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.

Tutorial Timetables 

The most up-to-date timetables are available on LearnHSCNI. If you experience any issues accessing LearnHSCNI, please contact the GP Specialty Training team at gpspecialtytraining.nimdta@hscni.net. 

• Please stay in regular contact with the rota coordinator for your tutorial group to confirm upcoming dates, as changes such as date swaps may occur. 
• If you are starting the year as an out-of-sync trainee, obtain your schedule from your Programme Director and ensure you connect with your rota coordinator. 

Where possible, tutorials will be delivered face-to-face. Please refer to the timetable for details. 

Regional and Locality Days 

Regional Days 
NIMDTA will send invitations for all Regional Days. These invitations will include either the venue location or a Zoom link for online attendance. 

Locality Days 
It is the responsibility of trainees and their Educational Supervisors to arrange a meeting venue or set up Zoom links for Locality Days. 

We recommend that each tutorial group establishes a WhatsApp or email group to coordinate effectively. Please make arrangements well in advance with the planned supervisor for each topic. 

Tutorial Timetables

Please access the current and most up to date Timetables via the LearnHSCNI.  If you have any issues regarding LearnHSCNI 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.

We highly recommend that you thoroughly read and become familiar with the guidance within the ST2 and ST3 induction booklets, which can be found here

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 (excluding annual leave). 

For those placed in a GP Practice, NIMDTA GP Specialty Team will issue a contract with your salary scale and holiday entitlement. You and your Educational Supervisor will receive this via email approximately 8 weeks from your commencement in the GP Practice. 

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: