Peninsula Postgraduate Medical Education
The School of Primary Care Board
The School of Primary Care Board Constitution
The title of the group will be The School of Primary Care Board.
1. Purpose
1.1 Advice to the School of Primary and Community Care
1.1.1 To advise the Head of School of the School of Primary Care (HoSoPC) and Head of Primary and Community Care Education on the education and training of doctors in specialty training for general practice, including numbers, location and standards.
1.1.2 To respond to national, Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) and General Medical Council (GMC) initiatives and advise the HoSoPC on their local development and implementation.
1.1.3 To advise and make specific recommendations to the HoSoPC on the likely developments within primary care and their possible implication for primary care education and for other specialties, in respect of postgraduate education and continuing professional development.
1.1.4 To advise the HoSoPC on education initiatives across the spectrum of primary and secondary care, at all levels of professional development.
1.1.5 To advise the HoSoPC on training, appointment, reappointment and continuing development needs of Primary Care Educators (PCEs).
1.1.6 To advise the HoSoPC on the development of programmes of continuing professional development for doctors and health professionals in Primary Care.
1.1.7 To advise the HoSoPC on the provision of a careers advisory service in Primary Care, to include information, advice and counselling.
1.1.8 To advise the HoSoPC on workforce planning for General Practice and Primary Care.
1.1.9 To advise the Head of Primary and Community Care Education and the HoSoPC on the GP component of the foundation year programmes.
1.1.10 To advise the Head of Primary and Community Care Education and the HoSoPC on matters relating to applications for certificates of completion of training.
1.1.11 To advise the HoSoPC on matters pertaining to the performance of doctors training for and in General Practice.
1.2 Quality Assurance of the School of Primary Care
1.2.1 The non-executive representatives are responsible for ensuring that the quality assurance procedures of the SoPC are robust and open to scrutiny. The quality assurance procedures must be in accord with the regulations of the GMC and the advice from the Committee of GP Education Directors (CoGPED) and the Gold Guide. The quality assurance procedures are essential to ensure that there is documented evidence for the various approval and re-approval processes. The areas to be covered include:
1.2.2 The hospital posts for prescribed or equivalent experience for GP Specialty Training.
1.2.3 The GP practices for educational clinical placements.
1.2.4 The Educational Supervisors for GP Specialty Trainees (GPST), doctors on the Induction and Refreshment Scheme and post Certificate of Completion of training (CCT) GPs with performance issues.
1.2.5 The Clinical Supervisors for doctors on Foundation programmes, the Doctors’ Retainer Scheme and GP ST1/GP ST2 doctors.
1.2.6 The five GP Specialty Training Programmes
1.2.7 The annual recruitment and selection process
1.2.8 The Annual Review of Competency Progression panels
1.3 Approval of GPST Posts and GP Educational Supervisors (Trainers)
1.3.1 To advise the Head of Primary and Community Care Education and the HoSPC on all posts, with particular reference to GP training.
1.3.2 To advise the HoSPC on the selection of hospital posts suitable for prescribed or equivalent experience for general practice training, from posts approved for general professional training by the Royal Colleges, and for General Practice by the RCGP, and to recommend to the GMC that these posts be approved.
1.3.3 To advise the HoSoPC on the approval and re-approval of GP practices for educational clinical placements.
1.3.4 To advise the HoSoPC on the approval and re-approval of GPs as Educational Supervisors (trainers) for GP Specialty Trainees (GPST) doctors in accordance with criteria established by the GMC for approval as Educational Supervisors.
1.3.5 To advise the Head of Primary and Community Care Education on the approval and re-approval of GPs as Clinical Supervisors for doctors on Foundation programmes, the Doctors’ Retainer Scheme and GP ST1/GP ST2 doctors.
1.4 Research and Audit, and Service Issues
1.4.1 To advise the HoSoPC on training in audit, research methods and management training for General Practitioners and doctors in training for General Practice.
1.4.2 To advise the Head of Primary and Community Care Education on opportunities for multidisciplinary initiatives.
1.4.3 To advise the Head of Primary and Community Care Education on the delivery of education to meet the outcomes of audit programmes and the implementation of the findings of research and development, where appropriate.
1.5 Agreement for and Quality Assurance of Education and Training
1.5.1 To advise the Head of Primary and Community Care Education and the HoSPC on the Agreement for the Provision of Postgraduate Medical and Dental Education (with NHS Trusts).
1.5.2 To advise the HoSoPC and the Heads of Department of undergraduate primary care departments on the standards for the provision of education services for students in General Practice with the University sector.
1.5.3 To quality assure the Out Of Hours organisations for appropriate clinical experience and clinical supervision for GPSTs.
1.5.4 To quality assure the GP Education Provider Organisations for appropriate continuing professional development of post CCT GPs and GPSTs.
2. Membership
2.1 Membership will be as follows:
Executive members
• the HoSoPC
• Associate Postgraduate Deans of the SoPC
• GP Education Manager of the SoPC
Representative members
• RCGP Tamar Faculty: one appointed by the Faculty.
