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18/06/2024New Feature - HEI Staff Assignment of Practice Assessors

HEI placement coordinators now have access to assign Practice Assessors directly to learner placement allocations on PARE via a new assignment feature accessed from the learner account profile screens, placement allocation pop-up.


The new feature is particularly beneficial for placement circuits reliant on HEI staff to manage the practice staff assignments for the learner placement allocations in the absence of PARE team leaders and PEFs within the placement provider organisations, and for assignment of off-site and long-arm practice assessors to learner placement allocations (HEIs must ensure they have relevant data sharing agreements in place with placement providers).

HEI placement coordinators may also switch on the additional practice staff assignment role for standard HEI Senior Administrator accounts, and HEI staff with the practice assessor role enabled on their PARE account may also be assigned to learner placement allocations, in addition to practice staff, via the new feature.

For further guidance please see the User Guide, which is available as a PDF download via the following Help Centre link:

HEI Management of Practice Assessor Assignment



18/06/2024Tips for Users being asked to verify their identity repeatedly

Tooltip on Hover or Focus

Dear PARE Users,

We have received a small number of queries from users who are being asked repeatedly to verify their identity through multi-factor authentication, despite having clicked the 'Remember this device' checkbox.

We have been advised that this issue is most likely owing to cookies being disabled on users' devices; to assist users in resolving this, we have assembled the following guidance to enable cookies on all major internet browsers. 
(Sources: Apple; Carleton University; Microsoft; National Academies.)  

Please select your browser from the below options:


  1. Click the context menu (⋮) in the browser toolbar to the right of the address bar.
  2. Choose Settings.
  3. Click Show Advanced Settings.
  4. Click Content settings in the Privacy section.
  5. Ensure that the bullet for Allow local data to be set (recommended) is checked.
  6. Also ensure that Block third-party cookies and site data is unchecked.


  1. Click the Menu button (⋯) in the top corner of your browser.
  2. Choose Settings
  3. Click Site permissions
  4. Click Cookies and site data.
  5. Turn on Allow sites to save and read cookie data (recommended) to unblock cookies.


  1. Click Tools (⛭) in the browser toolbar.
  2. Choose Internet Options
  3. Click the Privacy tab.
  4. Under Settings, move the slider towards the bottom to allow more or all cookies.


  1. Click the Tools menu (═) from the top toolbar.
  2. Choose Options.
  3. Click the Privacy tab.
  4. Under History, select Use custom settings for history from the drop-down menu beside “Firefox will.”
  5. Ensure that the checkboxes for Accept cookies from sites and Accept third-party cookies are both checked.
  6. Click OK.


  1. Click the Safari menu from the top toolbar.
  2. Choose either Preferences or Settings (depending on your edition).
  3. Click the Privacy tab.
  4. Click the “Never” checkbox for Block Cookies.

Users may need to liaise with their IT Department if browser settings are managed by the organisation. If the above guidance does not address the issue, we kindly ask that you consult with your IT Department prior to reaching out to us via a Support Ticket.

Kind regards,
The OnlinePARE Team


13/06/2024Resolved: Issues with logging into and navigating PARE

Dear PARE Users,

Please be aware that on the evening of 12th June 2024, our cloud service provider experienced a technical issue resulting in users being forcibly logged out of OnlinePARE.

We have received assurances that the underlying cause has been addressed, and that affected users will not experience this performance issue when next signing into the OnlinePARE system.

On behalf of our service provider, we would again like to sincerely apologise for any frustration or inconvenience caused by this situation.

Kind regards,

The OnlinePARE Team



10/06/2024Need help with MFA?

Some quick tips and checks:

  1. Keep the same password: 2FA is in addition to your current password. It helps to keep your data safe  
  2. Is the code in your Spam/Junk folder?
  3. Only request one code - each code is different
  4. If problems continue, ask your IT team for help e.g. with using your work email at home, or if they have blocked emails from do_not_reply@onlinepare.net 
  5. Finally, if you are locked out of your PARE account, raise a guest ticket with our Help Centre using https://support.onlinepare.net/hc/en-gb/requests/new 


05/06/2024MFA code now valid for 30 minutes

Yesterday, some of you found that the verification code for MFA was timing out before you could use it, leading to frustration with accessing PARE. Alongside investigating the issue, we have set all MFA codes to be valid for 30 minutes rather than 15. 


