Supervision
Supervision in General Practice
GPSA is committed to enabling the delivery of high-quality supervision in the clinical learning environment, with a primary focus on general practice. We recognise that achieving this relies on a team effort rather than just an individual, with a collective commitment to supporting the learner to ensure safety and positive outcomes for both the learner and the patient.
GPSA approach to supervision
GPSA believes that supervision in general practice comprises three core, but intersecting, elements:
- Clinical supervision, ensuring that the patient is safe
- Educational supervision, ensuring the learner is learning
- Personal supervision, ensuring that the learner is ‘OK’.
1. Clinical supervision
Patient safety must underpin every aspect of supervision. Clinical supervision is the oversight role that the supervisor has over the safety of their patients. In summary, supervisors must continually ask themselves the question ‘Is the patient safe in there?’
2. Educational supervision
Educational supervision parallels the clinical oversight role and involves the supervision of learning and progress. This comprises identification of learning needs, planning learning, teaching, assessment, and provision of feedback.
3. Personal supervision
Effective supervision is underpinned by a good relationship between the supervisor and learner. Though not every ‘alliance’ will be a close one, it is essential that the relationship be functional, and be based on mutual understanding, respect, and trust. It is therefore important for supervisors to have a good understanding of the learner’s background and experience, both professionally and personally, and monitor their wellbeing.
Resources
Please follow the link for the following supervisor role:
Date reviewed: 19 May 2025