Learning Academy for NHS NENC ICB

The Challenge

Training across the region was managed in countless spreadsheets, paper forms and one‑off survey tools. Programme leads struggled to evidence impact, trainers wrestled with manual admin, and participants lacked a clear view of their learning history. Without reliable data, it was hard to secure ongoing funding or scale proven programmes.

Our Approach

Human‑centred design from day one

• Design sprints & co‑design workshops to capture pain points and prototype solutions with participants, trainers and programme leads.
• Iterative user testing at every milestone, with feedback loops built directly into the platform.
• Accessibility audits against WCAG 2.1 AAA and NHS AIS standards, keeping inclusion front‑of‑mind.

Technology that fits real‑world workflows

• Lightweight LMS architecture that’s easy for participants and admin‑light for trainers.
• Integration with NHS e‑Learning for Healthcare and export to Power BI for real‑time analytics.
• Multi‑role access model covering participants, trainers, training providers, employer organisations, programme leads and system admins.

What We Delivered

Learning Academy is a truly end‑to‑end platform that supports every stakeholder in the training ecosystem—from participants booking onto sessions, through trainers managing delivery, to programme leads and system‑wide administrators tracking impact across the entire North East & North Cumbria health and care sector.

• Course & event lifecycle management – from quick‑add templates to branded public landing pages, capacity controls and wait‑list handling.
• Smart comms – automated email & optional SMS nudges at every milestone (booking confirmation, 48 h reminder, pre‑evaluation, post‑evaluation).
• Participant dashboard – single view of upcoming sessions, certificates, training history and downloadable resources.
• Evaluation workflow – configurable pre‑/post‑session forms with Likert scales & open comments; certificate release is gated until completion.
• Admin automation – instant attendance registers, one‑click mark‑off, on‑the‑fly certificates, CSV/Power BI exports.
• Access‑needs workflow – collects participants’ NHS AIS requirements and alternative‑format requests, surfaced to trainers ahead of each session.
• Bulk employer onboarding & contract management – upload staff lists, assign mandatory modules, and manage agreements between employer organisations and training providers.
• Embedded e‑learning & integrations – deep links to NHS e‑LfH content, SCORM/xAPI support and SSO‑ready architecture.
• Analytics & insight – real‑time dashboards tracking uptake, completion, confidence uplift and trainer ratings; anonymised longitudinal cohort analysis.
• Built‑in feedback loops – contextual feedback widget and fortnightly pulse surveys feed our continuous‑improvement backlog.

Impact

Modules completed: 10 000 +

‍Users onboarded in first 18 months: 16 000 +

‍Content created: 16 programmes, with 200+ modules (including national Oliver McGowan Training)

The platform’s human-centred design was a key factor in the region’s decision to use Learning Academy as the delivery vehicle for Oliver McGowan mandatory training (vs traditional NHS training systems).

Lessons Learned

1. Build tech and business flows together: early alignment prevents re‑work.
2. Keep it lightweight: an LMS shouldn’t feel like another corporate hurdle.
3. Accessibility is continuous: regular audits uncover quick wins that matter to real users.

What’s Next

• In‑platform e‑learning authoring so programme teams can build rich digital modules without leaving the Academy.
• Deeper analytics: dashboards and exports tracking confidence, competence and programme outcomes over time.
• Regional & sector expansion: exploring pilots outside NENC and beyond healthcare.

Call to Action

Ready to give your workforce a friction‑free, data‑rich learning experience or co‑create a bespoke platform of your own? Let’s talk about how our human‑centred design and engineering expertise can power your next learning or digital‑transformation project.

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