ePortfolio (supported) Route guide

Learning Needs Analysis (LNA)

The Learning Needs Analysis (LNA) serves as a crucial preliminary stage in the ePortfolio (supported) Route. Its purpose is to ensure that applicants are adequately prepared and have the potential to complete the process within the required timeframe of 12 months.

Gateway to the ePortfolio process:

  1. Ensures applicants are suitable to progress through the ePortfolio (supported) Route.
  2. Assesses the feasibility of completing the ePortfolio within the stipulated 12-month period.

Assessment focus:

  1. Evaluates whether applicants have the knowledge, skills, and capabilities to map fully to the Multi-professional framework for advanced practice in England (2025).
  2. Identifies areas where applicants meet or fall short of the framework’s expectations.
  3. If gaps are identified, a development plan is created to address these before progressing.

Process Summary

The LNAs are completed on the Centre for Advancing Practice Portal and then discussed and agreed with the applicant’s education provider. Often, more than one meeting is required to confirm the content of the LNA.

1. Initial Contact:

  • Your educational supervisor will contact you within one month of being assigned to arrange a LNA meeting

2. Preparation:

Complete the following tasks on the portal:

  • Fill in the “Career” and “Qualifications” sections.
  • Create a first draft of the submission checklist.
  • Complete the first draft of the LNA form.

3. LNA Meeting:

  • Meet with your educational supervisor to review and discuss the LNA form.
  • Identify any actions or tasks to be completed.
  • Be prepared for the possibility of more than one meeting.

4. LNA Outcome Decision:

  • Your educational supervisor will finalise the outcome and record their decision on the LNA form in the portal.
  • Formally acknowledge the outcome.
Initial Contact: Contact from educational supervisor Possibility more than one meeting Preparation: Complete Career and Qualifications sections. Draft submission checklist. Draft LNA form. LNA Meeting: Meet to review and discuss the LNA form. Identify any actions. Be prepared for the possibility of more than one meeting. LNA Outcome Decision: Outcome recorded Formally acknowledge the outcome.
Figure 1 – Summary of LNA Process

This should be completed at least 5 working days prior to the initial LNA meeting.

  1. Review Centre for Advancing Practice portal guidance:
    • Familiarise yourself with the Centre’s portal step-by-step guides, to understand how to find and use the tools available to complete your LNA.
  1. Complete career and qualifications sections:
    • Fill in the “Career Details” and “Qualifications” sections.
    • Provide certificates, transcripts, or details of formal education related to advanced practice.
    • Upload the following documents in the “Other Evidence” section:
      • Your current job description. Peer review is not required at this stage.
      • Your job plan, if available.
      • Any previous job descriptions for roles in advanced practice, if possible.
  1. Review the submission checklist:
    • Go through each evidence requirement in the checklist.
    • Add notes for each type of evidence:
      • Indicate if you already have existing evidence.
      • Record ideas for potential pieces of evidence you could provide.
  1. Draft responses for the LNA form:
  • Complete all sections of the LNA form, including:
  1. Confidence rating guidance:
    • Use the following scale to rate each capability and add notes to explain your rating:
      • Very Confident: You already have one or two pieces of evidence, such as completed modules or training.
      • Somewhat Confident: You have a clear idea of the evidence and activities needed and are confident you can complete them within 12 months (e.g., modules, training programs, shadowing).
      • Not Confident: You are unsure about existing evidence or how to create it within the 12-month timeframe.
  1. Notify your educational supervisor:
  • Once your preparatory work is complete, notify your educational supervisor to inform them (see portal guidance).
  1. Complete preparatory work on time:
  • Ensure all preparatory tasks are finished at least five working days before the meeting.
  • This allows your educational supervisor enough time to review and consider the information.
  • Failure to meet this deadline may result in the meeting being cancelled by the supervisor and a new date agreed.
  1. During the LNA Meeting:
  • Collaboratively review the Submission Checklist and LNA form.
  • Your supervisor will confirm the ratings for the capability and critical narrative sections.
  • Be aware that your supervisor’s ratings may differ from your initial self-assessments.
  • Once agreed the LNA form should be submitted.
  • Be prepared for the possibility more than one meeting will be required.

 Educational Supervisor’s role:

Possible LNA outcomes:

A. Progress to compiling ePortfolio

Criteria: No additional learning is required.

Next steps for applicants: 

  1. Acknowledge the outcome on the portal.
  2. Formally accept your place on the ePortfolio (supported) route.
  3. Begin creating the ePortfolio.
  4. Submit the ePortfolio for verification within 12 months of the final LNA meeting.

 

B. Further learning required

Criteria: Additional learning or experience is needed.

Next steps for applicants:

  1. Agree on the required learning activities during the final LNA meeting (e.g., completing modules, gaining experience, or other academic work).
  2. Acknowledge the outcome on the portal.
  3. Formally accept your place on the ePortfolio (supported) route.
  4. Complete learning activities.
  5. Begin creating the ePortfolio but only submit it after successfully completing the required learning activities.
  6. Submit the ePortfolio and complete the route within 12 months of the final LNA meeting.

 

C. Unsuitable for route

Criteria: The required learning or experience cannot be completed within the 12-month timeframe.

Next steps for applicants:

  1. Work with your educational supervisor to create a development plan.
  2. Acknowledge the outcome on the portal.
  3. Use the LNA and development plan to facilitate discussions with your employer, education lead, and regional Faculty for Advancing Practice to support future educational progress.
  4. Eligible to reapply for ePortfolio (supported) route (if appropriate) after completing the necessary education and training.

Reasonable adjustments

Applicants can also highlight if they have a recognised condition or a disability that they believe will impact on their ability to complete the ePortfolio (supported) Route. Evidence or a supporting statement about your condition or disability will need to be provided.

Educational supervisors should work to their university’s ‘reasonable adjustments’ policy and notify the Centre Team of any changes to the submission deadline.

Step by step portal guidance

Portal guide

The NHS Learning Hub hosts the Centre for Advancing Practice Portal guidance.

You will need an account at access. If you do not have an account, you can create one. When creating an account you will need to enter basic information on your role and place of work. 

Centre for Advancing Practice Portal

Centre for Advancing Practice Portal

The Centre for Advancing Practice Portal is a web-based tool that enables practitioners to record evidence of their experience, training and continuing professional development (CPD) for their entire career.

Guide Engagement