Roles and responsibilities

Line manager

• Assign a Flying Start Facilitator to the NQP.
• Discuss and negotiate time to learn.
• Incorporate Flying Start into the Appraisal - Personal Development Planning and Review Process (PDP/R)
• Ensure the Flying Start Facilitator is supported and developed in their role.

Within NHS Highland, the PEF/CHEF team and the AHP Practice Education Lead (PEL) are there to help to support and raise awareness of the Flying Start NHS® programme to students and NQPs. If requested, they can also meet with the Flying Start Facilitator and the practitioner to offer guidance and support.

Support can be requested using the contact email addresses.

More about the Flying Start Facilitator role

This section is aimed at Flying Start Facilitators to provide information on the role.

The Flying Start Facilitator role is a privileged and rewarding position as you are supporting a NQP at a vital time in their career. You do not need to be from the same clinical specialism as the practitioner you will be supporting; however, understanding their clinical role and learning opportunities within their area of work is beneficial. Any support you provide can be reflected on and used as part of your appraisal - personal development plan (PDP) - and can contribute as evidence for regulatory purposes, including the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) audit and the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) revalidation.

As a Flying Start Facilitator, you need to:

• Familiarise yourself with the programme and how it is organised in your area. It is a good idea to understand the activities within each of the units, as this may give you some idea of what the NQP can do to achieve the outcomes. If you think there is something more relevant for them to do, you can speak to the NQP and offer advice about this.
• Have an initial discussion with the NQP to find out how they’re feeling about starting their new role. Discuss when would be an appropriate time for you to meet and how regular this needs to be. It may be more often at the start, but this may change as they become more used to the programme and what is expected of them.
• Support the NQP to have a holistic view of the four Pillars of Practice to enable them to make connections in their learning as they progress through each unit.
• Support the NQP to make links between Flying Start NHS® and other development opportunities. You can help the NQP make contacts with other areas that may be able to help them achieve their outcomes and provide them with networks for the future.
• Support the NQP to apply their learning in practice.
• Support the NQP to reflect on their learning and offer regular and constructive feedback, which will identify strengths and highlight areas for future development.
• Confirm that the NQP has met the learning outcomes. You will find information about this in the NHS Highland Flying Start Resource booklet (pdf).
• Raise any issues or challenges with the appropriate line manager and/or contact the Practice Education team for further support.
• Identify any learning needs to sustain competence in your role as a Flying Start Facilitator.

More information

For more information on your role as a Flying Start Facilitator in NHS Highland, read the NHSH Flying Start Facilitators Information Sheet (docx format - also available in pdf format).

If you are interested in becoming a Flying Start Facilitator, please speak with your line manager or contact the Practice Education Team, who can support you with this role.

To develop your skills in facilitating learning and coaching, please consider these resources and learning opportunities on Turas Learn:

• Coaching and mentoring - information pack
• Coaching conversations
• Facilitation of learning programme
• Practice supervisors and practice assessors’ learning resource