Peninsula Postgraduate Medical Education
The GP Specialty Trainee Committee
GP Specialty Trainee Committee Terms of Reference
The title of the group will be GP Specialty Trainee Committee
1. Introduction
The General Practice Specialty Trainee (GPST) Committee is the vehicle for representatives of the trainee body to liaise and communicate with the Head of School of Primary Care (SoPC) and the Primary Care Manager on all matters relating to GP training. The SoPC is responsible for the planning, operational delivery, assessment and evaluation of the five training schemes in the Peninsula; namely, North Devon, Exeter, Cornwall, Plymouth and Torbay. The SoPC is accountable to the Head of Primary and Community Care Education (HPCCE).
1.1 Purpose
1.1.1 Disseminate SoPC information and developments to trainees via Representatives
1.1.2 Standardise policy and procedure with Severn SoPC
1.1.3 Communicate strategic plans from Health Education England (HEE)
1.1.4 Patch Representatives are to act as a point of contact for trainees
1.1.5 Engage with trainees on their experience of training, use of the e-portfolio and assessment
1.1.6 Facilitate communication of relevant issues to the Associates in Training (AiT) Committee at the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) via the local AiT Representative
1.1.7 Feedback on SoPC policies
1.1.8 Ensure SoPC policies are followed
1.1.9 Discuss significant events in training
1.1.10 Share good practice across the five patches
1.1.11 Liaise with stakeholders
1.1.12 Facilitate Critical Event Analysis of successes and problems
1.1.13 Respond to new initiatives, both national and local
2. Membership
The membership comprises:
• Chair
• One Trainee representative from each Patch
• Peninsula Associate in Training (AiT) Representative
• BMA Representative
• LTFT Representative
• Head of School of Primary Care
• Primary Care Manager
• 2x International Medical Graduate Representatives from across the Peninsula
Where appropriate and agreed by the Committee, members may have multiple roles.
2.1 Eligibility
All GPSTs from the Peninsula Region are eligible to join the Committee and each patch is to be represented. AiT membership to the RCGP is not required.
2.2 Chair
Chair to be rotated and decided in advance at the previous meeting
2.2.1 Accountable to The GPST Committee.
2.2.2 Term of Office is one year, can stand for re-election at the end of the term.
2.2.3 Appointment Criteria - Membership of GPST Committee and training expected to continue for a minimum of one year from the election date.
2.2.4 Election Arrangements are by GPST Committee on self-nomination
2.2.5 Roles and Responsibilities:
• Attend and Chair Meetings
• Attend ad hoc meetings with other bodies where required
• Together with the Primary Care Manager, encourage contributions from other Committee members, including when planning meeting agendas
2.3 Patch Representatives
2.3.1 Regional representatives will be elected on an ad hoc basis as vacancies arise.
2.3.2 Accountable to trainees within patch and the GPST Committee.
2.3.3 Term of Office - No fixed term, except that representative must be in Specialty Training for General Practice in the UK.
2.3.4 Appointment Criteria - GPST in the UK
2.3.5 Roles and Responsibilities
• Attend Committee meetings in person. Where this is not possible, a responsible deputy may be elected by the absent member. Where this is not possible apologies must be sent to Support.sw@hee.nhs.uk
• Engage with trainees in each patch to ensure that they have a voice
• Engage in discussion at meetings and contribute to email debates
• Help advise GP trainees locally and feedback to committee
• Provide a quarterly patch report prior to each meeting to facilitate meaningful discussion (See Appendix A)
• Communicate between trainees and HEE therefore acting as a representative of both parties in a responsible and professional manner
3. Review
This framework will be reviewed on an annual basis by the author of the documentation on behalf of the School of Primary Care at Peninsula Postgraduate Medical Education. The revised and ratified framework will be subject to final approval by the Head of Primary and Community Care Education.
4. Meetings
4.1 Meetings will take place on a quarterly basis.
4.2 A member of the School of Primary Care team will provide administrative support to the meetings.
5. Accountability
The committee reports to the Head of School.
Version 1.3, amended December 2020