NCL Workforce Development and Transformation

Each Integrated Care System (ICS) across England has an appointed Training Hub. For NCL ICS, this is the NCL Training Hub. The Training Hub is a unique provider within NCL, having been contracted, following a procurement process, by NHS England Workforce, Training and Education Directorate (NHSE WT&E) to be the training body for North Central London ICS. There is an expectation that they deliver training to general practice, where there is a need for this to be embedded within the wider system.

SDF Guidance for 2025/26 states that:

"Systems should engage with practices, PCNs and training hubs to understand the training and development needs and identify where programmes may need to be commissioned to meet them, building on the training hub core offer".

Training Hubs are run by a clinical leadership and management supported by a network of primary care staff with education and training professionals based in the community, working closely

with general practice, PCNs and ICS to support workforce priorities and tackle health inequalities. The NCL Training Hub has an explicit remit, through its contract with NHSE WT&E to understand and respond to local system workforce challenges and, as part of this role, maintains established relationships with NCL GP practices,

NCL PCNs, NCL GP Federations and the NCL GP Provider Alliance (GPPA).

The NCL Training hub direct award is proposed due to the following justifications:

1. The interoperability and compatibility with existing provisions within the WT&E contract for the purchase of additional services to the development of General Practice workforce, noting the SDF guidance states funding is to be used to build on the training hub core offer Procurement Act 2023 applicable justification criteria 26 & 29
2. In relation to the final year of the GP Fellowships and Mentoring programme (59% of the contract value) infrastructure costs relating to this programme were commissioned at the start of each fellowships (up to and including final payment in 2023/24) positioning the Training Hub as the single supplier to deliver the final year of the programme due to the interoperability and technical expertise to deliver the final year of a 6 year programme

Procurement Act 2023 applicable justification criteria 25, 26 & 29. The Commissioners are observing a standstill which will end at midnight on 9th September 2025.