The Bottom Line
- You’re not “bad at admin”—you’re dealing with a <strong>dependency chain</strong>. Fix the chain: <strong>HR record → identity verification → NHSmail → ESR → e-LfH/OpenAthens</strong>.
- If you register e-LfH with a personal email you can still access learning, but a <strong>work email typically unlocks fuller access</strong>—don’t accidentally limit yourself.
- ESR is your payroll + learning hub in many trusts. Once access works, check payslips, personal details, and mandatory training pathways.
IMG onboarding often fails for one reason: you attempt to set up everything in parallel, but the systems require upstream identity/HR steps first. The fix is to follow an order of operations and escalate blockers to the correct owner (HR vs IT vs lead employer).
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Step 1 — Confirm your HR record is live
No HR record = no downstream access. Ask for confirmation your employee record is active and your name/date of birth are correct (small typos cause large delays).
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Step 2 — Obtain/activate NHSmail (if your role needs it)
NHSmail is often required for communication, resource access, and identity-linked learning resources. Use the official NHSmail guidance and your organisation’s local onboarding process.
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Step 3 — Activate ESR access
ESR underpins payroll and workforce self-service for many NHS organisations in England and Wales. Once you can log in, validate your personal details and keep an eye on required actions.
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Step 4 — Register for e-LfH correctly
If you already have a work email, use it. Registration guidance explicitly highlights that work emails can lead to more appropriate access to e-learning content. If you don’t yet have a work email, you can still register and later update when NHSmail arrives.
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Step 5 — Link to OpenAthens if applicable
OpenAthens access routes vary by organisation and role. Once NHSmail/ESR is live, your library/knowledge services team can usually guide the fastest route.
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Step 6 — Build a ‘single screenshot’ escalation pack
When stuck, send one tight email with: full name, DOB, assignment number (if you have it), start date, role title, and screenshots of the specific error page. This prevents endless ping-pong.
What good looks like by end of week 1
You can reliably access: (1) your work email (if required), (2) ESR self-service, and (3) mandatory training platform(s). If you can’t, it’s not “normal”—it’s a solvable systems issue.
Practice
Test your knowledge
Apply this concept immediately with a high-yield question block from the iatroX Q-Bank.
SourceNHSmail Support: Joining NHSmail
Open Link SourceNHSBSA: Electronic Staff Record (ESR) Workforce Services
Open Link SourceNHS England e-LfH Hub: Registration
Open Link SourceNHS England e-LfH Hub: Portal
Open Link