Last month, over 200 multiprofessional educators and aspiring educational leaders from across Kent and Medway came together in Ashford for the highly successful 2026 Kent and Medway Primary Care Educators Conference.

Delivered in partnership by Kent and Medway Primary Care Training Hub and Kent and Medway Medical School, the conference provided an inspiring and supportive space for colleagues across primary care to connect, learn and share best practice in educational leadership and workforce development.

Delegates were inspired by keynote presentations from Professor Michael West, who explored Compassionate Teamworking for High-Quality Primary Care, and Professor Louise Younie, whose thought-provoking session on Flourishing Spaces in Challenging Times encouraged reflection on how we can support ourselves and others to thrive in increasingly complex healthcare environments.

The conference programme also featured a range of interactive workshops designed to equip educators with practical skills and tools, including:

  • Leading Effective Dialogues in Challenging Situations
  • Compassion in Action – Co-Creation of Supervision Principles for Interprofessional Learners
  • Human Factors in Primary Care – Exploring Human Factors, Systems Thinking and Reflective Discussion
  • Getting Involved in Research and Innovation (R&I): A Practical Guide for GP Practices
  • Practical Introduction to Quality Improvement Projects

A key strength of the event was the opportunity it created for colleagues from across Kent and Medway General Practice to network, reconnect and learn from one another. Feedback from delegates highlighted the value of both the educational content and the sense of community fostered throughout the day.

Comments included:

“Great organisation, good conference, great content.”

“Very impressive guest speaker, very well organised and a supportive team, as always.”

“Professor West was very inspirational. I particularly resonated with the quotes on self-compassion and ensuring that we are looking after ourselves and our own wellbeing.”

“I learned better ways for effective communication, leadership and managing difficult conversations within my team and wider practice teams, which can also be used in day-to-day life.”

“Good to see colleagues face to face. Good to have the space to reflect on where we are and what we need to focus on. We need more of this! Very uplifting talks on compassionate leadership and creative, reflective practice.”

The overwhelmingly positive feedback reflects the passion, commitment and innovation that continue to drive educational excellence across Kent and Medway Primary Care.