SAVE THE DATE: Thursday 28th February 2023
STAR Annual Conference 2023 - Severn Trainee Anaesthetic Research Network
Where: Learning and Research Centre, North Bristol NHS Trust
For further details please see under 'Events' tab
Posted November 23rd 2022 (2 months ago)
SAVE THE DATE: Thursday 28th February 2023
STAR Annual Conference 2023 - Severn Trainee Anaesthetic Research Network
Where: Learning and Research Centre, North Bristol NHS Trust
For further details please see under 'Events' tab
Posted July 18th 2022 (7 months ago)
Please see link for users of the Lifelong Learning Platform who wish to request a change of assigned curriculum.
If you are moving from a 2010 curriculum to a 2021 curriculum, you will need to have approval from any one of the following: Head of School, Training Programme Director, Regional Adviser or Deputy Regional Adviser. The RCoA may ask you to provide evidence of this approval (an email confirmation from one of the above).
This form will be processed in five to eight working days by the Lifelong Learning team.
Posted August 19th 2021 (1 year ago)
Virtual lunchtime teaching hosted by Gloucester. All School Core trainees welcome.
Dates : 23rd August, 31st August, 6th September, 14th September, 20th September, 27th September, 4th October & 11th October. Please email anaesthesia.sw@hee.nhs.uk for an MS teams link if you have not received one.
Posted August 5th 2021 (2 years ago)
Please see this link for an update from the RCoA on the Lifelong Learning Platform Curriculum Transfer.
Posted February 2nd 2021 (2 years ago)
South West Anaesthesia Pain and Intensive Care Teaching (SWAPIT) Hub is the Bristol School of Anaesthesia virtual teaching platform, providing:
All this & more accessible at: https://www.swapithub.co.uk
Posted February 1st 2021 (2 years ago)
Taking place on Wednesday 3rd February at 6 pm.
Please see event tab for further details.
Posted January 28th 2021 (2 years ago)
Congratulations you are pregnant! However sorting our maternity leave arrangements can be a daunting prospect. It is hard to know where to start finding the information you need and there is much more to think about that you would expect.
The guide gives you some advice and information on how to manage your maternity leave as a trainee.
WORKING WHILE PREGNANT
Who do I need to tell?
Officially you are obliged to inform your employer of your intention to take maternity leave by the end of the 25th week of pregnancy. However, the laws that protect you in pregnancy only apply once your employer knows.
Practically is it advisable to inform your employer prior to this date but who you decide to inform and when is an individual decision.
- Departmental Manager: the manager should then arrange for a Health and Safety Risk Assessment to take place (on HR webpage). If any staff member is unable to carry out all or part of their duties whilst pregnant (due to risk to their or unborn child’s health) alternative work is arranged with no loss of pay.
- Training Programme Director – advise your TPD about intentions for maternity leave as it may directly affect where you are going to rotate over the next few months. You may also want to work LTFT on your return.
- Educational Supervisor – before you start maternity leave you must have a “Pre-Absence Meeting” (needs to be sent to College Tutor and Programme Director) to discuss keeping up to date, KIT days and any other concerns.
- HR – obtain maternity guidance information for your Trust early in pregnancy (via Trust website)
Full information: SevernACCS.SW@hee.nhs.uk
- NHS Health at Work: Shift Work & Manual Handling in Pregnancy
Dr C Abeysekera, ST4 Anaesthetics Severn Deanery, Dr Christina Laxton, Consultant Anaesthetist North Bristol Trust, December 2020
Posted January 19th 2021 (2 years ago)
The FICM Teaching Day due to take place on 9th February 2021 has been postponed and will take place at a later date.
Posted January 7th 2021 (2 years ago)
Due to COVID pressures the primary teaching days on 22nd January 2021 and 11th February 2021 have been postponed.
These teaching days will be rescheduled for Spring/Summer.
Posted November 26th 2020 (2 years ago)
Posted September 30th 2020 (2 years ago)
The School are aware that there has been a lot of uncertainty over the last few months due to Covid disrupting training, recruitment, exams and the delayed introduction of the transition to the 2020 Curriculum. On this basis, a virtual Q and A session for Core trainees and ACCS Anaesthetic trainees has been planned for Monday 19th October 6pm via Zoom.
Tom Simpson (Head of School Anaesthesia), Jo Kerr (Head of School ACCS) and Judith Stedeford (Core Training Programme Director) will be there to answer your questions on any of the issues currently facing Core/ACCS Anaes trainees. This will also be your opportunity to find out what the School plans for the 2020 Curriculum are and how we plan to accommodate you in top up posts or CT4 posts.
Please sign up via the Events page. Once you have signed up, you will be sent a link to access the Zoom meeting.
Posted March 20th 2020 (3 years ago)
Dear Colleague
As we prepare for the impact of COVID 19 a number of queries have come to us with regards to HEE’s approach to study leave. Please be advised that the position is as follows:
Impact of Coronavirus On Study Leave for Doctors in Training
Trainees should endeavour to obtain a refund for any pre-booked expenses. If they unable to do so we will honour the claim, but they should provide evidence when they submit their claim that the expense was non-refundable.
All requests for study leave time not taken during the outbreak will be properly considered by the employers and Postgraduate deans and will be subject to the need to maintain NHS services, and training requirements for completion of programmes.
We are asking all parties to be flexible both during and after this difficult time.
HEE will be developing a set of FAQs to help manage the queries that are arising.
If there are unresolved queries please contact us via Study Leave (SW); StudyLeave.SW@hee.nhs.uk for our Postgraduate Dean to review.
Posted March 19th 2020 (3 years ago)
All Primary, Final, PFSD Teaching Days have been postponed until further notice.
Posted March 17th 2020 (3 years ago)
The FICM Teaching Day has been cancelled and will take place at a later date. Apologies for any inconvenience.
Posted March 16th 2020 (3 years ago)
Unfortunately, the Primary Teaching Day due to take place on 20th March has been cancelled.
Posted February 18th 2020 (3 years ago)
Please note the Primary OSCE/SOE Practice day at NBT is now taking place on 7th May and not 8th May as previously stated.
Posted January 7th 2020 (3 years ago)
Unfortunately the Primary OSCE/SOE Practice day at NBT has been cancelled and will now take place on Tuesday 21st January in the Clinical Skills Laboratory, Learning & Research Building, Southmead Hospital.
Posted December 16th 2019 (3 years ago)
Time table for Regional Primary Teaching
Core / ACCS Trainees in Anaesthesia 2020
Date |
Venue |
Topic |
Jan 10th |
NBT |
Mock Primary OSCE/SOE exam practice day |
Jan 17th |
NBT |
Pharmacology of inhalational and intravenous anaesthetics |
Jan 20th-24th |
|
OSCE / Viva |
Feb 14th |
Gloucester |
Shock, vasoactive agents, antibiotic pharmacology, infection control |
Feb 27th/28th |
NBT |
Novice Anaesthesia Course (1) |
March 3rd |
|
Primary MCQs |
March 5th/6th |
NBT |
Novice Anaesthesia Course (2) |
March 20th
|
Cheltenham |
Respiratory physiology and pharmacology |
April 24th |
Swindon |
Muscle physiology and pharmacology of neuro-muscular blockers |
April 23rd |
NBT |
Novice Anaesthesia Course (1) |
April 24th |
NBT |
Novice Anaesthesia Course (2) |
May 8th |
NBT |
Mock Primary OSCE/SOE exam practice day |
May 18th – 22nd |
|
OSCE / Viva |
May 15th |
RUH |
Cardiovascular physiology and pharmacology |
June 5th |
Swindon |
Renal physiology and pharmacology |
July 3rd |
Gloucester |
Haemoglobin and Oxygen Transport, Carbon dioxide transport, gas exchange |
Sept 1st |
|
Primary MCQs |
Sept |
NBT |
Novice Anaesthesia Course (1) |
Sept |
NBT |
Novice Anaesthesia Course (2) |
Sept 18th |
RUH |
Hepatic physiology and pharmacology, gut and metabolism, endocrinology |
Oct 2nd |
UHB |
DART course |
Oct |
NBT |
Novice Anaesthesia Course (1) |
Oct |
NBT |
Novice Anaesthesia Course (2) |
Oct 9th |
Yeovil |
Mock Primary OSCE/SOE exam practice day |
Nov 2nd-6th |
|
OSCE / Viva |
Nov 17th |
|
Primary MCQs |
Nov 20th |
Cheltenham |
Physics (gases and vapours), electrical safety, clinical measurements and equipment |
Dec 11th |
NBT |
Pain / neuro physiology and pharmacology including analgesics and local anaesthetics |
Mock Primary OSCE/SOE exam practice days at NBT: Must be booked. Open to those about to sit the OSCE/ vivas only.
OSCE / Viva & Primary MCQs: exam dates.
Novice Anaesthesia Course: for new starters only.
Posted November 15th 2019 (3 years ago)
Posted November 13th 2019 (3 years ago)
Primary FRCA MCQ/SBA Course
Monday-Friday-27th-31st January 2020
This MCQ/SBA Course has been designed to help anaesthetists pass the written section of the Primary FRCA.
The course runs for 5 days and offers intensive MCQ/SBA preparation. Candidates will sit multiple question papers each day under exam conditions and through peer discussion, identify and improve the gaps in their knowledge.
The course is offered roughly one month before each sitting of the written section of the Primary FRCA, and is designed to complement the latter stages of a candidate’s preparation for the exam.
The course fee is £395
Application forms are available. Please go to the website http://gsttprimaryfrca.wordpress.com/
Please send completed application forms (with an enclosed cheque) to the course administrator at:
FRCA Course Administrator, Anaesthetic Department, St Thomas’ Hospital, Westminster Bridge Road, London SE1 7EH.
If you would like to pay via bank transfer, please send an email requesting information to verline.forrest@gstt.nhs.uk.
Many thanks
Verline
Posted October 8th 2019 (3 years ago)
Trainees may be aware that there is a large project to re-write the anaesthetic curriculum in line with new GMC standards that were published in May 2017.
The proposed new curriculum will include three years core training (four years for ACCS) then four years for higher specialty training. The total indicative duration of the anaesthetic training programme will remain at seven years. There will be three ‘stages’ of training representing three/two/two years (Stage 1 = CT1-CT3 / Stage 2 = ST4-ST5 / Stage 3 = ST6/ST7).
For further information and updates please see
Posted October 3rd 2019 (3 years ago)
Please follow the link for an animation providing a short & simple guide for trainees and trainers on how the ARCP process works.
https://specialtytraining.hee.nhs.uk/arcp
Posted September 10th 2019 (3 years ago)
f you are interested in a career in ACCS (including Emergency Medicine, Intensive Care, Acute Medicine and Anaesthetics) and/or training in Core Anaesthetics then you are warmly invited to attend this open evening on 13th November 2019 from 5.15 - 7 pm at HEE SW HQ, Park House, Bristol.
The evening is an excellent opportunity to learn about the core training routes available to you and help you prepare for submitting applications and attending interviews.
The evening is an informal affair with opportunity to ask lots of questions.
If you are considering applying for ACCS or Core Anaesthetics, now or in the future, we’d love to see you.
To book a place please do so via the Events tab.
Posted May 23rd 2019 (4 years ago)
New Regional Pain Training Dates released -
Tuesday 24th September 2019
Wednesday 16th October
Wednesday 13th November
Thursday 30th January 2020
Friday 21st February
Friday 27th March
Monday 11th May
Wednesday 8th July
Further details will appear on this website in due course.
Posted May 9th 2019 (4 years ago)
Unfortunately, the Primary FRCA Teaching Day on 17th May at Royal United Hospital, Bath has had to be cancelled and will now take place on Thrusday 13th June 2019.
Apologies for any inconvenience caused.
Posted February 26th 2019 (4 years ago)
The date of the Cheltenham Primary Teaching Day has changed from 12th April to 26th April due to the Easter break.
Posted September 24th 2018 (4 years ago)
If you are interested in a career in ACCS (including Emergency Medicine, Intensive Care, Acute Medicine and Anaesthetics) and/or training in Core Anaesthetics then you are warmly invited to attend this open evening on Thursday 15th November 2019 at 5.15 pm in the L&R Building, Southmead Hospital, Bristol.
The evening is an excellent opportunity to learn about the training routes available to you and help you prepare for submitting applications and attending interviews.
The evening is an informal affair with opportunity to ask lots of questions.
If you are considering applying for ACCS or Core Anaesthetics, now or in the future, we’d love to see you. Please book a place via the Events tab.
Posted May 23rd 2018 (5 years ago)
The next School social event is a summer pool party and BBQ!!
Date 30th June 2018
Venue tba
More details to follow.
Posted January 12th 2018 (5 years ago)
The Severn School of Anaesthesia are holding an open evening for 2018 recruitment to ST3 level posts.
This event will take place on Tuesday 6th February 2018 at Severn PGME HQ, Deanery House, Vantage Office Park, Hambrook, Bristol.
If you are interested in applying to Severn for the August 2018 cohort, or for some time in the future, you are welcome to attend.
Please arrive from 5.00pm for a prompt start at 5.30pm.
If you would like to attend this event, please register via the events tab.
Posted November 23rd 2017 (5 years ago)
The Head of School of Anaesthesia post has now been advertised on NHS jobs, with a closing date of 6th December 2017.
Posted October 4th 2017 (5 years ago)
National recruitment into subspecialty training posts in Pre-hospital Emergency Medicine (PHEM) for posts commencing August 2018 or February 2019 opens to applications on 13 October 2017.
These posts are in approved training programmes around the UK. Further information on what you can expect during training, the national person specification and approved training programmes is available at www.ibtphem.org.uk
Closing date: 27 October 2017. Applicants must have permission from their local Training Programme for the duration of their sub-specialty training.
Posted January 18th 2017 (6 years ago)
For those who are planning on sitting the Final SAQ/SBA/MCQ in March this year Sarah Heikal and David Radley are going to run the Bristol Q course. This is a course of around 8 sessions which allow you to practice answering questions for the short answer paper, and has received good feedback from trainees in the past.
8 sessions -
Thursday 19th January (6 pm) - Intro & 4 questions
Monday 23rd January (6 pm) - 4 questions
Monday 30th January (6 pm) - 6 questions
Monday 6th February (6 pm) - 6 questions
Thursday 9th February (6 pm) - 8 questions
Thursday 16th February (6 pm) - 10 questions
Wednesday 22nd February (6 pm) - Consultant session (Dr Phoebe Syme)
Wednesday 1st March (5.30 pm) - mock exam (12 questions)
Posted August 10th 2016 (6 years ago)
Change of date – the Primary Teaching Day at Yeovil District Hospital is now taking place on 7th October and NOT 23rd September.
Cancelled – the Primary Teaching Day at Weston General Hospital on 14th October.
Posted March 23rd 2016 (7 years ago)
New Global Health training opportunities for current ST2s
For an idea of what this will entail please visit the HEE SW Global Health Fellowship Opportunities as OOPE on the Primary Care webpages
Posted March 10th 2016 (7 years ago)
http://www.rcoa.ac.uk/node/1618
Posted November 26th 2015 (7 years ago)
This teaching has been cancelled, but will be rearranged for a date in January. Further details to follow.
Posted October 19th 2015 (7 years ago)
Posted September 22nd 2015 (7 years ago)
If you are interested in a career in Anaesthesia (Core) or Anaesthesia ACCS (including Intensive Care, Acute Medicine and Emergency Medicine), then you are invited to attend this open evening.
Date: 11th November 2015
Arrival Time: 17:30
Meeting Start: 18:00
End: 20:00
If you wish to attend please register via the Events section of this website
Posted August 26th 2015 (7 years ago)
Dear Colleagues,
The following FAQ may be of some use in answering many of your questions related to the Severn Postgraduate School of ACCS.
Your placement on ePortfolio. If you need your placement updated on eportfolio, please email us at Severn.SchoolSupport@southwest.hee.nhs.uk.
What are the dates/locations for upcoming School of ACCS events, courses and ARCPs? You will find most of these in the Events Section of the School of ACCS website using the following link http://accs.severndeanery.nhs.uk/events.
I'm looking for information/forms regarding Revalidation. Please see the following link http://www.severndeanery.nhs.uk/about/revalidation/ (along with the related tabs on the left-hand side of the page)
I'm looking for information/forms regarding Quality Panels. Please see the following link http://www.severndeanery.nhs.uk/about/quality-management/quality-panels/
Who do I contact at my Trust regarding Study Leave/Expense Claims? Please see the following link http://accs.severndeanery.nhs.uk/about-us/study-leave-contacts-march-2015/
How do I get to Deanery House for my upcoming assessment/meeting? Please see the following link http://www.severndeanery.nhs.uk/contacts/, specifically the address, map and "Find us by" tabs on the left-hand side of the page.
I still can't find what I'm looking for. Who do I email/contact? Please email Severn.SchoolSupport@southwest.hee.nhs.uk. Please note this account will be monitored on a daily basis and we will reply as soon as possible. Thank you for your patience.
Would it be better to call than email? No. It would be better to email Severn.SchoolSupport@southwest.hee.nhs.uk. Again this account will be monitored daily and we thank you for your patience.
Posted July 27th 2015 (8 years ago)
The School is holding an ST3 Recruitment Open Evening on Tuesday 1st September for posts being advertised on 11th August, please see Events section for further details.
Posted June 1st 2015 (8 years ago)
Unfortunately, the Primary teaching day due to be held at Swindon on 5th June has had to be cancelled and will be rearranged for a later date.
Posted April 10th 2015 (8 years ago)
Severn PGME is very pleased to congratulate ACCS CT2 trainee, Dr Jason Sarfo-Annin, on his winning entry and published article in the Royal College of Physicians’ Teale essay prize for trainees 2014 – see the weblink below. Congratulations from everyone here Jason!
This essay was the winning entry in the Royal College of Physicians’ Teale essay prize for trainees 2014.Posted February 18th 2015 (8 years ago)
Dear Severn Trainee
As you will be aware we have been operating a mixed model of study leave within Severn Deanery for 2014/5 with some trusts (UHB and NBT) being responsible for study leave and Severn PGME managing it behalf of other Trusts.
