Annual Funding Timeline
This is a summary of the 2025-2026 timeline of key activities for the development and funding of trainee Advanced Practitioner’s by the South West Faculty of Advancing Practice. This is intended a guide for organisations within the region to understand the annual processes for applying for funding and where this fits in with the commissioning cycle and organisational workforce planning. It also details the scheduled key educational quality checks between the Faculty and organisation.
| Owner & Process | Activity | Month |
|---|---|---|
| NHS England Communication from the South West Faculty for Advanced Practice detailing upcoming demand scoping activity & funding support | South West Handbook and confirmed scoping survey dates emailed to Integrated Care System, Organisation and Primary Care Training Hub Advanced Practice Lead (or nominated individuals). | December / January |
| Organisations Organisations to prepare for upcoming Demand Scoping Survey | Organisations to identify Advanced Practice trainees requiring funding through their overall workforce planning and transformation processes. Relevant details e.g., choice of relevant Education Provider & programme should be included in the planning. Organisations to begin completion of NHS England Centre for Advancing Practice Governance Maturity Matrix. | January / February |
| NHS England Demand Scoping Survey opens | Annual Demand Scoping survey online application link sent via email to Advanced Practice Lead or nominated individual in each organisation or Primary Care Training Hub. | February / March |
| Organisations Completion of Demand Scoping Survey submissions and NHS England Centre for Advancing Practice Governance Maturity Matrix | NHS England Centre for Advancing Practice Governance Maturity Matrix and Annual Demand Scoping survey to be completed and returned to NHS England South West Faculty of Advanced Practice. | March |
| NHS England Demand Scoping Survey closes | Demand Scoping Survey closes for applications for 2025-2026 funding. | March |
| NHS England South West Faculty for Advanced Practice application review | Applications reviewed by NHS England South West Faculty for Advanced Practice. Please note, the Faculty may contact the Advanced Practice Lead or nominated individual, or other individuals named in the application | April / May |
| NHS England / Education Providers Indicative numbers shared with Education Providers | Indicative numbers shared with education providers to support their capacity planning. | April / May |
| Trainees Trainees’ application to education provider | Trainees to complete application process with education providers (if they do not already have a place confirmed). | April / May / June / July |
| NHS England / Organisations & Trainees Provisional offer for advanced practice funding sent to advanced practice leads or nominated individuals | Provisional funding offers sent to Advanced Practice Leads or nominated individuals. Advanced Practice Leads or nominated individuals to ensure completion of outstanding requirements for each trainee this includes: Commitment statement Trainee data collection survey Confirmation of course place (employer/trainee led) | May / June / July |
| NHS England / Organisations Confirmation of funded trainees with Advanced Practice lead or nominated individuals | NHS England South West Faculty for Advanced Practice to send final list of funded trainees to Advanced Practice lead or nominated individual. | August |
| NHS England / Organisations / Education Providers Validation of trainee course place with Organisation +/- education providers | Confirm trainees that have secured a course place and commenced on programme as planned. | October & February |
| NHS England Funding transferred | Funding is transferred to organisations or Primary Care Training Hubs. NHS England South West Faculty for Advanced Practice to provide list of trainees with amounts funded to Advanced Practice Leads or nominated individuals to pass onto departments, so they can access funding. | October |
| Organisations Funding Accessed | Funding available to departments via internal mechanisms. GP practices to contact Primary Care Training Hubs to access funding for their trainees. | October / November |