Training 150+ NHS and public sector professionals through the UK’s only CPD-certified After Action Review conductor programme
| Outcomes at a glance |
|---|
| Outcomes |
| • Over 95% of delegates leave training with high confidence scores to conduct AARs, introduce the methodology to colleagues, and support effective team performance |
| • Mixed-cohort training introduced for the first time, enabling cross-organisational learning across NHS, hospice, and charity sector contexts |
| • TPHC’s full-day AAR Conductor Development course holds CPD certification, recognised as the only dedicated conductor development programme of its kind in the UK |
| Reach and delivery |
| • Over 150 NHS and public sector colleagues trained in AAR methodology in 2025/26, across ten organisations including NHS trusts, hospices, and public and charity sector bodies |
The challenge
After Action Reviews (AARs) are structured debriefs that support learning and improvement following significant events. They are one of the learning tools identified within the Patient Safety Incident Response Framework (PSIRF), which sets out how NHS organisations should respond to and learn from patient safety incidents. With near-universal rollout across NHS provider trusts and recent transition in hospices, there is significant variation in maturity and capability across the system.
Organisations range from introducing AAR methodology for the first time to building on existing practice and strengthening how it embeds into learning culture. A trained AAR conductor takes a group directly involved in an action through a set of ground rules, enabling everyone to contribute equally, without blame, in an environment focused on learning. The conductor asks four questions: what was expected, what actually happened, why was there a difference, and what can be learnt. Before Action Reviews (BARs) use the same techniques to help teams assess existing knowledge at the planning stage of a new project.
For NHS organisations navigating PSIRF requirements, having access to high-quality, accredited training and experienced in-house facilitation can be the difference between AARs becoming a genuine learning tool and remaining a compliance exercise.
Our approach
TPHC delivered AAR training and direct AAR facilitation across the NHS and wider public sector in 2025/26. We trained over 150 colleagues across ten organisations, including NHS trusts, hospices such as Hospice in the Weald, and public and charity sector bodies. A significant development this year was the introduction of mixed-cohort training, enabling participants to learn alongside colleagues from outside their own organisations for the first time.
Alongside supporting existing clients to deepen their AAR capability, we expanded our reach into new sectors and organisations at the early stages of developing an AAR culture, including a large NHS trust in the North West seeking to build maturity in AAR practice. We also delivered a breakout session at NHS Confed, exploring how AARs can be used to identify the gap between expectation and reality.
Our in-house AAR conductors delivered After Action Reviews and Before Action Reviews directly across a range of client organisations, covering recruitment, process review, incident management, and programme review. Alongside this, we provided ongoing support for newly trained AAR conductors through action learning sets and a growing community of practice, helping conductors build confidence, embed AARs into everyday practice, and develop their skills over time.
The impact
TPHC’s full-day AAR Conductor Development course holds CPD certification, recognising the quality and professional value of the training as a dedicated conductor development programme. Over 150 NHS and public sector colleagues received accredited CPD hours in 2025/26, enabling them to undertake AARs in their own organisations and build learning capability within their teams.
Post-training evaluation consistently shows over 95% of delegates leave the training with high confidence scores to conduct AARs, introduce AAR to colleagues, and support effective team performance through learning collectively. The introduction of mixed-cohort training has enriched discussion, broadened perspectives, and strengthened participants’ understanding of how AARs can be applied across different organisational contexts.
Our in-house conductors have delivered AARs and Before Action Reviews across a range of focus areas, demonstrating our expertise in conducting reviews alongside training others to do so. This dual capability, training others while delivering high-quality AARs directly, strengthens system learning and supports the embedding of PSIRF principles across the NHS.
What our clients say
“Having worked with TPHC for the past year I can’t thank them enough for the support and guidance they have given in developing the initial cohorts of AAR conductors here at our Trust. As part of our ‘Just Culture’ workstream, we wanted to provide staff with an opportunity to learn together, in a psychologically safe way, that was evidence-based and proven. By working with TPHC, the team have given us the tools and framework to develop a supportive culture, not only for the teams wanting to undertake AARs, but also for the newly trained AAR conductors. This is just the first phase of the work as we develop an AAR Academy at the Trust. Themes of learning have already been shared across teams in the Trust, and the confidence it has brought Conductors has been shared with me personally. TPHC have been responsive to our changing needs, which has proved invaluable when undertaking a medium to long term improvement programme of work.”
Former Deputy Chief Nurse – Quality, NHS Foundation Trust
Ready to start a conversation? Find out more about our After Action Review training and facilitation services, or get in touch with one of our specialists to discuss your organisation’s learning and development needs.
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