Gold Guide


Guide to Postgraduate Specialty Training in the UK (The Gold Guide)

A guide to Postgraduate Specialty Training in the UK (also known as "Gold Guide") provides the framework for the new postgraduate specialty training programmes (including general practice) commencing from August 2007. It is primarily aimed at Postgraduate Deans and their training networks, Medical Royal Colleges/Faculties, employers and others involved in specialty training.  Trainees may find aspects of it provide useful information about their training.   All trainees appointed to specialty training programmes - both run-through and fixed term specialty training appointments (FTSTAs) commencing after August 2007 will be known as Specialty Registrars (StRs).  The Gold Guide is applicable to StR training which commences after 1 August 2007.

Current Gold Guide 

The 2010 version of the Gold Guide, for trainees taking up appointments from Aug 07 is available here.  This edition replaces the first, second and third editions of the Gold Guide with immediate effect.
This edition of the Gold Guide does not contain details about recruitment into specialty training. This Guide will be subject to on-going review. 

Archive

A web based version will be available shortly, allowing easy access and navigation and will provide the means for timely and relevant changes to be made to the Guide when these are required.

Specialist Registrars and Trainees (SpRs/SpTs), and General Practice Registrars (GPRs) will continue in their current training programmes.  A Guide to Specialist Registrar Training (also known as the "Orange Book") and The GP Registrar Scheme Vocational Training for General Medical Practice, The UK Guide (the "Green Book") will continue to provide the framework for SpR and GPR training, unless trainees choose to switch to the new specialty training programmes.  The details of how to do this are set out in the Gold Guide.

Protocol for Changing the Gold Guide
  1. The Gold Guide will be reviewed on an annual basis.
  2. Membership of the review group is confined to officials from the four UK Health Departments.
  3. Individual country Programme Boards/Steering Groups are invited to submit requests for changes/amendments to the review group, with reasons.
  4. Comments regarding changes and/or amendments must be received by the review group in April/May each year.
  5. The review group will meet, consider requests and write the relevant changes, subject to testing of the impact of any additions.
  6. All changes/amendments will be published as supplements to the Guide (with relevant date of implementation) in June of each year.
  7. The review group could be requested to consider urgent amendments an an ad hoc basis.
  8. A separate recruitment supplement will be issued each year.

Site design and development by Lairdesign