From 1 May 2025, NHS staff in England will no longer need to repeat statutory and mandatory (StatMand) training when moving between organisations — a landmark change that has major implications for workforce efficiency and experience in General Practice.
This national agreement, supported by 262 NHS organisations and key health bodies, is designed to cut duplication, reduce onboarding friction, and free up valuable clinical time across the system. For GP practices — particularly those working within Primary Care Networks (PCNs) or relying on locum and rotational staff — this is a welcome development.
Why This Matters for General Practice
General Practice is on the frontline of NHS care, managing high patient volumes while navigating staffing challenges and increasing complexity. This change addresses a long-standing pain point:
- Locums, trainees, and rotational staff will now have their StatMand training recognised across practices and trusts — removing the need for redundant re-training.
- GP practices and PCNs will benefit from quicker onboarding, fewer administrative delays, and reduced workload for practice managers and training leads.
- Workforce mobility is improved, allowing staff to move more fluidly between primary and secondary care — essential for integrated care systems (ICSs).
- More time for patients — every day saved on repeating training is a day returned to clinical care.
Supporting Smarter, Joined-Up Care
This move is part of a broader shift towards streamlined, people-centred workforce policy. The accompanying national people policy framework, launched alongside the agreement, provides a roadmap for consistent adoption and best practice across settings. NHS organisations — including GP practices — also have access to detailed local implementation guidance to ensure smooth rollout.
It’s a tangible example of how policy reform can support day-to-day improvements in service delivery — especially for time-pressured primary care environments.
What’s Next?
This is a major milestone, but not the end of the journey. Work is already underway to reform the nationally mandated StatMand subject list, ensuring training remains relevant, efficient, and fit for purpose.
For now, the message is clear: smarter onboarding and less bureaucracy are on the way — helping General Practice teams spend more time with patients and less on paperwork.#GeneralPractice #NHSPrimaryCare #WorkforceEfficiency #GPs #StatMand #LocumGPs #PrimaryCareNetworks #DigitalTransformation #TimeForCare #NHSInnovationNHSE: