Training accreditation

Get your training accredited

The Personalised Care Institute (PCI) is the central resource for Personalised Care training for NHS healthcare practitioners in England. PCI accreditation demonstrates that a training programme, whether face to face or online, has met the high standards we expect as the independent centre of excellence in evidence-based training surrounding personalised care.

By setting rigorous quality standards and supporting the development of training programmes to meet those standards, we are able to increase our reach and our impact. Through accredited PCI courses we can help ensure that health and care professionals access the very highest quality training in order to deliver personalised care to individuals, their families, and local communities.

NHS Commissioners of personalised care training in England will only be using PCI accredited providers from 2021. To explore which training providers have already had their courses accredited head here.

What is the accreditation framework?

The PCI accreditation framework is cemented by the learning outcomes and training standards set out in the PCI curriculum. In order to receive PCI accreditation, training providers will need to demonstrate evidence that their programme corresponds to the curriculum in regards to course design and delivery, monitoring and evaluation, and sustainability. Learning outcomes and training standards should reflect those outlined in the curriculum, allowing the training to truly meet the needs of learners.

The training standards within our curriculum have been formulated in line with the HEE Health Coaching – Quality Framework 2015, which guides on best practice in commissioning training and development programmes on personalised care. The standards also map to other professional standards for education and training such as the Academy of Medical Educators and the Health and Care Professions Councils Standards for Education and Training.

In terms of course design, we will look at awarding accreditation based on the following framework.

Courses should:

Be evidence-based and designed around published evidence of the benefit of personalised care and co-produced with patients and service users.
Reflect the values of the Personalised Care Institute.
Articulate the principles of the core capabilities, approaches and components of personalised care as set out in the PCI curriculum.
Integrate and reflect the needs of local systems and pathways of care.
Have clear objectives and intended outcomes for patients, practitioners and systems.
Be connected to local and national strategic objectives.
Be targeted to the appropriate audience.
Meet the needs of a defined group who are actively engaged.
Ensure modular components are in context and profession-specific e.g. risk communication, maternity, serious illness and end of life conversations.
Take into account health inequalities, equality and diversity and cultural factors.
Have a course structure that allows sufficient time for a meaningful experience and the opportunity to practice – i.e. a core programme with ongoing activities that are separated over time in order to allow practice.
Incorporate follow-up to allow reflection, embed training, and revisit skills.
Increase levels of specialist training that builds on basic training and equips professionals to provide the standard of personal care at the appropriate skill level of the PCI requirements.

What is the accreditation process?

We review all applications through a rigorous three-stage quality assurance process, with at least two professionals versed in personalised care reviewing the applications. The accreditation process can take around 4-10 weeks to complete – depending on the length of the programme and the amount of content we have to review. Once approved, accreditation is valid for one year, after which, an annual report and additional fee will be required to continue the accreditation (subject to approval and based on a 3-year cycle).

Accredited programmes will be listed on the PCI website and the use of the PCI accredited logo will be permitted on programme materials and wider marketing collateral.

The fee for initial accreditation will be £1100 per programme, with a re-accreditation fee of £550 per year for the following 2 years. After 3 years, we require organisations to resubmit accreditation requests in order for training programmes to remain aligned with the growing and widening landscape of personalised care. All fees are subject to VAT.