We have reviewed the management of study leave with Trusts going forward for the financial year 2015/6. It has been agreed that from 1st April 2015 the management of study leave will become the responsibility of Trusts as a key part of their management of the MADEL tariff. From April 1st 2015 you should therefore apply directly to the Trust where you are working for study leave.
There has been a substantial amount of work undertaken in Severn PGME to develop strong and innovative regional teaching programmes, and there is a desire by all parties to continue this. We will be finalising the details of this over the next month.
The exception to this will be then Partnership Trusts, who have indicated that they wish to continue the current arrangements, whereby Severn PGME will manage the study leave on their behalf. All trainees in psychiatry should therefore continue to follow the current arrangements.
We are formally reviewing the arrangements for foundation and general practice in the next two weeks, but anticipate that these will remain broadly as now at the current time.
Please contact the Medical Education Managers in your trust to get details of how to apply for study leave from April 1st 2015.
Yours sincerely
Professor Selena Gray MBChB, MD, FFPH, FRCP
Deputy Postgraduate Dean
Posted July 21st 2014 (9 years ago)
Dear Sir/Madam,
We are looking to appoint two medical trainee members to our Curriculum and Assessment Group (CAG) within our Education & Standards Directorate at the GMC. The vacancies have arisen as a result of two current trainees gaining their Certificates of Completion of Training and moving to become medical members of the CAG.
The purpose of the CAG is to scrutinise changes to specialty and subspecialty curricula and assessment systems evaluating them against the GMC’s curriculum standards.
We are looking for trainee members who have experience in one or all of the following areas; medical education, curriculum development, assessment expertise and psychometrics.
More information can be found on the Education news section of the GMC website. It includes more information on the role of the CAG, the trainee member specification and the application process.
To apply for the role, please click here. We welcome applications from doctors in training. Please feel free to forward this email to anyone suitable.
If you have any questions on any aspect of this email please do not hesitate to contact us.
Kind regards,
Neil Grant, Associate Services Advisor, General Medical Council, Regents Place, 350 Euston Road, London, NW1 3JN Tel: 020 7189 5336
Posted July 21st 2014 (9 years ago)
Severn Postgraduate Medical Education has created a new film concerning sustainable working practices across the region.
We encourage everyone involved with postgraduate medical education to take a look because it contains ideas and information about how we as an organisation can reduce our carbon footprint to meet national targets.
We hope that you enjoy it…
Posted June 26th 2014 (9 years ago)
The Academy Trainee Doctors' Group has produced 'A Charter for Postgraduate Medical Training' on behalf of the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges. This Charter describes a set of guiding principles to ensure the highest standard of doctors’ training and quality of care. It also makes specific recommendations for commitments based on these principles which emphasise training priorities while recognising the responsibilities of doctors in training.
The Charter was written in consultation with stakeholders including the medical royal colleges and faculties, the General Medical Council and the Shape of Training Expert Advisory Group. Professor David Greenaway’s report ‘Securing the future of excellent patient care: Final report of the independent review’ highlighted the Charter and its potential to help with the challenges of delivering both training and service. The Charter was published in full as an annex to this report.
We are currently sending the Charter to all groups involved in medical training and to doctors in training via Trainee representatives. You may well be contacted in this regard and we are expecting doctors in training to have further ideas on how to disseminate the charter (for example, by including it in induction or welcome packs).
We believe the Charter has the potential to provide an excellent foundation for delivering training and high quality care and I hope you will share our enthusiasm for this work.
Posted April 11th 2014 (9 years ago)
FAO all trainees in HESW Severn
With effect from the 1st April 2014 trainees based in either University Hospitals Bristol Trust or North Bristol NHS Trust will apply for study leave through the Intrepid online system as usual but approval will now be undertaken via the medical education department in your post graduate centre. You will also claim expenses for approved study leave through the medical education department and they will be in touch with regards to the process for claiming your expenses in due course.
All other trainees will continue to access study leave funding via Health Education SW as in previous years. ALL trainees (including those at NBT and UHBT) should continue to log your application for study leave via the online Intrepid system.
Your head of school will be in contact shortly regarding your budget allocation for 2014/15.
Posted April 2nd 2014 (9 years ago)
The 2014 GMC Trainee survey is now live until the 8th May.
It can be accessed through the GMC website.
Please log in and complete the survey.
Thank you!
Posted March 27th 2014 (9 years ago)
Update from the JRCPTB: From the 1st of April 2014 all trainees satisfactorily completing the training programme in Core Medical Training or ACCS Acute Medicine (3 year programme) should receive an outcome 6 at ARCP, rather than an outcome 1 as in previous years.
Posted February 11th 2014 (9 years ago)
Dear post-FRCA Registrars,
I am organising a PFSD in conjunction with the Royal Air Force to be held at RAF Brize Norton on Friday 11th April 2014. This replaces the PFSD date in March for Frenchay. Subsequent PFSD dates are likely to also move as a result of the date change. I realise that for LTFT trainees the Friday might be a problem but unfortunately I can't change the date. Hopefully by providing the date a few months in advance this may help.
The topics will include clinical advances and lessons learnt during 10 years in Helmand, the Aeromedical Transfer pathway, MERT (Medical Emergency Response Team) CCAST (Critical Care Air Support Team) plus other subjects. It should be an interesting day and something different for us to attend. Further information will become available nearer the date.
Best wishes,
Dr Edward Scarth, Post-CCT Clinical Fellow in Anaesthesia & Intensive Care Medicine, Frenchay Hospital
BMedSci BMBS MRCP(UK) MRCP(Lond) FRCA EDIC FFICM
Posted January 2nd 2014 (9 years ago)
There is an ST3 Recruitment Open Evening for Anaesthesia and ICM posts on Tuesday 25th February 2014 at 5 pm in UHBristol Education Centre (opposite Bristol Royal Infirmary). To book a place please follow the link on the events page of the School of Anaesthesia website.
Posted December 23rd 2013 (9 years ago)
Applications are now open for the National Medical Director’s Clinical Fellow Scheme, sponsored by Sir Bruce Keogh and managed by the Faculty of Medical Leadership and Management.
The scheme offers doctors in training an outstanding and unique opportunity to develop leadership and management skills in a range of national healthcare organisations which have previously included NHS England, Health Education England, GMC, NICE, Public Health England, Royal Colleges, St Andrews Healthcare, the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges, the Association of British Healthcare Industries, BMJ and BUPA. Host organisations for 2014-15 have yet to be finalised. This work is complemented by the peer support offered by being in a cohort of trainees.
Clinical Fellows have the chance to work alongside influential leaders and meet key players in healthcare from the NHS and beyond. The scheme has complemented clinical practice with careers in medical management, clinical leadership, public health and policy. The posts are paid a clinical salary with banding as some work activities may occur outside normal working hours.
This year there will continue to be placements across England, including a number of opportunities in the North of England. For more information please visit: www.fmlm.ac.uk/clinical-fellow-scheme
Applications close on 14 February 2014 and will be followed by a shortlisting process. Interviews are expected to take place in London on 10 and 11 March 2014.
Posted November 22nd 2013 (9 years ago)
Health Education England (HEE) and the devolved nations are piloting a Specialty Selection Test (SST) as part of a wider programme (MDRS) to improve medical and dental recruitment and selection across the UK. We’re working with the Work Psychology Group, academics in the University College of London Medical
School and specialty leads to pilot the SST.
The pilot will take place across a number of different medical specialties in the UK and includes a Clinical Problem Solving Test (CPS) and a Situational Judgement Test (SJT).
Participating is simple and will only require a few hours of your time.
The purpose of this pilot is to evaluate whether these tests enhance the current methods of selection used for ST1/CT1 level recruitment. We will also continue to follow applicant progression for a number of years, to ensure a long-term robust evaluation.
Ultimately, we are assessing whether the SST is a good predictor of a doctor’s performance throughout their training and aiming to ensure the selection process is reliable, valid, fair and cost-effective.
By participating in the SST pilot you will receive feedback on how well you performed in the national cohort and you will also be eligible to win one of five prizes. First prize is a 32GB iPad, second prize is a 32GB kindle fire HD, third prize is a kindle plus paperwhite, fourth prize is a kindle paperwhite and fifth prize is a kindle.
This pilot aims to improve the way doctors are selected in the future and this is your chance to give your views on this selection process and make your voice heard! Tell us your views on this method of selection and how valuable you found the test. Our main aim is to further improve the selection process by ensuring that it is fair, valid, just
and reliable.
If you are eligible, you’ll receive an email invitation in December 2013 to take part in the Specialty Selection Test. The test will be delivered online between 13-25 January 2014 through Pearson VUE test centres. You will be asked to choose a time-slot and a venue from one of many Pearson VUE test centres across the UK and will need to book your
slot no later than 21 December 2013. The test centres are located within close proximity to hospitals across the UK and are available on Saturdays and after hours.
The test itself will consist of a two hour and fifteen minute online test. It will be completely computer based and the questions will be developed by leading specialists according to specialty person specifications and foundation programme curriculum. If you are already doing the GP test or if you have applied to Broad Based Training, you will not be asked to do the additional test. If you are
applying to a number of different specialities you will only be required to sit the test once.
