NHS learning resources
Effective training and learning resources can play a pivotal role in creating inclusive leadership cultures, culturally responsive practice learning, and equitable learning environments. By equipping leaders and educators with the knowledge and skills to foster inclusion, learning resources have the potential to enhance learner experience, improve educational outcomes, and strengthen workforce retention.
Ultimately, they contribute to the development of a future healthcare workforce that champions equity, inclusion, and compassionate care at every level of practice.
Following the success of the NHS-funded Inclusive Training in Practice (ITP) project, the ITP team was commissioned by NHS England National and NHS England South West to deliver two national projects as part of the Enhanced Learning Resources Programme to advance equity, inclusion and cultural humility across the healthcare workforce.
The project team used national collaboration to addressing shared workforce development challenges with the aim of launching tangible, scalable and sustainable solutions across the healthcare sector.
Read more"We have created practical resources that can support more inclusive education and training across the NHS."
Michail Sanidas Project sponsor and EDI Principal Lead – Education & Training, Workforce Training and Education Directorate at NHS England National states
These resources are a great example of what can be achieved through genuine collaboration and co-production. By bringing together the expertise of NHS England, the ICA at UWE Bristol, educators, stakeholders and digital learning specialists, we have created practical resources that can support more inclusive education and training across the NHS. I hope they will help equip educators with the confidence and tools to create learning environments where everyone can thrive.
The problem
Creating inclusive learning environments and workplaces is essential to developing a healthcare workforce that is equipped to meet the needs of increasingly diverse communities.
Evidence from healthcare learner and staff experience data, national reporting, and lived-experience accounts consistently shows that inclusive learning and workplace environments are critical to wellbeing, achievement, progression, and retention. Learners and staff who feel valued, supported, and empowered are more likely to succeed, flourish professionally, and build long-term careers within the NHS workforce.
The need for this work is reinforced by a growing body of evidence. Data from the National Education and Training Survey, Degree Awarding Gaps, the National Student Survey, and Graduate Outcomes reports continue to highlight persistent inequalities affecting learner experience, attainment, progression, and outcomes across healthcare education. Similarly, workforce data, including the NHS Workforce Race Equality Standard (WRES), Workforce Disability Equality Standard (WDES), and NHS Staff Survey, consistently demonstrates the importance of inclusive and equitable workplace cultures in improving staff wellbeing, engagement, career progression, and retention. Together, these insights underscore the critical role of targeted interventions in creating learning and working environments where all individuals can thrive and reach their full potential.
A collaborative, co-produced national approach
Led by Project Lead Noor Nixon with strategic oversight from Professor Antony Hill, these projects are built on the successful e-learning development model established through the Inclusive Training Programme (ITP). Their strength lay in a highly collaborative, national approach that brought together NHS England, regional workforce teams, clinical leaders, educators, subject matter experts, and individuals with lived experience to co-design resources that reflect the realities of healthcare education and practice.
A series of collaboration workshops facilitated by specialist consultant enabled stakeholders from across the NHS to share challenges, identify good practice, and explore opportunities to improve inclusion within learning and workplace environments. This collaborative process ensured that the resource content were grounded in real-world experience, informed by evidence, and responsive to the diverse needs of learners, educators, and clinical leaders across the system.
The resulting content was translated into engaging, accessible, and interactive digital learning packages by an experienced Digital Learning Designer. Applying the principles of Inclusive Pedagogy and Universal Design for Learning, the resources were designed to be practical, relevant, and accessible to a wide range of users. Reflective exercises, real-life scenarios, and lived-experience perspectives were embedded throughout to encourage meaningful learning, self-awareness, and sustained behaviour change.
The Principles of Inclusive Clinical Leadership Practice e-learning package supports clinical leaders to understand workforce inequalities and develop the knowledge, skills, and behaviours needed to create inclusive, compassionate, and equitable team cultures.
The Cultural Awareness for Educators e-learning package supports clinical and non-clinical educators to develop cultural humility, enhance self-awareness, and adopt inclusive educational practices that foster psychologically safe learning environments.
NHS England National have launched the two free e-learning packages on NHS Learning Hub which is available to all healthcare organisations.
National resources with lasting impact
A key achievement of this project has been the development of nationally accessible resources that combine collaborative design, evidence-informed practice, lived experience perspectives, and practical implementation guidance. This approach has resulted in scalable and sustainable learning solutions that directly support NHS priorities to improve workforce inclusion and enhance the experiences of learners and staff across the health system.
The project has delivered high-quality resources. By making these resources widely available, organisations can continue to benefit from consistent, evidence-based learning and development opportunities beyond the lifespan of the project.
Early evaluation findings have shown strong levels of engagement and positive user experience. Feedback indicates that the learning packages are meeting their intended objectives and providing real value to participants.
As part of the evaluation process, 30 healthcare professionals, including educators and clinical leaders, reviewed the two learning packages and provided structured feedback. The findings were overwhelmingly positive:
- 100% of reviewers said they would recommend the courses to colleagues.
- The majority of reviewers rated the courses as engaging or highly engaging.
- Reviewers highlighted the effective balance of educational content, reflective activities, and practical examples.
- Case stories based on lived experience and multimedia elements were consistently identified as key strengths that enhanced learning and engagement.
These findings provide early evidence that the resources are achieving their intended outcomes and are well positioned to support ongoing learning, workforce development, and inclusive practice across the NHS.
"I think the programme provides a good understanding of inclusive clinical leadership."
"I really enjoyed the course, and I found Christine’s delivery and content to be excellent."
"I found the framing of cultural humility as an addition rather than replace awareness useful."
"I like the short style modules, perfect for busy clinicians."
Supporting the future healthcare workforce
The resources are being promoted nationally through NHS England regions and networks and are now available on the NHS Learning Hub (registration required), supporting the ICA’s vision of improving health outcomes through collaboration, innovation and workforce development.
The NHS national team will use web analytics to monitor engagement and undertake an impact evaluation of the resources, examining their reach and influence on users and their organisations.
Access both e-learning resources on NHS Learning Hub (open to everyone, registration/login required):
If you have any questions about the project or the resources, please contact the projects lead Noor Nixon at Noor.Nixon@uwe.ac.uk.