Supervision of GP Training in the South West GP School

Becoming a GP trainer is a challenging and rewarding career move. The process of preparing the practice to train often acts as a stimulus for development. GPSTs usually bring a great deal of enthusiasm to a practice and often act as a catalyst for the trainers' own professional development.

Background

Specialty training programmes/posts, including those in general practice, must conform to the training standards set by the GMC for specialty training approval to be granted. Postgraduate Deans are responsible for the quality management of their specialty training programmes.

Standards for medical education and training in Promoting Excellence for General Practice: Application of GMC Standards to GP Specialty Training. This sets out the standards expected of organisations responsible for GP Specialty training and education in England.

https://www.rcgp.org.uk/mrcgp-exams/information-deaneries-supervisors-trainers

The GMC has published criteria for trainer recognition: https://www.gmc-uk.org/education/how-we-quality-assure-medical-education-and-training/approving-medical-education-and-training/approval-of-trainers/criteria-for-trainer-recognition

Quality Assurance (QA) of GP Training takes place in different ways in the South West GP School. External scrutiny is via the GMC and School Board. Internal assurance occurs via the Quality Panel, and approval and reapproval of GP Clinical and Educational Supervisors.

Information about the quality assurance process of training locations, practices and Learning Organisations, including approval and reapproval, can be found here https://www.severndeanery.nhs.uk/about-us/quality-management-4/show/primary-care-learning-organisation-toolkit This is managed by HEE SW’s Quality Team in conjunction with the region’s Training Hubs.

Definitions

Overview of Process

Becoming a Supervisor

Southwest Multiprofessional Modular Supervisor Pathwway Project

Maintaining Approval

CPD - Menu of options

Local contacts

 

Definitions & criteria for Educational and Clinical Supervisors

All GP Doctors in Training (DiTs) must be overseen on a daily basis by a named Clinical or Educational Supervisor, who are required to meet certain criteria in order to fulfil the role.

Named Clinical Supervisor (CS)

A named clinical supervisor is a trainer who is responsible for overseeing a specific DiT’s clinical work throughout a placement in a clinical or medical environment and is appropriately trained to do so. The named clinical supervisor leads on providing a review of the DiT’s clinical or medical practice throughout a placement and contributes to the educational supervisor’s report on whether the DiT should progress to the next stage of their training.

Supervise	GPST1 & 2 Doctors in Training (DiTs) Foundation DiTs Retained Doctors
Duties	Clinical supervision Workplace-based Assessments (WPBA) Clinical Supervisor Report (CSR)
Criteria	At least 1-year post-CCT 6-12 months in current organisation (to be agreed with Patch AD) Supervisors need to be available in their practices for at least four of a supervised doctor's sessions per week (i.e. 4 sessions of overlap). This can be reduced pro-rata if the supervised doctor is LTFT, but should then be a minimum of 2 sessions of overlap. These need to be actual availability, i.e. after outside commitments have been taken into account Membership of the RCGP or equivalent

 

Named Educational Supervisor (ES)

A named Educational Supervisor is a trainer who is selected and appropriately trained to be responsible for the overall supervision and management of a specific doctor’s educational progress during a placement or a series of placements. The ES regularly meets with the DiT to help plan their training, review progress and achieve agreed learning outcomes. The ES is responsible for the educational agreement, and for bringing together all relevant evidence to form a summative judgement about the doctor’s progression at the end of a placement or a series of placements.

Supervise	GPST1, 2 & 3 Doctors in Training (DiTs) Foundation DiTs Retained Doctors
Duties	Clinical supervision Workplace-based Assessments (WPBA) Overview of educational progress to CCT Interim and annual Educational Supervisor Report (ESR)
Criteria	At least 3-years post-CCT 6-12 months in current organisation (to be agreed with Patch AD) When the DiT is in the same practice as their ES, the supervisor needs to be available for at least four of a supervised doctor's sessions per week (i.e. 4 sessions of overlap). This can be reduced pro-rata if the supervised doctor is LTFT, but should then be a minimum of 2 sessions of overlap. These need to be actual availability, i.e. after outside commitments have been taken into account.  Membership of the RCGP or equivalent

Where a trainer is acting as both ES and CS, the requirements regarding availability apply as above for CS

 

Overview of process from Expression of Interest to maintaining approval

 

Becoming an Educational or Clinical Supervisor

All qualified GPs wishing to pursue accreditation as a named Educational and/or Clinical Supervisor, either for the first time, after relocating to the South West GP School footprint, or following a break from active supervision, should complete the online Expression of Interest form: https://forms.office.com/e/isb1E9xz2a

• New prospective supervisors will be required to attend the GP School’s accredited Modular Supervisors’ Course (MoSC).
• Relocating supervisors or those wishing to seek reapproval following a break, will need to discuss their individual circumstances with the local Patch Associate Dean. The criteria set out above still apply.

Modular Supervisors’ Courses take place approximately three times per year.