The pilot of the SST is designed to be broad-based due to the nature of the overlap of person specifications required by all specialties. A good example of this is the fact that all specialties require trained doctors not just to be clinically competent, but also empathic and sensitive with patients and colleagues, to behave with professional integrity, and to have the ability to prioritise and cope well under pressure and work effectively in a team. All doctors who have undertaken Foundation will be familiar with the Foundation Curriculum by which these skills, values and behaviours are embedded.
The SST does not seek to replace individual specialty specifications. Each speciality will still have its own speciality specific elements within the selection process.
More information, including an applicant guide, is available on the Specialty Training website: www.specialtytraining.nhs.uk or you can email us at hee.mdrs@nhs.net if you have any questions about the SST pilot.
Apply to ST1/CT1 Training (12 November-5 December 2013)
Receive an email invitation to sit the test (11 December 2013)
Book your slot and preferred Pearson VUE test centre (11-21 December 2013)
Participate in the SST pilot (13-25 January 2014)
Posted October 30th 2013 (9 years ago)
We are very pleased and proud to announce that the Severn Postgraduate Medical Education Developing Innovative Practice document is now launched.
It has been created to showcase the excellent work across Severn and its postgraduate schools. We invite you to have a look at the ground-breaking and innovative work which we do.
Severn Postgraduate Medical Education has developed seven Core Values, which guide everything that we do and provides the framework for this document.
Please feel free to contact any of the staff responsible for this work, as we are always keen to network and share best practice.
Copies of the document may be obtained from Severn Postgraduate Medical Education or for convenience a pdf version is available to download.
Posted September 9th 2013 (9 years ago)
The Postgraduate Dean of Severn Postgraduate Medical Education, Professor Davinder Sandhu, has been awarded the Bruce Medal in recognition of the contribution he has made to the advancement of surgical education.
The Bruce Medal was established by The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh in 1966 in memory of a former President, the late Sir John Bruce. It is awarded from time to time to a Fellow of the College to recognise a major contribution to surgical knowledge or teaching.
Professor Davinder Sandhu (left) receives the Bruce Medal
Professor Sandhu received the award at a ceremony at the Edinburgh College on Friday 06 September 2013.
Commenting on receiving the honour, he said:
"I feel hugely honoured and humbled by this award. The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh is a leading College with a particular focus on surgical education and training, and to receive the Bruce Medal is the pinnacle of my career and I am absolutely delighted to receive it."
Professor Robert Woodwards from the College’s Oral and Maxillofacial Surgical Specialty Group said:
"Professor Sandhu has been Lead Dean for Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery for the last four years, as well as Lead Dean for the interface specialties. In these roles, he has been greatly involved in development of a new curriculum for the specialty, which has now had GMC approval, and has also guided the development and implementation of central recruitment to the specialty."
"He has also provided great support in the development of the interface specialties (cleft lip and palate; head and neck cancer care; cosmetic and reconstructive surgery and trauma) and has fought for funding and grants in these Fellowships to allow expanded training opportunities."
"He continues to contribute to postgraduate education nationally and internationally; has published over 40 original papers and is editor and reviewer of several journals."
"For many years Professor Sandhu has worked tirelessly to improve standards in medical education, and through that, patient care. I commend him as a worthy recipient of this honour.”
Notes to editors:
Posted July 8th 2013 (10 years ago)
To mark the National Health Service’s 65th birthday, Health Education England has created an infographic highlighting some key milestones in training, education and workforce development over the past 65 years.
For more details and to download it, please visit the Health Education England website
Posted May 20th 2013 (10 years ago)
Sent on behalf of Agents for Change. This is an initiative to encourage trainees to improve the National Health Service. It is a collaboration between NHS England and BMJ, but many others contribute to its success.
Join us at BMA House on Friday 28 June for Agents for Change 2013 - the only national conference for junior doctors on improving patient safety and the quality of healthcare.
This year's theme is Speak, Act, Lead. We have exciting workshops, inspiring speeches, an online programme and a way to publish your own project - for you to become an Agent for Change. It is aimed at junior doctors to help them do quality improvement in their own workplaces. Robert Francis, Sir Bruce Keogh and Fiona Godlee will be among the speakers.
Posted May 13th 2013 (10 years ago)
National Medical Director’s Clinical Fellow Scheme – open to doctors in training
Applications are now open for the National Medical Director’s Clinical Fellow Scheme. The scheme is an exciting and unique opportunity for doctors in training to gain skills in leadership, management and health policy. Participants spend a year full time, learning by doing, in an extensive range of host organisations, including NICE, NHS Commissioning Board, GMC, BUPA and Medical Royal Colleges. Based on the current fellows’ experiences, the broad portfolio of potential work ranges from organising ministerial seminars to coordinating the national viral outbreak response strategy. This work is complemented by extensive training opportunities and the peer support offered by being part of a cohort with other junior doctors. Clinical Fellows have the chance to work alongside influential leaders and meet key players in healthcare from the NHS and beyond. The scheme has acted as a launch-pad for further careers in medical management, clinical leadership, public health and policy. Secondment ensures that existing terms and conditions are maintained and the posts are paid a clinical salary with banding. This year there will be placements across England, including a number of opportunities in the north of the country. For more information please visit:
www.fmlm.ac.uk/clinical-fellow-scheme
Applications close on 24 May 2013 and will be followed by a shortlisting process, with interviews on 4 June 2013.
Posted April 17th 2013 (10 years ago)
With the reorganisation of the NHS that happened at the start of April 2013, Medical Training has become the responsibility of Health Education England (HEE). Regionally, HEE is represented by Local Education and Training Boards (LETBs).
We have one LETB in the South West, Health Education South West (HESW) and the Severn and South West Peninsula Deaneries are part of this new structure.
At the moment the GMC would like Health Education South West to be the designated body for Revalidation for trainees, taking over this function for both Deaneries.
Each Postgraduate Dean, Professor Davinder Sandhu and Professor Martin Beaman, will alternate in the role of Responsible Officer, and Martin Beaman will be in this role first.
Despite this apparent change in the organisation of the Revalidation Process, Severn Trainees will continue to be managed byt the Severn Deanery and the Severn Revalidation Team, and likewise in the Peninsula.
Queries may be received by either Deanery but will be diverted if appropriate.
Posted March 20th 2013 (10 years ago)
The annual national training survey launches on the 26 March 2013. As a doctor in training, this is your chance to have your say on the training you receive.
The survey results help deaneries, local education and training boards and local education providers to recognise the aspects of the training they deliver that are working well, and to take action where the results indicate a need for improvement.
Dr Muj Husain is an ST5 in psychiatry and currently a clinical fellow at the GMC:
"The national training survey is a really useful tool for identifying problems and finding out where things are going well. As a doctor in training I’ve used the survey results to draw attention to areas for improvement and to help target our work locally on improving training. The results are also an extremely valuable component of the GMC’s work to monitor the quality of postgraduate and foundation training in the UK. "
The survey is easy to complete – it should take you no more than 20 minutes. Log in to your GMC Online account after 26 March and your survey will be waiting for you. Please respond to the survey by 8 May 2013 to make sure your views count.
The survey provides us with a unique chance to understand, reflect and improve the way we train. It is important that we hear the views of all trainees so that we have as accurate a picture of the training we provide as possible.
Visit gmc-uk to find out more.
Posted February 28th 2013 (10 years ago)
Medical training has undergone huge changes over the past decade. We have seen the implementation of the European Working Time Directive, the advent of Modernising Medical Careers and the creation of the Foundation Programme. The profound effects of these reforms have been considered and analysed by a number of key enquires. Professor Sir John Temple led a review of the impact of new working time legislation on training and produced the Time for Training report. This made 33 recommendations of how training could be improved within the boundaries of a 48 hour working week. Health Education England have distilled these recommendations in to common themes and identified three that are relevant to the role that trainees play in their own training:
The challenge is for us as trainees to seize this opportunity to come up with solutions that allow us to make training work better for us. We are ideally positioned to see where things could be improved, but can lack the senior support, financial backing or voice to be able to affect these changes. Health Education England has put forward £100,000 to change this. It is working with the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges to identify a number of trainee-led projects in England that meet the challenge set out in Professor Temple’s recommendations.
There are no limits about what the project could be like, as long as you can show how it would positively change training by addressing the recommendations. Ideas could look at trainee representation, mentoring, portfolios, career planning, mobile apps, educational websites, e-learning…whatever you feel would improve the experience of being a trainee. Projects must have the potential to have a national impact and need to be sustainable, even when the original trainees move on.
As well as the money, HEE and the Academy will also help you to identify the appropriate support for your project, be that from Deaneries or the Colleges, IT know-how or media assistance.
For more info and for an application form, please contact the Better Training, Better Care team or 020 8433 6862. Alternatively please visit:
www.hee.nhs.uk/work-programmes/btbc/role-of-trainee
Applications close 12 noon Tuesday 2 April 2013.
Good luck
Dr. Howard Ryland
Clinical Fellow
Posted February 26th 2013 (10 years ago)
Dear Colleagues,
For the last four years, the Severn Deanery has topped the national league in having the highest response rate for the GMC trainee survey, which is a tremendous record and one that we can be very proud of. The results of this survey form a vital part of the quality management processes in the Deanery - visits, reporting, quality panels, the risk register and work to improve posts within Trusts and Schools. This also forms feedback for the Trusts and the individual programmes. We need the highest response rate we can get again this year to have reliable and valid results. This will also allow us in particular to analyse results from smaller specialties.
