Educational Programmes

Educational Programmes are organised for GP Trainees and consist of a number of Locality and Regional Days which take place from August to July. Link to the NIMDTA Course Booking System

Safeguarding Day

Safeguarding Day – 11 June 2020

Dermatology

How do I know which courses to attend?

All courses are published on the NIMDTA Course Booking System and trainees have been pre-booked onto the appropriate courses by the GP Specialty Training team.

Please log into the Course Booking system using the log in details supplied at the start of the year to view the Locality and Regional Days you are required to attend (if you do not have log in credentials, please contact the GP Specialty Training team).

The Course Booking System will send you an e-mail reminder 7 days before each course.

Are the training days mandatory?

Yes, attendance at training events is recorded and monitored by NIMDTA as part of your successful completion of the training programme.

Trainees are also able to print Certificates of Attendance for each Locality/Regional day they attend.

What should I do if I cannot attend a training day?

If you are unable to attend a Locality/Regional day you are required to complete a Non-attendance form.

This can be completed electronically and e-mailed to the GP Specialty Training team or post to GP Specialty Training.

What courses should I attend if I am out of sync with my colleagues?

If you are out of sync with the programme you should meet with your Programme Director to discuss your educational needs.

Following this meeting your PD should notify us which courses you should attend.

Can I attend Training Days when I am on leave (Sick Leave/ Maternity Leave)?

Please remember there are around 300 courses running each year and numbers are limited.

If we don’t know you are going to attend there may not be room or lunch available for you.

Tutorial Timetables

Please access the current and most up to date Timetables via the LMS/Moodle app.  If you have any issues regarding LMS/Moodle please contact the GP Specialty team via gpspecialtytraining.nimdta@hscni.net

Please ensure you are in touch with the rota coordinator of your tutorial group for all upcoming dates in case there has been a date swap or other changes.

If you are starting the year as an out of sync trainee please get the details from your programme director and make contact with the rota coordinator.

Where possible tutorials will be Face to face, please refer to the Timetable for this information.

NIMDTA will send out tutorial invitations for all regional days, this will either be with a location or a Zoom link. But for locality days it is up to the trainees and educational supervisors to arrange a meeting place or Zoom links together.

We recommend each tutorial group has a WhatsApp or email group and make arrangements well in advance with the planned supervisor for each topic.

Please read the full Induction Guide to General Practice Posts put together by Dr Fergus Donaghy.

The Practice acts as your employer whilst in a GP post. You should report all sick / maternity leave to them and to NIMDTA.

Please email gpspecialtytraining.nimdta@hscni.net to advise us of any leave taken above annual leave.

However, NIMDTA Human Resources will populate a contract with your salary scale and holiday entitlement and post this to your practice within 6 weeks of the start of your post.

• Induction should last three days in ST2 & ST3
• The working week is ten sessions
• Expect to consult with around 70 patients per week in ST2 & 80 patients per week in ST3
• 20-minute appointment slots, reducing to 10 minutes later by mutual agreement during ST3

Management Module 1 for ST2 & ST3 trainees should be started in ST2 General Practice post and continued throughout ST3. Management Module 2 is a Regional day in ST3.

If Undertaking A GP Post In August

ST2 trainees starting a General Practice post in August of a year should return for 3 sessions after their GP post. These dates should be organised by the trainee before leaving the practice. Suggestions for each session;

1. Complete audit
2. Review surgery session
3. Review of red flag referrals made while in post

If Undertaking A GP Post In February

ST2 trainees starting a General Practice post in February of a year should arrange up to four sessions (2 full days or 4 half days) with the practice prior to their start date. Feedback from trainers and trainees last year suggested that this improved the induction process. Suggestions for each session;

1. Active observation of the trainer consulting
2. Active observation of another GP consulting
3. Active observation of the Practice Nurse – Spiro/Smoking cessation/Resp reviews
4. Practice manager or present trainee to demonstrate the computer & practice policies – see inventory in Induction Guide to General Practice Posts. This is best undertaken just a couple of weeks before starting as these skills atrophy quickly

Induction (that period of learning before seeing booked patients) should last 3 days for St2s, those commencing GP in February of a year may find they have already covered a reasonable amount of the Induction material.

Please read the below documents which help you relate the GP curriculum to the different hospital specialties:

Yes, you can attend CPD courses.

The courses are not part of the Specialty Training Programme and are aimed at qualified GPs but you can attend if you wish.

Courses must be completed in your own time or as annual leave from training and cannot be counted as study leave.

The GP Programme already covers almost all of your study leave entitlement. Please see the study leave policy for more information.

The cost of the course applies to Trainees and qualified GPs alike and cannot be re-imbursed from the Specialty Training Programme.