• Foundation School Director PPME
• Training Programme Directors: one appointed by the TPD group. One should have particular experience of CPD and one should have particular experience of GP Specialty Training.
• GP Educational Supervisors (Trainers): one to represent the Educational Supervisor Groups appointed by the HoSoPC.
• GP STs: two who should be members of the GPST Committee to represent the views of the GP STs.
• AiT trainee representative
• Lay Member: one appointed by the HoSoPC from the approved panel of lay representatives of the PPME.
• Defence LETB: one appointed by the Defence LETB to represent the interests of their GPSTs.
• Newly Qualified GPs: one appointed by First 5 or another group of NQGPs to represent this group.
• Lead Employer representative /OOH Providers.
• Scheme PG Centre Administrator.
• Two training practice GP Practice Managers – one each from Cornwall and Devon, invited by the HoSoPC.
• Multi professional representation as required.
LETB staff will attend the Board meetings as appropriate.
The Board shall have the power to invite additional members to fulfil specific time-limited functions.
A member is expected to appoint a deputy if unable to attend.
2.2 School Board Officers
2.2.1 The Chair will be elected by a simple majority of members present at a meeting of the Board, following nominations by post (to be invited from School Board members). Deputies may vote, but no proxy votes will be allowed.
2.2.2 No election may take place unless declared on the agenda.
2.2.3 The Chair will be appointed for three-year terms of office, renewable for one further term.
2.2.4 If an officer steps down before the end of their term, their replacement will be entitled to serve for an initial period of three years, renewable for one further term.
2.3 Board Members
2.3.1 Representative members will be expected to serve for an initial period of three years, renewable at the discretion of the appointing organisation or Head of Primary and Community Care Education as appropriate.
3. Accountability
The Board shall be a Committee of the Health Education England Peninsula School of Primary Care, with status equivalent to that of a Speciality Training Committee, or a board of a specialty training school. The Board will report to the Head of Primary and Community Edication.
4. Review
The Constitution shall be reviewed annually in April, or at other times if necessary.
5. Meetings
5.1 Board Meetings
5.1.1 The Board will normally meet twice a year in June and December. The Board is expected to meet as often as necessary to complete its business.
5.1.2 Meetings will be held on NHS premises or at such other appropriate venues as may be agreed from time to time, the location of each meeting being chosen to reflect the wide geographical area of the LETB.
5.1.3 Meetings will not be open to non-members except by invitation.
5.1.4 The Chair will ensure that agendas and papers for meetings are circulated to all members by first class post or email at least five working days before the meeting. Minutes will be received within fourteen days after the meeting and will be sent electronically.
5.1.5 One third of members shall constitute a quorum. They shall include the Chair, the Head of Primary and Community Care Education or his named ‘deputy’, three Associate Deans and one lay member.
5.1.6 Elections to office and changes to the constitution may only be made if declared on the agenda following a period of not less than twenty-eight days’ notice to the Administrator.
5.1.7 Decisions of the Board will normally be reached by consensus of opinion; voting may be resorted to in certain matters at the discretion of the Chair. In such cases, motions should be proposed and duly seconded by members of the Board, and decisions will be reached by a simple majority vote of members present. In the event of tie, the Chair of the meeting will have a second (or casting) vote.
5.1.8 Sub-committees or Working Groups may be set up by the Board; membership will be agreed by the Board, with an individual member identified to lead and report back to the main Board.
5.1.9 A standing committee comprising the Chair, Director of SoPC, Administrator and one lay member of the Board will meet twice a year in April and October and on other occasions as may from time to time be necessary. Three members shall constitute a quorum. It may discuss and take action upon any matter within the remit of the Board. Minutes of its meetings will be distributed to all members of the Board to which it will be accountable.
5.2 LETB Support for School Board
5.2.1 A member of the School administrative staff will act as Secretary to the Board.
5.2.2 Reimbursement of travelling expenses at public transport rate will be paid by the Peninsula HEE-SW to members attending committee meetings who are not representing an organisation.
5.2.3 Any member of the Board who attends a meeting shall be eligible for reimbursement at the current various HEE-SW sessional rates that apply to individual groups, which will be reviewed annually at the summer meeting.
5.2.4 Lay members may claim for the loss of remunerative time at a rate not exceeding the current HEE-SW rate.
5.3 Role of School Board Chair
5.3.1 The Chair will be appointed by letter from the Head of Primary and Community Care Education following a vote of Board members.
5.3.2 The Chair may be appointed on the recommendation of the HoSoPC from outside the members of the committee who are Ex Officio, Executive or Representative (Non-executive).
5.3.3 The Chair will chair meetings of the School Board.
5.3.4 The Chair may be requested to be available at some Associate Postgraduate Deans’ Meetings, occasional Educational Supervisor (Trainer) approval or re-approval visits and administrative duties.
5.3.5 He or she will receive payment at a rate equivalent to 1 session per meeting on the appropriate scale.
5.4 School Board Representation on Other Bodies
Representation on other bodies will be as agreed by members at a School Board meeting.
Version 1.2
Review Date November 2018
For more information about the School Board, please contact Gemma Sams