This year the survey is open for six weeks from 26th March 2013 until 8th May 2013. I am therefore asking for your concerted help to attempt to achieve the highest response rates possible within the live period again this year for all Trusts, Schools (including Primary Care) and the Deanery. Could you please give your support to the Quality team at the Deanery who are coordinating this on all our behalf.
If there are any queries, please do not hesitate to contact Allegra Etheridge.
With many thanks,
Best wishes,
Professor Davinder P S Sandhu
Posted February 21st 2013 (10 years ago)
Applications are now open for the National Medical Director’s Clinical Fellow Scheme. The scheme is an exciting and unique opportunity for doctors in training to gain skills in leadership, management and health policy.
Participants spend a year full time, learning by doing, in an extensive range of host organisations, including NICE, NHS Commissioning Board, GMC, BUPA and Medical Royal Colleges. Based on the current fellows’ experiences, the broad portfolio of potential work ranges from organising ministerial seminars to coordinating the national viral outbreak response strategy. This work is complemented by extensive training opportunities and the peer support offered by being part of a cohort with other junior doctors.
Clinical Fellows have the chance to work alongside influential leaders and meet key players in healthcare from the NHS and beyond. The scheme has acted as a launch-pad for further careers in medical management, clinical leadership, public health and policy. Secondment ensures that existing terms and conditions are maintained and the posts are paid a clinical salary with banding.
This year there will be placements across England, including a number of opportunities in the north of the country. For more information please visit: http://www.fmlm.ac.uk/clinical-fellow-scheme
Applications close on 11th March 2013 and will be followed by a shortlisting process, with interviews on 15th and 16th April.
Posted January 2nd 2013 (10 years ago)
As you may be aware the Postgraduate Board has approved the introduction of a limit on timeframes within which a doctor is able to apply for a CCT / CP. The limit will be 12 months from the doctors expected end of training date, and will be effective from 31 March 2013.
http://www.gmc-uk.org/SGPC___CCT_flyer___DC3249.pdf_50700429.pdf
From 31 March 2013 all doctors will have a maximum of 12 months to apply for their Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT) or specialist and GP registration through the Combined Programme (CP) route.
What does that mean for me?
If you’re eligible to apply before 31 March 2013, you have until 31 March 2014 to apply.
If you’re eligible to apply after 31 March 2013, you have 12 months from your expected end of training date to apply.
What happens if I don’t apply in time?
You will only be eligible to apply for entry to the specialist or GP register through the equivalence routes of CESR or CEGPR.n You’ll no longer be eligible for a CCT or specialist and GP registration through CP.
Need more help?
You can find more information on our website at www.gmc-uk.org/cctchanges/.
Posted December 7th 2012 (10 years ago)
Senior Faculty members of the Deanery are expected to manage and deal with trainees who are referred on from Educational Supervisors because either the issues involved are potentially quite serious or the supervisors feel unable to handle the trainee themselves. The Deanery recognises that DMEs, Heads of School and Training Programme Directors have a special and sometimes difficult role in seeing trainees who need specific support or deft handling due to the complex or challenging nature of their situation or state. Although the Educational Supervisor half day workshop ‘How To Support Trainees’ considers this it does not explore issues in great depth nor does it enhance or develop skills due to time constraints. This day will explore in detail how to start the conversation and interaction when trainees have sensitive or difficult issues, consider how to explore such situations with trainees whilst being clear about standards and expectations and explore ways of moving on such situations towards successful resolutions. The day is being designed by Edgecumbe Consulting Group and will be delivered by Jenny King, Megan Joffe and Alan Cook, along with actors from Interact. It will include focused inputs, case discussions and practical skills development.
To enhance abilities in dealing with trainees who need support and are referred on from Educational Supervisors and others
The workshop will be a full day from 09.30-17.00, further details will be available closer to the event. The dates we are running the workshop are:
Both workshops will take place at Engineers House, Clifton, Bristol. BS8 3NB
If you are available and would like to attend please do let me know.
Best Wishes
Anne Elliott | Medical Education Development Manager | Severn Deanery | Vantage Office Park | Old Gloucester Road, Hambrook | Bristol, BS16 1GW |
Tel: 01454 252624
Posted December 5th 2012 (10 years ago)
The Shape of Training review – call for ideas and evidence now open
We have now launched the Shape of Training call for ideas and evidence, which is just one of several activities which we will be using to gather evidence. These also include UK seminars, oral evidence sessions, surveys, discussion groups and more.
The Shape of Training review 2012-2013
This review has been set up to understand and plan for the future of postgraduate medical education and training. It is an independent review, jointly sponsored by:
Direction and themes
Professor David Greenaway, Vice-Chancellor of Nottingham University, was appointed in March this year to lead the review. In the first instance he brought together an Expert Advisory Group (EAG), to help determine the content and direction for this work. This group comprises medical training, patient and employers experts as well as expertise from outside the health sector. With their help, Professor Greenaway has identified the following key themes for discussion:
Evidence for the review will be gathered from a mix of stakeholders. Their views will be gathered via a combination of written and oral submissions, research evidence, site visits, surveys, discussion groups and events.
Next steps
A call for ideas and evidence is now live and will continue until 8 February 2013. We have planned five seminars for those involved with medical education, which will take place in all four countries, between now and January. Site visits in locations across the UK have already begun with the first of these in Northern Ireland in October.
Find out more about the review at the independent Shape of Training website at: http://www.shapeoftraining.co.uk/
Please cascade this to your members and partners for their websites
I hope you find this useful and that as sponsors we can together raise the profile and drive interest in this important work. Please contact us directly at shapeoftraining@gmc-uk.org with any questions or comments about this.
Posted December 4th 2012 (10 years ago)
To provide clear guidance to Postgraduate Deaneries, Medical Royal Colleges/Faculties and trainees on the management of absences from training and their affect on a trainee’s Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT) date
( Where CCT is referenced this also refers to Certificate of Eligibility for Specialist/GP Registration via the combined programme route CESR/CEGPR (CP) )To supersede all references to time out of training (also known as exceptional leave) that are in existing curricula.
All Postgraduate trainees in GMC approved training, including fixed term posts such as locum appointments for training or Fixed Term Training Appointments are covered by this position statement. It is not dependent on the trainee working towards a CCT. This position statement does not cover Foundation trainees who are covered by a separate statement for provisionally registered doctors and also the UK Foundation Programme Reference Guide 2012.
Prior to the Postgraduate Medical and Education Training Board (PMETB) being set up in 2005, curricula were time based with each specialty defining the length of time that a trainee needed to spend in the specialty before they were eligible to be awarded a Certificate of Completion of Specialist Training (CCST - the certificate prior to the introduction of the CCT). Individual Colleges had different rules for the amount of time that a trainee could spend out of training without it affecting their CCT date.
PMETB introduced a move to competency based curricula underpinned by indicative timeframes. All curricula became competency based by 2010.
In parallel to the curriculum changes trainees’ hours of work have reduced with the implementation of working time regulations.
Individual College rules around time out of training were in many cases not altered to reflect the move to competency based training and the changes to working hours.
Sections 34J and 34K of the Medical Act outline the minimum training times for general practice and specialist training respectively and section 34L outlines that in order for the GMC to be able to award a CCT it must be satisfied that the individual has satisfactorily completed the approved course of training. This allows the GMC to determine the arrangements for certification.
Absence from training, other than for study or annual leave, may have an impact on a doctor’s ability to demonstrate competence and the satisfactory completion of the curriculum and assessment system to enable them to be awardeda CCT.
Absence is being treated differently across specialties and deaneries and there is a need to ensure fairness whilst recognising the different indicative lengths of each curriculum.
Historical allowances have not been updated to reflect the move to competency based curricula or shorter working hours.
All stakeholder groups have been consulted, Deaneries, the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges, Colleges/Faculties and junior doctors groups.
The General Medical Council has determined that within each 12 month period where a trainee has been absent for a total of 14 days or more (when a trainee would normally be at work), this will trigger a review of whether the trainee needs to have their CCT date extended.
The administration of the absence and any extension to training will be undertaken by the relevant deanery in consultation with the relevant College/Faculty where necessary. The GMC support deaneries implementing this guidance flexibly to reflect the nature of the absence, the timing and the affect of the absence on the individuals’ competence. Examples of this flexibility are outlined in the FAQs. The GMC also support the use of targeted training to assist trainees in demonstrating the curriculum competencies without the need for an extension to training.
The absence includes all forms of absence such as sickness, maternity, compassionate paid/unpaid leave etc other than study or annual leave or prospectively approved Out of Programme Training/ research.
This statement is concerned with the effect of absence on a doctor’s ability to satisfactorily demonstrate the competency requirements of the relevant curriculum. It is not concerned with the doctor’s position as an employee and does not affect the doctor’s right to annual, sick, maternity, compassionate or other leave.
