance and provides guidance on ensuring patient confidentiality and secure data handling in this interconnected environment.

With NHS England introducing a patient charter outlining service expectations, practices must prioritise patient experience and quality.

While no single module is dedicated solely to the patient charter, quality improvement is a core theme throughout this course. The CQC Masterclass Module focuses on patient feedback and regulatory expectations around patient-centred care. The Risk Management Module also highlights the role of patient feedback and complaints analysis in driving improvement.

Changes to the ARRS scheme—such as the inclusion of GPs and practice nurses in the main scheme and increased reimbursement—require effective workforce planning.

The Workforce Planning Module provides guidance on maximising ARRS opportunities. It covers skill mix assessment, recruitment, staff retention, and integrating new roles within your team. It also addresses succession planning, which is crucial given potential staffing changes.

The contract introduces an enhanced service for ‘pre-referral’ advice and guidance.

The Project Management Module equips you to develop workflows and protocols for this new service. You’ll gain insight into defining processes, assigning responsibilities, and evaluating effectiveness.

The uplift in SFE payments reinforces the importance of strong absence management.

The Sickness & Absence Module offers comprehensive guidance on handling staff absence, from reporting procedures to return-to-work processes. Understanding your practice’s policies and ensuring consistency, as outlined in this module, is essential to maximising SFE benefits. The Workforce Planning Module also helps in planning for staff cover to maintain service continuity.

The requirement to engage with the primary care patient safety strategy and register with LFPSE aligns with the core themes of our Risk Management Module.

This module provides a structured approach to identifying and mitigating both clinical and non-clinical risks. It covers incident reporting, root cause analysis, and fostering a risk-aware culture, all vital for contributing to national patient safety learning.

The contract also introduces changes related to out-of-area registrations, partnership dissolutions, and managing violent patients.

The Contract Management Module ensures you understand contractual obligations with commissioners regarding out-of-area registrations and partnership changes.

The Risk Management Module provides insights into handling challenging situations, such as managing violent patients, within legal and practice safety frameworks. The Workforce Planning Module also addresses managing staff conduct within the practice.

While detailed QOF changes are outlined in separate guidance, the PM course modules support effective practice management within QOF.

The focus on data quality, accurate registers, and participation in CQRS aligns with the need for systematic processes and clear responsibilities—principles embedded throughout all the modules. Additionally, new QOF indicators related to workforce, well-being, and demand/capacity are directly addressed in the Workforce Planning Module. The Project Management Module also supports the implementation of quality improvement initiatives.