03/06/2024MFA roll out - HEI staff

Over the next 3 weeks, Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) will be switched on for our university partners. This is in line with NHS England's requirements for improved data security. The key dates are: 6 June: HEI senior administrators; 13 June - academic staff; and 20 June - learners.


30/05/2024Placement Educators - Multi-Factor Authentication Activation Today (30th May 2024)

Dear Placement Educators,

As part of our ongoing efforts to enhance the security of your data and comply with NHS England's data security requirements, we are rolling out Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) for all Placement Educator accounts on the PARE platform today.

What You Need To Know:

  • Activation Today: MFA will be activated on your account today. This added security measure will require you to enter a unique verification code sent to your registered email address in addition to your password when logging in.
  • Browser Authentication: Once you enter the code, your browser will be authenticated and remembered for six months. This process may need to be repeated for each browser or device you use to access PARE, and is subject to your organisational network settings.
  • Code Validity: The verification code is valid for 15 minutes. If you miss it, you can request a new code to be sent.

Action Required:
Please ensure that your email address associated with your PARE account is correct. This is crucial for receiving the MFA codes and ensuring seamless access to your account. You can verify your email address by visiting your profile on the PARE platform.

Need Help?
If you encounter any issues with MFA or need assistance updating your account information, our Support Team is here to help. Please raise a ticket through the Help Centre, and we will assist you promptly.

Thank you for your co-operation and for helping us enhance the security of your account. Your proactive steps in confirming your email details will ensure a smooth transition to MFA.

Kind regards,
The OnlinePARE Team.


28/05/2024Practice/Clinical Educators - MFA switched on 30 May

In line with NHS requirements that all PARE user accounts have Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) by 30 June 2024, this Thursday we will be continuing our phased roll-out to include Practice/Clinical Educators. When you accept MFA your device will be 'remembered' for 6 months. You will need to repeat the process for all devices you use for PARE.


23/05/2024HEI Administrators and Academics - The 'Change Request: Document Revisions' Form has been updated

Dear HEI partners,

We are pleased to announce an important update to the Change Request: Document Revision form.

The form has been revised to enhance user-friendliness and incorporate recent accessibility improvements.

The latest version of the form can be downloaded from our Help Centre.

Please start using the updated form at your earliest convenience. Note that we will no longer accept document revision requests submitted with outdated templates after 1st June 2024.

Your feedback is invaluable, and we're committed to making your experience with OnlinePARE exceptional. If you have any questions or need assistance with the new form, please don't hesitate to raise a support ticket via the OnlinePARE Help Centre for prompt assistance from our Support Team.

Thank you for your continued support and co-operation.

Kind regards,
The OnlinePARE Team


15/05/2024Resolved: Viewing User Profiles error

Dear PARE Administrators, Academics and Trust staff,

Further to my previous message, the issues surrounding access learner and staff profiles have now been resolved.

If you continue to experience any atypical behaviour when using the OnlinePARE platform, we kindly ask that you raise a Support Ticket for further support and guidance via the OnlinePARE Help Centre.

Kind regards,
The OnlinePARE Team


Original message:

Dear PARE Administrators, Academics and Facilitators,


We have been made aware of an issue preventing users from viewing user profiles and assessment documentation, and our Development Team is currently working on a solution as our utmost priority.

We will be in touch when the situation is resolved.
Your continued patience and understanding is appreciated.

Kind regards,
The OnlinePARE Team


03/05/2024Action Required: Please confirm your account details are correct

Dear OnlinePARE users,

As we prepare for the broader launch of our multi-factor authentication in the coming weeks, we're reaching out to all users with an important request: please take a moment to ensure that your OnlinePARE account details are up-to-date.


Following the launch, when signing in from an unrecognised device, users will be required to enter a unique verification code sent to the email address associated with their OnlinePARE account. As such, it is important to confirm that the contact information on your account is accurate.

You can view and amend your account information by visiting your Profile.

Your proactive steps in verifying these details will help ensure a smooth transition to multi-factor authentication and bolster the security of your account. We appreciate your prompt attention to this matter.

Your feedback is invaluable, and we're committed to making your experience with OnlinePARE the best that it can be. If you have any questions or need assistance amending your account information, please don't hesitate to raise a support ticket via the OnlinePARE Help Centre for further assistance from our Support Team.