It is noted that this policy may have a disproportionate affect on those who have a single maternity absence within their training as previously they would have been given (for some curricula) one block of three months exceptional leave. The GMC have noted however, in all circumstances a trainee is required to demonstrate the necessary competencies of the curriculum and this would have been the case whether the three month exceptional leave had been granted or not.
The flexible approach outlined in paragraph 14 will enable each trainee’s circumstances to be considered on an individual basis and that any changes to CCT date will reflect the trainee’s demonstration of competence.
Implementation date 1 April 2013
Not withstanding this implementation date, trainees are required to demonstrate the curriculum competency requirements.
A: Yes, for any changes submitted to the GMC from 1 April 2013.
A: Yes, it is important that it is clear to trainees that extended absences are likely to lead to an amendment of their CCT date.
A: Where a trainee has already been granted absence under the previous guidance this will not be retrospectively removed. However each trainee is required to demonstrate the curriculum competencies and this may therefore require targeted training or an extension to training in order to enable the trainee to demonstrate the curriculum competencies.
A: The deanery will review each case of absence of 14 days or more in a single year and look at various factors:-
The deanery will then consider whether the trainee has been able to demonstrate the curriculum competencies for the ARCP level, whether any deficiencies could be addressed through a period of targeted training or whether training needs to be extended. The deanery may wish to postpone this decision dependent on the following year’s performance, that is, to give the trainee the opportunity to achieve the competency through targeted training.
A: The GMC will monitor extensions to training via the review of ARCP data.
A: it is each individuals trainees responsibility under good medical practice to be honest and open and act with integrity and as such, to ensure that the deanery are aware of their absences through the deanery reporting requirements.
A: Yes, this position statement is for absences that fall out with study or annual leave and any prospectively approved Out of Programme Training or Research. The existing OOPE process as defined in the Gold Guide is not affected by this statement
A: A doctor’s pattern of work will vary, with absences being blocks or weekends.Where a trainee is absent during their scheduled time away from work (work includes study leave) then this does not get counted within the period of absence.
For less than full time workers where they are absent during their scheduled non working time this does not count towards the period of absence.
Scheduled time away from work for full time or less than full time trainees cannot be amended to avoid counting absent time.
Posted December 4th 2012 (10 years ago)
This document sets out the General Medical Council’s (GMC) requirements for trainees who are working towards a Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT) to transfer to the most recent GMC approved curriculum.
( Where CCT is referred to this also includes Certificate of Eligibility for Specialist or GP Registration through the combined programme route CESR(CP)/CEGPR(CP) )Following calls for a review of the position, the GMC concluded that the current arrangements (under which trainees in some specialties remain on the same version of the curriculum throughout their training even where it has been superseded) are unsatisfactory; in the interests of patient safety and educational quality, trainees in all specialties should transfer to the most recent curriculum and assessment system.
In effect this will mean that at any one time there will only be a maximum of two approved curriculum per specialty, the “old” one in which only those trainees in their final year of training will remain and the “current” curriculum. This will mean that trainees will be trained and assessed against the most recent standards for the specialty.
The revised requirements are relevant to those involved in the organisation, delivery and receipt of postgraduate medical education and training in the UK and those trainees who are in GMC approved postgraduate training programmes leading towards a CCT whose CCT date falls within the implementation plan.
Prior to the formation of the Postgraduate Medical and Education Training Board (PMETB) in September 2005 there was no single set of standards against which curricula were developed. PMETB introduced a set of standards and an approval process and approved curricula for all the specialties in 2007. At that time therefore there were two groups of trainees, those on pre 2007 curricula and those on the 2007 curricula. Many of the curricula were in the early stages of development and it was acknowledged that the assessment systems, in particular,required development in order to fulfil the published standards. PMETB undertook a review of all curricula in 2010 and approved amendments.
The GMC adopted the standards for curriculum and assessment systems defined by PMETB and continues to consider changes submitted by Colleges and Faculties against these standards. This has meant that for virtually all of the 65 approved specialties (the exceptions being those specialties which have only recently been established) there are currently three or four approved curricula and assessments systems that trainees are following
The Medical Act stipulates the standards which the GMC are required to set and maintain in relation to specialty training and the award of a CCT. To illustrate, the following provisions are relevant:
Section 34H says…
(1) The General Council shall-
(a) establish standards of, and requirements relating to, postgraduate medical education and training, including those necessary for the award of a CCT in general practice and in each recognised specialty;
(b) secure the maintenance of the standards and requirements established under paragraph (a);
And
(2)(b) to ensure that the needs of employers and those engaging the services of general practitioners and specialists within the UK health services are met by the standards the General Council establish under subsection (1)(a).
(4) The standards and requirements established under subsection (1)(a) shall include -
(b) the training curricula to be followed in general practice and in each recognised specialty;
(c) the assessment arrangements for persons undertaking education and training in general practice and specialist medical practice;practice or specialist medical practice;
Section 34L(1) says… the Registrar shall award a certificate of completion of training (CCT) to any person who applies to the General Council for that purpose if -
(b) the Registrar is satisfied that that person has been appointed to, and has satisfactorily completed, a course of training leading to the award of a CCT;
In setting and securing the standards and ensuring the needs of employers are met (34H(1)), and the Registrar’s responsibility to award a CCT to those who have completed an entire course of training leading to the award of a CCT, it would seem entirely reasonable to require that a trainee is up-to-date with the expectations of the relevant specialty current at the time the application is made for a CCT. Patients, and the NHS, would rightly expect nothing less.
There is general agreement, including amongst organisations representing the interests of trainees, that the current position is unsatisfactory for several reasons:
The implementation of the position statement needs to ensure that the general principle of transfer to the current curriculum is observed, with those in their last year of training not being affected. Therefore transition plans are to follow the following key points
We have consulted widely across the sector, including the UK health departments, NHS Employers, trainee bodies, the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges and individual colleges/Faculties and postgraduate deaneries. There has been general support from all stakeholders.
This document together with the attached FAQs provides guidance to:
A number of Colleges have previously approved implementation plans that were submitted as part of their curriculum changes. These have been widely published and are clear to trainees. It has been reported to the GMC that these transition arrangements will be complete by the end of December 2015. Subject to all trainees being transferred to the current curriculum by 1 January 2016 these existing plans remain approved.
The implementation plan is outlined below
by 31 March 2013
by 31 December 2013
Between 1 January 2014 and By 31 December 2015
1 January 2016 (or earlier if trainees moved earlier)
A: Colleges will need to consider
Step 1: Colleges map changes from old to current curriculum – broken down into each year of training and outlining if in a later year what needs to be gone back upon in the earlier years.
Step 2: Colleges send to deaneries to consider the implementation plan for each of their trainees
Step 3: Deaneries at the next ARCP agree the changes and any targeted training to cover new/missed competencies and whether training needs to be extended
Step 4: Colleges report on progress in their annual specialty reports, Deaneries report on progress in their annual deanery reports.
A: No. In order to ensure the administrative burden on Colleges, Deaneries and trainees is as low as possible, the mapping will outline at each year (so one map per year of the curriculum) of the curriculum where competencies will be transferred and this will be confirmed at the trainee’s next ARCP meeting, with a trainee’s programme being adapted as appropriate.
A: As part of the mapping Colleges will be asked to provide guidance for programme directors and heads of school, but they would not be looking at individual trainees situations.
A: No. However if the examination amendments have included examination in “new” areas of the curriculum then the College will define within its mapping whether additional evidence is required such as targeted workplace based assessments.
A: Part of the College submission for any amendments to their curriculum and assessment systems will include discussion with trainees on the implementation and timings of changes and will outline whether parts of the exams will contribute towards the new exam. For existing curricula and assessment systems the mapping provided by the College will show how the “old” examination maps to the “current” one.
A: The examination is one part of the curriculum and assessment system for your specialty. The mapping produced by the College will outline what elements of the “current” curriculum you have already achieved and will indicate what assessments you need to complete. The Colleges will take into consideration the agreed position in relation to currency of examinations.
A: As part of the submission for the change of the assessment system the College will submit outlines of how existing trainees will move onto the new curriculum, this will include consultations with trainees to ensure that the timeframes are suitable and appropriate (falling within the maximum of a two year transition). For example if an examination is introduced in a trainee’s final year of training then it would not be reasonable to require a trainee to pass this new examination. However trainees may wish to take the examination for future employment opportunities.
A: No – there will be an introduction date and it will be from that date that trainees will need to be assessed using the new WPBA. A number of trainees may also have been part of pilots prior to the formal introduction. It is important that the transition does not place an overly burdensome administrative process on all those involved or that trainees are required to demonstrate competencies they have already demonstrated.
A: Where Colleges require trainees to use specific assessment or progress recording systems such as eportfolios then, yes you will need to use these, however you will not be required to retrospectively gather data. Colleges will provide guidance on the transfer of existing information.
A: No, however you must apply for your CCT within six months of your CCT date.
A: the implementation plan will outline the timing of transfers to the current curriculum. These will be individual for each specialty. For clarity No trainee (including any less than full time or those out of programme) may remain in an “old” curriculum from 1 January 2016, subject to those trainees that fall into the category outlined in 24Q.
