GP Trainers and Training Practices

Introduction: 

We have recently updated the trainer development guidance:- All trainers should attend a minimum of 3 sessions (half-days) annually- And a total of 9 sessions over the 3 year trainer re-accreditation period

Educational Activity

A spread of educational activity is recommended over the 3-year period. Some training is mandatory to meet regulations and the remainder depends upon your own learning needs:

• Annually:
  • 1 session relating to Educational supervisor role, update training for WPBA/ e-portfolio.
• Every 3 years:
  • 1 session of Equality and Diversity training
  • 1 session of update training in OOH (this is required whether you personally supervise or if you delegate this to another OOH supervisor).
• Recommended educational Activity:
  • 1 session acting as an assessor at the mock CSA (when an ST3 is attached to your practice)
  • 1 session relating to practice re-accreditation visits can be counted if attending as a trainer co-visitor but not claiming locum expenses
  • Locality-based trainer-development days
  • Attendance at approved learning activity outside the deanery, e.g. primary educator meetings, RCGP examiner, etc..

You are expected to meet the GPSt1 Trainee 5 times over the year: August/September, November, January, April, May.

Each session should be between 2-4 hours. You could use part of the November and April sessions to give the Trainee a brief induction into GP – obviously they can only observe.

The August, January and May meeting should be focused on the ePortfolio completely as Educational reviews take place in January and May.

Trainees are expected to add a minimum of 2 learning log entries to their ePortfolio every week, therefore as an ES you should check their portfolios regularly. If you do not see evidence of the trainee adding to their ePortfolio you should contact them to remind them. If you still do not see progress, please contact the Programme Director, who will help you.

It is important that you familiarise yourself with all the guidance on the ePortfolio page of the website.

This will include the GP Trainer Manual, minimum evidence requirement and other useful documents.

Please use this link to view the contact details of your Programme Director, localities can be seen on the table below.

AREA	TRAINER GROUP CONVENOR	PROGRAMME DIRECTORS
Belfast	Dr Jane Creaney	Dr John Clements, Dr Fergus Donaghy, Dr Fionnuala Dickson
Northern	Dr Allen McKay	Dr Siobhan McEntee, Dr Ursula Mason, Dr Louise Sands
Southern	Dr Mark Palmer	Dr Margaret Chambers, Dr Alison Rogers
South Eastern	Dr John Collins	Dr Andrew Nelson, Dr Michael Mulholland
Western	Dr Laura McDonnell	Dr Derval Dolan, Dr Diane Robinson, Dr James Meade

The Trainer group meetings are organised by the Trainer Group convenor, please see above table for further information. These training groups meet a number of times per year for professional development. There are also regional trainers meetings when required.

Please find RCGP Guidance on the ePortfolio using this link.

Further information on Trainee exams and WPBA is available here.

Please find useful information on Developing Reflective Practice by clicking on this link to the East Midlands deanery website.

You can also download the attached document ‘Being a Reflective GP’ by Dr Arthur Hibble, Honorary Senior Lecturer, University of East Anglia.

Please find information on the RCGP curriculum using this link.

Please read the guidance from Dr M Stone on the use of GP Educator Notes on E-Portfolio.

For enquiries regarding the RCGP ‘Training the Trainers’ course please contact RCGP Courses on 020 3188 7658 or email courses@rcgp.org.uk.

Please use this link for information relating to OOH Sessions.

We would like to use this area to share good practice in training, as such if you would like to share good practice in training, please send a description of the good practice to the GP Specialty Team at, gpspecialtytraining.nimdta@hscni.net.

Dr Anne Marie Harney (GP Trainer) recently attended an Adolescent Mental Health Training day and thought that the following information may be useful. “Dr Maryanne Freer, Consultant Psychiatrist, recently provided her insights on how she approaches training doctors to deal with the patient presenting with mental health or emotional issues. She particularly focused on the adolescent patient and used two tools both of which provided a structure for trainees in evaluating these patients.She also presented a structure for evaluating risk of suicide which I have found valuable both personally and as a training device.”Please find links to these tools below:

• Assessment of Suicide Risk in Young People
• Problem Solving Guide
• Five Areas Assessment Model

Please click here for feedback from F2 Trainees, November 2010.We hope to provide feedback to Trainers regarding ST2 and ST3 attachments in 2011-12.

Advice on ePortfolio and WPBA, RCGP Feedback on the AKT