• Home
  • Protected Learning Time

Protected Learning Time

NCL Wide
Add to Bookmarks Add to CPD

Protected Learning Time (PLT) is an opportunity for general practice teams (GPs, practice nurses, healthcare assistants, admin/reception staff and allied health professionals) to address their learning and professional development needs, improve team working and the quality of care provided to patients.

Practices in NCL can apply to take part in up to six PLT sessions per year for 2025-26.

Practices can apply by returning the NCL ICB PLT Scheme Application Form – Memorandum of Understanding. Payments will be made on a quarterly basis on the return on the PLT Feedback Form.

PLT Payments will be 

  • a one-off admin fee for joining the 15 month scheme of £100, per practice 
  • an engagement payment of £300 per PLT session, per main practice site 
  • an engagement payment of £100 per PLT session, per branch practice site 

We have provided a prospectus of suggested topics. Practices are to choose from at least one of the core recommended topics, for one of the PLT sessions. Please note that this list of suggested topics is not exhaustive, and practices are permitted to determine their own topic priorities for up to five of the PLT sessions.

NCL Training Hub offers support for the workforce in North Central London through a number of programmes.

Contact nclicb.nclprimarycare@nhs.net with any queries about the PLT scheme.

PLT Suggested list of topics 

Core recommended topics

  • Start Well, Live Well, Age Well Programmes 
  • public health and prevention improvement 
  • health inequalities data
  • interface with partners such community pharmacy and acute trusts 
  • hot topics such as Planned Care. 
  • particular outcome / condition / pathway for a commissioned service e.g. Cancer, Annual Health Checks for patients with learning disabilities, Long Term Conditions LCS
  • changes to an operating model to improve outcomes achieved and / or pathway – e.g. call / recall approach, ways of working with specialist clinician
  • tackling health inequalities and improving outcomes
  • dashboards.
  • engagement with patients, PPG, Healthwatch and VSCE partners 
  • VCSE partners local offers, co-production and partnership working
  • tackling health inequalities
  • reflection on Patient Survey results.

Suggested topics

Potential areas of discussion 

  • reducing the impact pressure on the wellbeing of practice staff
  • support for staff to create an environment where wellbeing is a priority
  • identifying the risk of burnout and where can staff reach out to in order to get help
  • acknowledging and addressing conflict within teams to enable us to work together effectively
  • conflict/ relationship management.

Support resources

Potential areas of discussion 

  • EDI - Diversity Matters.

Support resources

Potential areas of discussion 

  • post- CQC discussions
  • CQC inspection format prior to inspections
  • processes for CQC inspections
  • reflection on recent CQC inspections and any changes to implement as a result.

Support resources

Potential areas of discussion 

  • the rationale for a specific change
  • the teams role in implementation
  • how success will be measured
  • staff engagement in evaluating a change that has been implemented
  • agreeing any further change necessary, how this will be implemented, and how success will be measured.

Potential areas of discussion 

  • up to date incident reporting processes 
  • learning from recent incidents.

Potential areas of discussion 

  • MDT approach to safeguarding 
  • domestic Violence & Abuse awareness, patient support and referrals.

Potential areas of discussion 

  • team growth and development of knowledge, skills and capabilities  
  • opportunities that are available for staff
  • team development of ways of working within the practice
  • careers within general practice.

Support resources

Potential areas of discussion 

  • opportunity for practices to implement greener practices within their practice e.g. developing implementation plan.

Support resources

With cost

Potential areas of discussion 

  • MDT models of working.

Support resources

Potential areas of discussion 

  • digital tools in use in the practice and how to utilise them e.g. Healtheintent
  • what success looks like for patients and the practice, and how it will be measured.

Support resources

PLT summary of overall outcomes

Review date: Saturday, 07 February 2026

Download • DOCX, 68.87 KB
Copy URL

PLT Application Form – Memorandum of Understanding

Download • PDF, 179.44 KB
Copy URL

NCL ICB PLT Scheme - Policy and Application Process

Download • DOCX, 34.63 KB
Copy URL

NCL ICB PLT Feedback Form

NCL ICB PLT Feedback


Online form
https://forms.office.com
Download • PDF, 155.01 KB
Copy URL

PLT Practice Recommendations