A: All trainees will be encouraged to transfer to the current curriculum so as to ensure that they will be fully up to date with current requirements for their specialty to ensure patient safety. Trainees should also be aware that not completing the current curriculum may have a detrimental affect on their employment opportunities.
A: Yes.
A: The current curriculum may not have the same recognition for research as the “old” one and so your training requirements will be considered on an individual basis. If you are in a programme and on an Out of Programme for Research (OOPR) then your transfer will not wait until your return to the programme. If you are not in a programme then you will apply in the usual way to the curriculum in place at the point of your application.
A: You will be transferred to the current curriculum in the same way as other trainees at your ARCP (this will not wait until your return to the programme).
A: You will be transferred to the current curriculum in the same way as other trainees at your ARCP (this will not wait until your return to the programme if the ARCP is earlier). You may be required to undergo targeted WPBAs to ensure that you fulfil the requirements of the “current” curriculum.
A: As part of your ARCP you will be transferred to the current curriculum in the same way as other trainees.
A: The Colleges will map the “old” curriculum to the current one. Where the achievement of these earlier competencies can be demonstrated via later WPBAs or examinations then they will not need to be repeated. It should be noted however that some curricula are spiral in nature and earlier competencies are needed to underpin later ones and therefore you may need to have targeted training to support the achievement of the curriculum requirements. Other curriculum changes have been made to answer employer requirements and trainees may want to demonstrate these competencies for their future employment prospects.
A: No, unless these changes are necessary to underpin later competencies in the curriculum. See question 18 above. Colleges will detail this in their mapping of the “old” to the current curriculum.
A: Your postgraduate dean and training programme director will work with you to deliver the training that you require to complete the requirements of the current curriculum. Every effort will be made to do this via targeted training rather than an extension to training.
A: All curricula are competency based and therefore it will be necessary as part of the Colleges’ submissions for changes to indicate whether there will need to be an extension to training time in order to enable trainees to demonstrate the competency levels. Every effort will be made to do this via targeted training rather than an extension to training.
A: You will transfer into the current curriculum at the point when you were last considered to have satisfactorily completed training. The transfer will not give you additional opportunities for training extensions.
A: Every effort will be made to enable trainees to achieve additional requirements via targeted training. If however an extension to training is required this will not count within the maximum extension to training period defined in the gold guide.
A: Where an extension is for six months then you are not required to transfer but if the extension is for more than six months then you will need to transfer. As outlined above - All trainees will be encouraged to transfer to the current curriculum so as to ensure that they will be fully up to date with current requirements for their specialty to ensure patient safety.
A: any changes proposed by Colleges to the GMC are required to include input from trainees/trainee organisations (as well as Deaneries) particularly in relation to the transition plans and implementation timetable. It is important therefore that you maintain contact with your College throughout your training so that you are aware of developments.
A: Guidance on the current curriculum can be found on your College website.
A: In the first instance please discuss any queries you have with your supervisor. Any changes to curricula and assessment systems are cascaded by the Collegesthrough the College and Deanery networks of trainers.
Posted November 20th 2012 (10 years ago)
Here is an opportunity from the Association of Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland for medical students and trainees to win prizes and have their work shown at the Group of Anaesthetists in Training meeting in Oxford next April. Please see the link for details http://www.gatsm.org/content/oral-poster-prizes.
Posted October 26th 2012 (10 years ago)
On the merger of the GMC and PMETB in April 2010 the GMC became responsible for the awarding of the CCTs, other than streamlining the application process the policy around awarding of CCTs has not been reviewed. The CCT application process requires an application from the trainee and a recommendation from the parent college . The GMC invites those trainees that the college have indicated are due to complete their training in the next three to six months, to apply for their CCT via GMC Online. The college use the information that they hold on the trainee to determine whether they consider that the trainee has fulfilled the curriculum requirements and to provide the GMC with a recommendation. The college base their decision on information from the Deanery and usually additional information submitted by the trainee.
Once the GMC has received the application from the trainee together with the recommendation from the parent college the GMC issue the trainee with the CCT and add the doctors name to the specialist or GP register.
GP trainees in 96% of cases apply for their CCT in the month immediately before or the month after their CCT date. It is likely that this is because a GP trainee is removed from the performers list when their training finishes and cannot apply for entry (or re-entry) to a performers list unless they are listed in the GP Register.
Specialist trainees are less likely (51%) to apply within a month of their CCT date, this is likely to be because they can continue to work in any capacity other than that of a substantive NHS consultant (except a foundation trust) and many of them also take up the opportunity provided for them by the deanery for a grace period (up to six months post CCT date).
In the last six months the GMC have received a small number of enquiries from doctors, Deaneries or Medical Royal Colleges where a doctor failed to apply for their CCT (this will have been for numerous reasons). It appears that as doctors are preparing for their revalidation they are checking their registration status and are finding that they do not have specialist registration. One doctor had completed training in 2004.
There are a number of reasons which may make it impossible for the GMC to award a CCT to doctors who apply some time after their expected CCT date:-
In discussion with the Postgraduate Deaneries they have reported that where a trainee had not participated in the final ARCP (RITA) at the time of their completion of training it becomes difficult to make a judgement that the trainee had fulfilled the CCT curriculum and becomes impossible when a long period of time has elapsed.
Colleges have reported that they are not able to make a judgement without deanery documentation or when the doctor has left training and is working in limited practice. They have also reported that they are not always able to respond if they have been asked by the GMC if a recommendation they have submitted still stands (this happens when there is a gap between the college recommendation and the trainee application of more than six months)
From those that apply (the GMC currently does not maintain details of trainees coming up to their expected CCT date and relies on the medical Royal Colleges to provide these details) 99% apply within six months of their expected CCT date.
Post training revalidation is linked to a doctors end of training and so it is important that the trainee concludes their training with the award of the CCT and gains entry to the Specialist or GP register.
Legal advice has confirmed that the GMC is able to limit the timeframe within which it will consider an application for a CCT.
The Postgraduate Board agreed to the introduction of a limit on the timeframe within which a doctor is able to apply for a CCT. This time limit is 12 months from the doctors expected end of training date. It was further agreed that this time limit would be introduced effective from 31 March 2013.
It was further agreed that the GMC would work with interested parties (Colleges, trainees groups etc.) to publicise this time limit. In addition the GMC would contact all the doctors that the GMC had been informed of (by the colleges) that had to date not applied to inform them of this time limit.
It was noted that the GMC may not be able to make a decision on late applications submitted prior to 31 March 2013 where their was insufficient evidence of satisfactory completion of training (namely contemporaneous deanery and college documentation).
Doctors will continue to have the ability to apply for entry to the specialist or GP register but they would need to do so via the equivalence routes of CESR or CEGPR and provide the necessary documentation to confirm their current competence.
If numbers remain at the low level (four since Jan 2012) the financial impact is minimal as the additional work can be absorbed within current staffing. The affect on colleges and deaneries would be to reduce their work load in relation to delayed CCT applications but may increase the number of CESR/CEGPR applications, however they are resourced for these via the evaluation fee.
Contacting doctors who have not applied for a CCT will have resource implications for Colleges and the GMC will work with them to reduce this burden.
It was acknowledged that setting a time limit may have a disproportionate affect on less than full time trainees or those on maternity leave. To minimise this the time limit has been set at 12 months after a trainees CCT date which will give those in these groups sufficient time in which to submit an application. Other protected characteristic groups will not be affected by the implementation of the time limit.
Posted October 19th 2012 (10 years ago)
For All trainees and qualified doctors
The GMC is part of the Advisory Board of the European Cross Border Collaboration Project (ECAB), which is a research project looking at cross border healthcare in Europe. The project is coordinated by London School of Economics and aims to make a contribution to helping citizens make informed decisions about whether to seek health care in another European country.
Part of this research includes a comparison of specialities across six European countries (Belgium, Greece, the UK, Spain, Hungary, Slovenia, Germany), which aims to draw conclusions on the diversity or/and heterogeneity of the scope of practice across Europe through semi-structured interviews.
The research team are looking for doctors working in the UK in the following specialties to participate in this study:
Participation is voluntary and would involve an interview lasting approximately 40 minutes, which will either take place in person (if in/near London) or via Skype (if further afield), ideally within the next month.
If you are able to participate in this study, please email Helena Legido-Quigley
Sent on behalf of Associates Team | GMC
Posted September 28th 2012 (10 years ago)
The popularity of social media has grown rapidly in recent years. There is widespread use of sites such as Facebook and Twitter amongst medical students and doctors and there are a growing number of well-established blogs and internet forums that are aimed specifically at medical professionals, such as doctors.net.uk and the BMJ’s doc2doc.
While many medical professionals use social media without encountering any difficulties, media interest and research into examples of unprofessional behaviour online have raised concerns that some doctors and medical students may be unknowingly exposing themselves to risk in the way they are using these ‘web 2.0’ applications and uploading personal material onto the internet. Although medical professionals should be free to take advantage of the many personal and professional benefits that social media can offer, it is important that they are aware of the potential risks involved.
This guidance (Using social media: practical and ethical guidance for doctors and medical students) provides practical and ethical advice on the different issues that doctors and medical students may encounter when using social media.