Thank you for your continued support and co-operation.

Kind regards,
The OnlinePARE Team


17/04/2024Dashboard Appearance: Slight Changes

Sharp eyed users may notice some recent changes to the appearance of their PARE dashboard and system functionality pages.  For example, the green colour used to denote a function confirmation button is now a slightly darker green, and several screen font sizes have altered.


These changes are part of ongoing work linked to accessibility standards ('WCAG 2.2 AA' compliance) and you may note further similar changes to screens and documentation over the next few months.  

There should be no disruption to the service, however the  PARE team remain committed to ensuring accessibility for all its users and as the changes unfold, we would be keen for any feedback on the changes and individual user needs via the raise a ticket function from your dashboard.  


10/04/2024Roll out of Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)

To help protect your data, over the coming few weeks we are rolling out multi-factor authentication to all PARE users.  MFA has been piloted successfully over the last few months.  MFA is a more secure, increasingly industry-standard approach to user account logins.

When you login to PARE, you will be asked to enter a unique code sent to your PARE primary email/username in addition to your password. Once entered, this authenticates (remembers) the browser for a 6-month period.  Authentication codes are valid for 15 minutes, but they can be re-sent if they are missed.  Each browser you use for PARE will need to be authenticated, and it will be remembered for 6 months before the process needs to be repeated.

The roll out will begin with our placement users by type of PARE account.  We will repeat this with our HEI users including learners, and finally all other type of PARE account users. 

If you experience issues when MFA is switched on for you, the Support team will assist you; please raise a ticket through the Help Centre in the usual manner.


25/01/2024HEI Senior Admins - Introducing the new 'Wipe Page' tool

Dear HEI Placement Coordinators,

We're excited to announce the introduction of the 'Wipe Page' feature on OnlinePARE assessment documents, available now for all HEI Senior Administration staff with the 'Placement Coordinator' checkbox on their profile ticked.

This tool allows administrators to efficiently wipe pages of an assessment document when necessary, providing your students with more effective support to remove and re-enter information.

Please exercise caution, however, as the 'Wipe Page' action is irreversible; it is strongly advised that administrators save a PDF copy of the page or document before wiping data.

Step-by-step guidance for this new tool can be found here on our Help Centre.

Your feedback is invaluable, and we're committed to making your experience with OnlinePARE the best that it can be. If you have any questions or need assistance with the new form, please don't hesitate to raise a support ticket via the OnlinePARE Help Centre for prompt assistance from our Support Team.

Thank you for your continued support and co-operation.

Kind regards,
The OnlinePARE Team


16/01/2024PARE Governance: Data Sharing Agreement pages update

Further to the news item of the 29th November, we remain on track to discontinue use of the  PARE DSA support functionality in favour of HEI's using their own alternate processes. 


To aid the transition the  DSA governance pages now include a PDF download of the agreements for respective senior HEI administrators and university governance leads to download current DSAs for their own files.

The service remains on schedule to stop allowing new use of the functionality from Friday the 26th of January 2023, with complete closure of the service on the 26th of February 2023.

PARE data processing agreement processes are unaffected by this change. 


29/11/2023PARE Governance

Due to recent clarification on the scope of NHSE educational contracts in relation to data sharing agreements, the process by which PARE aids HEIs to track their data controller to data controller agreements will change.  


From January 2024, the current PARE DSA feature will be removed and replaced by a feature specifically focussing on the PARE Data Processing agreements with its participating HEIs.  


HEIs who currently rely upon the present PARE DSA functionality to track agreements with their placement provider partners are advised to ensure alternative arrangements are in place going forward.  


Further information can be obtained through the PARE support centre via a ticket request. 

 


13/11/2023Scheduled PARE maintenance: Monday 20/11/2023, 21:00 – 22:00

The PARE website will be unavailable for 1 hour, 21:00 – 22:00 on Monday 20th November whilst we carry out essential server maintenance. Please ensure you save all updates and log out of PARE by 21:00 on Monday 20th. We apologise for any inconvenience caused. 


03/11/2023New Y&H Audit Section – Analysis of Learner Capacity

We're pleased to inform you that placement audits created using the ‘Yorkshire and the Humber’ (Y&H) template will now have a new 'Analysis of Learner Capacity' section. NHS England asked for the additional section to allow further capacity data to be captured and calculated as part of the placement audit.

