Frequently asked questions

Yes. Flying Start NHS® is the national development programme that the Scottish Government requires all NQPs to complete. It is designed to help NQPs make the step from student to confident and capable, registered health professional in their first year of practice. In NHS Highland, Flying Start NHS® is a required programme for all NQPs. All newly qualified NMAHPs will be supported by their line managers (e.g. Senior Charge Nurses or team leaders) to complete Flying Start NHS® in their first year of employment.

As a minimum, you are expected to write eight pieces of reflection, which is two per unit, answering the two questions based on the four Pillars of Practice on Leadership; Facilitation of Learning; Clinical Practice; and Evidence, Development and Research. The document template in Flying Start NHS® uses the Gibbs model of reflection and what you write is based on your own experiences. These pieces of reflective writing can be done throughout your first year of practice, or you can do them at the end of your first year. They do not have to be seen by your Flying Start Facilitator, but you must be able to discuss them and show what you have learned from your experiences.

No, there is no word count for the reflective pieces of writing. However, remember, this type of writing and reflective learning is expected by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) and the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) to show that you are thinking about your practice, and you are continuing to update your knowledge and skills. What you write and how you write it is entirely up to you. You will find examples of reflective writing in the NHS Highland Flying Start NHS® resource booklet (pdf).

No, you do not have to use references in your reflective pieces of work. It is based on your thoughts and feelings about your practice.

Not necessarily. The programme is flexible in that you can approach it differently. This means that you can choose to do the learning activities provided in each of the units (Leadership, Clinical Practice, Facilitation of Learning and Evidence, research and development) or you can do other learning activities that will help you meet the learning outcomes. This flexibility allows you to choose activities that will benefit your development, that are relevant to your area of practice, that will allow you to work with real situations and issues and enable you to use a learning style that works best for you.

No, you do not have to do the units in any specific order. It is designed to be flexible, and you can go through the units in any order. Remember, one situation, one piece of practice or a demonstration of a skill can be used to answer several of the questions in the Flying Start units, you do not have to think of separate activities for each question.  An example of this is seen in the NHS Highland Flying Start NHS® resource booklet (pdf).

No, you do not have to start again. Flying Start NHS® is a transferrable programme within NHS Highland and to any other Health Board in Scotland.

Your Facilitator is assigned by your line manager, Senior Charge Nurse / Midwife, AHP / Team Leader, or Care Home Manager. Ideally, they should be an experienced practitioner who can help support you during your first year of practice.

No, your Flying Start Facilitator is there to guide you throughout the process and can help you choose activities that may help you answer the Flying Start questions. Your Facilitator will be the person that you will have reflective discussions with about how you have completed the units, and they are responsible for signing off the units via a link from Turas. An example of how to do this is in the NHS Highland Flying Start NHS® resource booklet (pdf).

No. It is recommended that you start the programme within three months of starting your NQP post and complete it within the first year of practice. It is not recommended that you rush the Flying Start NHS® programme, the idea is that you have time to get used to your working environment first and discover what your job entails. In your first year of practice, you will need time to reflect upon and consolidate all your learning. The programme aims to give you a better understanding of areas where you feel you are progressing and areas you would like to improve through your reflection and self-directed learning.  

The NHS Highland Graduate Programme is complementary to the Flying Start programme and is for nurses and midwives. It was introduced in 2018 to help support NMAHP graduates in Highland, to provide a safe space for questions, discussion and to help provide examples of how Flying Start NHS® could be completed. Both are there as a support mechanism for you during your first year of practice and are available to all newly registered, return-to-practice and internationally recruited staff.

The AHP Preceptorship programme is inclusive of the Flying Start NHS® programme and is for newly qualified, return to practice and internationally recruited AHPs. It’s a rolling programme that has sessions focused on the four Pillars of Practice with additional CPD sessions to support your learning and development. It has a strong focus on reflective practice and continued professional development and provides opportunities for peer support from other practitioners across the North of Scotland.

Yes, you can do the Flying Start NHS® programme if you work in the independent sector, third sector or a public organisation such as a care home, private practice or local council. Speak with your line manager (or staff bank department) to get guidance and advice about how you can be supported by a Flying Start Facilitator. Your local Flying Start Lead or AHP Practice Education Leads will also be able to offer advice.

No, your Facilitator does not have to work with you or be in the same department. Your contact can be face-to-face, by telephone or via the virtual platform (MS Teams). For example, you may be in a remote and rural area and be a lone practitioner, and your Flying Start Facilitator could be your line manager who works in another area or office in NHS Highland.

Yes, as your role has changed, you will have to do Flying Start in relation to your new role and area of practice.