Posted September 6th 2012 (10 years ago)
Congratulations to our ACCS trainees who achieved a 100% pass rate at all stages of the MCEM exam. This is a clear reflection of their hard work and we say well done! This achievement is particularly outstanding when you consider that the national pass rate is 45%.
Posted August 14th 2012 (10 years ago)
The Shape of Training Review is looking at potential reforms to the structure of postgraduate medical education and training across the UK.
The review’s aim is to make sure we
Five themes have been identified which the review will focus on.
The review is the latest step on a journey to ensure UK medical education and training can support and respond to society’s needs in the best possible way.
Posted July 4th 2012 (11 years ago)
Intensive MCEM A Training Course
3–4 NOVEMBER 2012, CAMBRIDGE
Brand new two-day MCEM A preparation course, held at the Møller Centre in the heart of Cambridge.
Intensive course designed by experts in emergency medicine and the
preclinical sciences that will see you through to exam success by improving
your understanding of underlying principles.
Our faculty includes Mr. Bob Whitaker, author of Instant Anatomy and
former examiner at the Royal College of Surgeons, and Dr. Vazeer Ahmed,
Consultant in Emergency Medicine and head of departmental Trainee and
Student Education at Addenbrooke's Hospital.
The total cost of the two-day course is £400 (incl. VAT) and includes:
• 20+ hours of interactive, group-based teaching
• A custom-made revision pack with uniquely-designed flashcards
• Practice exams sessions with personalised feedback
• Exclusive access to our forthcoming online adaptive learning platform
• Privileged access to the best lecturers in the pre-clinical sciences
• Access to the Møller Centre training facility, the most sought-after
conference venue in Cambridge
• Tasty meals and refreshments throughout both days
Please visit http://camcem.com for more information and to book.
Posted June 14th 2012 (11 years ago)
EM "Major Trauma" teaching day, 10th July, Frenchay Hospital, Bristol, BS16 1LE. This is a packed day including at least four guest speakers. Please see events listing for programme and map.
Posted May 10th 2012 (11 years ago)
Exclusive places for ACCS trainees on the fully funded New-2-ICU course on 24th July wil be closed on 16th May. The course will then be available to all trainees across the Deanery, including Foundation. If you would like to register please contact Anna James as soon as possible.
Posted May 3rd 2012 (11 years ago)
The next New-2-ICU Course will be on 24th July at the Bristol Simulation Centre. This is fully funded and considered essential training for all ACCS trainees starting their ICU module in August or November. To register for a place please contact Anna James.
Posted April 26th 2012 (11 years ago)
A one-day simulation course for doctors and nurses – practice stabilising and transporting seriously-ill children in a safe, supportive environment!
The Simulated Paediatric Life-Support and Transfer (SPLAT) Course aims to provide training and experience for all those involved in the stabilisation and transfer of critically ill children.
Whether you work in an Emergency Department, Paediatric Ward or Intensive Care Unit, the course provides a fantastic opportunity to practice your resuscitation skills on state-of-the-art paediatric medical simulators.
The one-day course will combine sessions on child & infant simulators with lectures and small group workshops. Instruction is provided by an experienced faculty drawn from backgrounds in Paediatrics, PICU, Paediatric Anaesthesia and Transport Medicine & Nursing.
It is highly recommended for both medical and nursing staff of all grades, whether from a background in Paediatrics, Anaesthesia, Intensive Care or Emergency Medicine.
SPLAT has been designated for 6 CPD credits by both the RCPCH & RCoA.
Because of the intense nature of the instruction provided, places on the course are strictly limited. Early booking is recommended!
To Register, Contact:
Tel: 0117 342 0108
Fax: 0117 342 0123
Email: info@bmsc.co.uk
Posted April 10th 2012 (11 years ago)
Log on to GMC online after 30th April to complete your survey; the survey closes on 15th June.
Please go to the GMC website to find out more.
Posted March 26th 2012 (11 years ago)
We are delighted to announce two new appointments:
Lisa Munro-Davis has been appointed as the Deputy Head of School, Emergency Medicine and Dominic Williamson has been appointed as Training Programme Director (TPD), (Emergency Medicine) ACCS.
Congratulations to both!
Posted March 15th 2012 (11 years ago)
Anna James is the new ACCS School Support Manager for ACCS taking over the role from Julie Flowers.
Please feel free to contact Anna with any future queries.
Posted March 14th 2012 (11 years ago)
The NHS Medical Director's Clinical Fellow Scheme is open to application from doctors in training. In the past three years we have had two Severn trainees, Brett Rocos and Robert Bethune, obtain these sought-after positions. If interested, you can obtain further information from: http://www.fmlm.ac.uk/clinical-fellow-scheme
The closing date for application is 22nd March 2012 and the post starts on 3rd September 2012.
Posted December 6th 2011 (11 years ago)
The Bristol Medico-Chirurgical Society was established in 1874 for the advancement of the Art and Science of Medicine in all its branches. It has a long and rich tradition of encouraging the exchange of facts and fellowship between disparate members of the medical community. Each year the Society plays host to presentations and debates on topics of medical and allied interest to the annual theme chosen by the Society's President. Guest speakers are invited to talk on a wide variety of subjects.
Meetings are held at 6.45pm on the second Wednesday from October usually until July with an option for a reception and supper followed by a presentation at 8.15pm.
These lectures are suitable for trainees and faculty and would contribute to the Professional and Generic Skills programme that all colleagues undertake in their role as a doctor. The Severn Deanery supports this programme and would encourage all colleagues to attend.
For more details and the programme please visit the Bristol Med-Chi website.
Posted December 6th 2011 (11 years ago)
Applications are invited for new appointees to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency's, Trainee Doctors Advisory Board (TRAB) we are also looking for a medical student representative for the board, applications are therefore invited from students within 2 years of final qualification and junior doctors from all clinical specialities. This group was developed to encouraging doctors in training to become involved with the MHRA to represent the opinions and needs of junior doctors, promote an understanding of the regulation of Medicines and Medical Devices in the UK, and promote the dissemination of information regarding the Agency
The remit of this group is as follows:
The TRAB group meets twice a year and members are expected to contribute to various initiatives throughout the year.
Interested applicants should forward a copy of their CV and a covering letter to TRAB@mhra.gsi.gov.uk
31 January 2012
If you have any questions or require further information please email TRAB@mhra.gsi.gov.uk
Medicines and Healthcare
Regulatory Agency
Posted November 29th 2011 (11 years ago)
Posted November 18th 2011 (11 years ago)
The new School of ACCS Website is NOW LIVE!!! This website is for all Severn School ACCS trainees and those involved in the delivery of ACCS training within the School. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact Julie Flowers, School Support Manager.
Posted November 17th 2011 (11 years ago)
The next ACCS Trainers Day will take place on Friday 23rd March 2012 at the Royal College of Anaesthetists. The day is aimed at those involved in the delivery of ACCS training. If you would like to attend, please email accs@rcoa.ac.uk confirming your job title, specific involvement in the delivery of ACCS, and which school you are representing. There is currently no charge for this meeting.
Posted November 15th 2011 (11 years ago)
There is an open evening taking place for CT1 Recruitment 2012 on Monday 28 November 2011 in the UHBristol Education Centre, opposite Bristol Royal Infirmary as follows:
Tea and Coffee and informal talk for Anaesthesia at 4.30 pm
School of Anaesthesia talk - 5 pm
School of ACCS talk - 6 pm
School of Medicine talk - 7 pm
Please feel free to come along to any of the talks, to book a place please email Julie Flowers, School Support Manager for ACCS and Anaesthesia.
Posted November 15th 2011 (11 years ago)
The Faculty of Intensive Care Medicine have provided clarity on recruitment to single and dual programmes:
Recruitment to the new CCT in Intensive Care Medicine will commence in August 2012. Doctors will be able to apply to either train on a Single CCT in ICM or to form a Dual Programme between the ICM CCT and a partner specialty. Currently Acute Medicine, Anaesthetics, Emergency Medicine, Renal Medicine and Respiratory Medicine have agreed Dual Programmes.
A Dual Programme is formed by a doctor being appointed at separate interviews to a CCT Programme in ICM and one of the partner specialties. Due to the complexities of the UK Offers System, this will currently be organised by recruitment in consecutive years (i.e. the doctor can apply for ICM in August 2012 and then for Anaesthetics in August 2013 or vice versa – if he is appointed to both, he can then form a Dual ICM/Anaesthetics CCTs Programme).
In August 2012, recruitment will begin to the Single CCT in ICM. Dual Programmes will be introduced only from August 2013. Accordingly, it will not be possible to be recruited to a Dual Programme until August 2013.
The FICM and COPMeD agreed with the GMC that recruitment to the Joint CCT will continue until 31 July 2013 to ensure there is not a shortfall in ICM CCTs in the transition period between the two curricula. Therefore, doctors currently in ST3 in a partner specialty will be eligible to apply for the Joint CCT until 31 July 2013. Trainees entering ST3 in August 2012 will therefore train in ICM via either a single CCT or dual CCT process.
Recruitment to the single CCT ICM will take place nationally. Interviews will take place in Birmingham on 17-18 April 2012.
Posted November 15th 2011 (11 years ago)
Recruitment to CT1 posts opens on 25th November 2011 with a closing date of 9th December 2011. For further details please see vacancies page.