The new section will appear for audits created on or after 01/11/2023 and is accompanied by corresponding updates to the capacity section of the placement information page. Further information and guidance can be found within the new 'Analysis of Learner Capacity' audit section and sidebar.


30/10/2023HEI Senior Admins - The 'Assign Document Request Form' has been updated

Dear HEI Placement Coordinators,

We're excited to inform you that the Assign Document Request Form has received an important update.

The form now includes a mandatory field for the Document ID; you can easily locate this unique identifier at the bottom of every page in an assessment document. This ensures precision in the assignment process, guaranteeing that each document is matched with the correct student, every time.

To streamline and enhance your experience in coordinating assessment document assignments, we encourage you to start using the latest version of the Assign Document Request Form, now available for download from the OnlinePARE Help Centre.

Get the updated form here.

Your feedback is invaluable, and we're committed to making your experience with OnlinePARE the best that it can be. If you have any questions or need assistance with the new form, please don't hesitate to raise a support ticket via the OnlinePARE Help Centre for prompt assistance from our Support Team.

Thank you for your continued support and co-operation.

Kind regards,
The OnlinePARE Team


06/10/2023The National Education and Training Survey (NETS) is now open! (NHS England message)

This is a message on behalf of NHS England. Please note, this does not refer to (or replace) the questions completed regularly in PARE as part of the placement evaluation process.

Your Experiences Your Voice NETS 2023. The NETS is the voice of the health workforce working and learning in health and care services across England. The survey takes just 10 minutes to complete, and your feedback is vital in ensuring that all learning environments are safe, inclusive and support healthcare professionals to work together to deliver the highest standards of care.

Please don’t miss this opportunity to tell us about your experience and influence your future by completing the NETS today https://poll.hee.nhs.uk/s/nets23/


25/09/2023HEI Senior Admins - New Report: HEI Practice Educators

Following feedback from our HEI partners in the Northwest, the OnlinePARE team have introduced a new report to identify Administrators and Academic Staff within your organisation with the optional 'Practice Assessor' flag in their Profile switched on.


The optional 'Practice Assessor' flag allows HEI Staff to interact with their learners' documents as if they were the named Practice Assessor (NMC programmes) or Clinical Educator (non-NMC programmes) for that student, allowing them to complete and amend otherwise-restricted elements of assessment typically completed by Placement Provider staff in the assessment document and timesheet.


To access this new report, click Reports from the OnlinePARE header bar, and then select HEI Practice Educators from the side-bar:



Feedback from our partners on this new feature is, as always, welcomed via the OnlinePARE Help Centre's Support Ticket service.

Kind regards,
The OnlinePARE Team


12/09/2023New Practice Evaluation Question Set (North West users - from 18/09/23)

Most learners using PARE can evaluate their practice placement using a set questionnaire. There are two main question sets, The NETs survey (primarily used in the Yorkshire and the Humber region) and the PARE multi-professional question set, used in the North West and beyond. The PARE multi-professional question set has once again been reviewed, amended and aligned to the current North West learning environment audit process by a multi-professional steering group. Please note, the question set & associated reporting updates below apply to North West HEIs & associated users only.

The changes take effect for placement allocations that start on or after Monday 18th September 2023, irrespective of when they were added to PARE. The NW multi-professional steering group are keen to emphasise the importance of ensuring evaluations are supported and completed and have asked that learners  are reminded that you can seek support from your personal tutor as needed.

Users with access to PARE's evaluation reports will be able to select the new PARE question set when accessing PARE evaluation report data from 18/09/23. The new question set will be the 3rd version of the PARE NW question set and will be titled 'PARE 2023'. Users will be able to run reports against all 3 versions using tailored filters. Results may not be directly comparable as individual reports will be required for programmes with placements that span different NW PARE question set periods.


03/08/2023Report Update: Learner Hours Completed

On the 3rd August 2023, the "Learner hours Completed" report, accessed by senior placement and Senior HEI  administrators was updated.  The report CSV now displays 30 minutes of activity as 0.5 hours.  Therefore 2 hours and 30 minutes is now shown as 2.5 hours.  This is to align with commonly used accounting software  into which PARE data is often uploaded.