In advance of each cycle Local Programme Teams use a range of information to identify priority invitees, which can include:

• Creating additional capacity within new or existing Learning Organisations
• Succession-planning, where an existing Supervisor intends to retire or step down from training
• Providing support for Supervisors where they are the only trainer within a practice/Learning Organisation
• Other local intelligence

Course attendance is agreed by the local Programme Team, based on need.

Southwest Multiprofessional Modular Supervisor Pathwway Project

Please see the structure of the course, and details of the modules

Modular-Supervisors-Course-summary-Jan-2023.pdf

Once a prospective supervisor has completed the appropriate course modules, they will be contacted by the local Programme team, to arrange an initial approval meeting.

The following evidence will need to be available on the day of the meeting:

• Current Equality, Diversity & Including certificate; this must be dated within the last 3 years.
• GMC number
• Date of entry to GP register
• Date started work in current organisation
• Modular Supervisors’ Course completion certificate
• Induction timetable
• DiT timetable
• Supervisor timetable

Please also have to hand your Prescribing Cost Centre Code and Practice Manager's email address.

In order to maintain ongoing approval, all supervisors are required to submit an online annual self-declaration and participate in 3-yearly peer reviews; these are managed by the local Programme teams

 

Maintaining Approval

As part of Stage 5 "Maintaining approval" Supervisors will need to demonstrate engagement with CPD on an annual basis, and as part of of the 3-yearly peer review.

The expectation is that all Clinical and Educational Supervisors undertake:

• Relevant CPD (please refer to the Menu of Options below for an overview of examples of the range of CPD activities available which also includes, where relevant, further details of how to enquire about the various opportunities and support available to you)
• Engage with the peer review process and be active members of a local trainer workshop as a community of practice.

To support this there is an expectation that Supervisors should have an agreement in their contracts for up to five days of professional study leave per year to support this role.

To engage with a trainer workshop in your patch, please contact your local programme manager / administrator.

 

Menu of options

Opportunities within local education team, GP training scheme and/or local patch Engage in local GP education team opportunities  eg. observing and co-facilitating a teaching session with GP trainees. By arrangement with your local Programme team. Enquire to attend as an ARCP panel member : gpassessment.sw@hee.nhs.uk GP Practice visit (self-directed visit to a practice that has a different demographic profile to your own) HEE-SW GP trainer conference and events Postgrad Centre/Trust education updates

Specialist Trainer Workshop Sessions Support Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Differential Attainment workshops  Contact: Dr Silvana Romero Brown, GP Educational Supervisor and ED&I Training Programme Director South West silvana.romerobrown@nhs.net Overview Understanding the issues around Culture, Education and Health and how these influences both educational and healthcare outcomes, is a key aspect of providing high quality education and care. Proactively developing this knowledge and reflecting on our own experiences and those we witness is an important part of our ongoing CPD as educators. Please feel free to contact Silvana for further information and ideas on how to achieve this. Examples of what can be incorporated into a workshop: Supporting our IMGs and sharing best practice – for educators Active Bystander training Learning from lived experiences Challenging conversations / difficult feedback   Feedback workshops ‘Making feedback matter: A back to basics feedback workshop, focussing on how to ensure you and your DiT can make the most of your feedback.’ To arrange please contact: Dr Michelle Higgs (Training Programme Director, North Devon) michelle.higgs@plymouth.ac.uk (offered in person or small group sessions remotely after a discussion with Michelle)

Regional & National Educational Events NHS Leadership Academy: https://www.leadershipacademy.nhs.uk/ BMA events: https://www.bma.org.uk/ GMC events: https://www.gmc-uk.org/ Attendance to Training Hub Course  Primary Care Academy Course  Other Medical Society seminars and/or conferences that offer educational content relevant for supervision Specialty School education updates e.g.   RCOG: https://www.rcog.org.uk/careers-and-training/training/courses-and-events/ FSRH: https://www.fsrh.org/events/ Medical School teacher/tutor training  Relevant online learning resources, modules and podcasts eg: https://www.e-lfh.org.uk/

RCGP Events Interested in becoming an MRCGP Examiner? Contact exams@rcgp.co.uk (NB: There are no pre-requisite CPD courses which potential examiners must undertake in order to be eligible)  Royal College of General Practitioners Courses https://www.rcgp.org.uk/

Postgraduate Courses/Further Study Certificate/Diploma/Masters in Medical Education

 

For any further enquiries relating to Faculty events please contact the Faculty Team via gpfaculty.sw@hee.nhs.uk

 

Local Programme team contacts

Contacts for the local Programme teams can be found here, should you wish to discuss becoming a supervisor in detail:

Peninsula: https://primarycare.peninsuladeanery.nhs.uk/about-us/staff-contact-details/
Severn: https://primarycare.severndeanery.nhs.uk/about-us/department-contact-information/

This page was last updated February 10th 2023 (4 months ago)