This course is a practical guide to your first weeks in an NHS job, written for newly qualified staff and for professionals who trained outside the UK. It explains what happens before and during induction, how NHS teams work, who to ask for help, and what your employer and colleagues will expect of you, with worked examples and common pitfalls.
What you will learn
- Prepare for an NHS start date by completing pre-employment checks, mandatory training and IT access in good time.
- Describe the people and structures that support new staff, including supervisors, preceptors, educators and Freedom to Speak Up Guardians.
- Explain how multidisciplinary NHS teams work and how to communicate with colleagues using structured tools such as SBAR.
- Identify the professional and cultural expectations of UK practice, including consent, candour, raising concerns and working within competence.
- Build a personal plan for the first three months, including supervision meetings, learning goals and wellbeing.
Course content
- Before you start: checks, paperwork and access (3 min)
- Induction: what to expect in the first week (3 min)
- Who is who: support and supervision (3 min)
- How NHS teams work and communicate (3 min)
- Professional expectations in UK practice (4 min)
- Pay, contracts, wellbeing and your first three months (3 min)
- Knowledge check (10 questions, 10 min)
- Guided reflection (15 min)
Standards and guidance covered
- GMC: Good Medical Practice (2024) and the GMC Welcome to UK practice programme
- NMC: The Code (2015, updated 2018) and Principles of preceptorship (2020)
- HCPC: Standards of conduct, performance and ethics (2024)
- GPhC: Standards for pharmacy professionals (2017)
- NHS Employers: NHS Employment Check Standards
- The NHS Constitution for England
Certificate
Courses are free to study. When you pass the knowledge check (80%) and complete your reflection, you can buy a verified certificate showing your CPD time, with a unique ID and QR code that anyone can check on our verification page.
Study free at your own pace on any device.
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Practitioner Insight is an independent education provider. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by the GMC, MPTS, NMC, HCPC, GPhC or any NHS organisation, and this information is not legal advice. If you have been referred to a regulator, speak to your defence organisation, trade union or legal representative.