North West School of Surgery - Information and Resources for Trainees
Coronavirus (COVID-19)
For information about individual specialties within the North West School of Surgery, please click on the links in the menu on the right hand side (or towards the bottom of the page if viewing this page on a mobile device).
Enhancing Supervision for Postgraduate Doctors in Training
Enhancing Supervision for Postgraduate Doctors in Training
Enhancing Supervision for Postgraduate Doctors in Training – Handbook
Annual Review of Competence Progression (ARCP)
Please see the School of Surgery ARCP pages for further information.
Best Practice
BMJ & HEE - Best Practice for Junior Doctors flyer
The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh: Anti-Bullying and Undermining Campaign - including an online e-module. This emodule guides you through the facts, identifies the problem and suggests ways of managing our own behaviour in order to change the surgical culture. CPD accredited. RCSEd online account holders can access the emodule by logging in with your RCSEd account here. Non-RCSEd online account holders will first need to register to create an online RCSEd account here. Once you have registered, you can then log in to complete the emodule with your new RCSEd account here.
The Lead Employer's Respect and Dignity at Work policy can be downloaded from St Helens and Knowsley Hospitals NHS Trust's Lead Employer 'Policies and Forms' page
Care of Private (non-NHS) Patients and Working in non-NHS Settings
CCT, CESR and the Combined Programme - Pathways to entry on the GMC's Specialist Register
CCT, CESR and the Combined Programme - A guide to the routes of entry on the GMC’s specialist register for trainees starting specialty training in HEE North West *updated 21 September 2021*
Please also see information on the JCST wesbite and the GMC website.
Checklist for Supervisor Meetings with Trainees
Example of a checklist for Educational and Clinical Supervisors when meeting with trainees
Clinical Supervision of Doctors in Training at Out-Patient Clinics
COPMeD: Doctors in training and clinical supervision at out-patient clinics
Data Protection and Data Security
An e-learning module on 'Data Security Awareness' can be accessed thorugh HEE's e-learning for Healthcare website.
The Lead Employer's Code of Confidentiality policy can be downloaded from St Helens and Knowsley Hospitals NHS Trust's 'Our policies and procedures' page and there is also a social media policy which can be found on St Helens and Knowsley Hospitals NHS Trust's Lead Employer 'Policies and Forms' page
E-Portfolio (ISCP)
The e-portfolio for surgical specialities is ISCP (Intercollegiate Surgical Curriculum Programme). All trainees are expected to engage with the ISCP portfolio to provide evidence of their progress in training which will be assessed at Annual Review of Competence Progression (ARCP). A fee is payable to the Joint Committee on Surgical Training (JCST) for access to ISCP and evidence cannot be added if the fee has not been paid.
There is a help section on ISCP, or if you have any other problems, you should contact the ISCP help desk via email: helpdesk@iscp.ac.uk or phone: 020 7869 6299
4.11 There will be occasions when a trainee progresses more rapidly than the expected rate of progress and in such cases, the award of an Annual Review of Competence Progression (ARCP) Outcome 6 can be brought forward. However, this can only occur if:
- the trainee has gained all the relevant competences/capabilities required within the curriculum
- the trainee has completed all the necessary examinations and assessments
- the trainee has spent the minimum time in training as required by the EU directive on the recognition of professional qualifications
4.12 The early achievement of CCT needs to be planned via the ARCP process and would not normally be advanced by more than one year.
JCST's Early Certification Principles
JCST's Requesting change to provisional certification date flowchart
Enhancing Junior Doctors’ Working Lives
Enhancing Junior Doctors’ Working Lives - a progress report 2018
HEE and EJDWL 2018 presentation by Dr Alistair Thomson
eSurgery - e-learning resource for Surgeons
eSurgery is a free e-learning resource supporting trainees in their early years of surgical training. It is a collaboration between Health Education England's e-Learning for Healthcare programme and the Royal College of Surgeons of England. It is a free e-learning resource for NHS employees and anyone delivering NHS commissioned care.
e-Learning for Healthcare - eSurgery
In 2021 the GMC survey will be available to complete from 20 April to 18 May 2021.
Gold Guide
The Gold Guide is a Reference Guide for Postgraduate Specialty Training in the UK and is applicable to all trainees (StRs) taking up appointments in specialty training which commenced on or after 1 August 2007. The eigth edition was published on 1 March 2020 replaces all previous editions of the Gold Guide with immediate effect and can be downloaded from the COPMeD website.
Higher Surgical Training ST3+ induction - 14 August 2020
Welcome, ISCP and HEE NW expectations for ARCP - Alison Waghorn, Head of School
Study leave / regional teaching / local teaching - Nadeem Khwaja, Associate Head of School - coming soon
New curriculum / CCT requirements - Alison Waghorn, Head of School
Support services: RTT / LTFT - Su De, SuppoRTT Champion
Mentoring schemes / exam support - Alison Waghorn, Head of School
Higher Surgical Training Programme Directors and contact details
Induction Toolkit
BMJ and HEE - Junior Doctor Induction Toolkit.
JCST Quality Indicators
Summary of JCST Quality indicators
Learning Agreements
All in programme trainees in the North West should complete two, six monthly Learning Agreements on ISCP each year*. All parts of both the Learning Agreements (Objective setting, Interim Meeting, Final Meeting and AES Report) for the year must be signed off by the trainee and their AES before the ARCP Assessment Panel.
*Except trainees doing four month placements, in which case they should do three - one for each four month block.
Letters to Patients
The Out of Programme (OOP) application form and information on the OOP process for HEE North West can be found on the Out of Programme pages of our website.
Once your OOP application form has been signed by you, your AES and your TPD, please send the form and the supporting information to the HEE North West School of Surgery Admin Team who will seek approval from the Associate Postgraduate Dean.
Please be aware you will also need to apply to the JCST for them to approve your OOP, details of what they require can be found on the OOP pages of the JCST website.
If your post requires GMC approval, this will be applied for by the HEE NW admin team once your application has been approved by Associate Postgraduate Dean and the JCST.
Cancellation or Curtailment of OOP
If you want to cancel your OOP after it has been approved, or if you want to shorten your OOP, please complete the "OOP Cancellation and Curtailment form" available on the Out of Programme pages of our website.
Extending your OOP
If you would like to extend your OOP, you should complete the main OOP for the extension period (start date should be the day after the currently approved start date) and you should submit documentation explaining the reason you want your extension. Please note that an Educational Supervisors signature is not required for an OOP extension application.
A six-month Period of Grace (sometimes referred to as POG) is available to all doctors on a higher training programme (ST3+) or run-through training programme. Trainees in Core Surgical Training do not have access to a period of grace.
From August 2020 the way in which HEE North West manages Period of Grace changes to be in line with the HEE's National policy. Doctors in run-through or higher training programmes with a CCT date is after 1 February 2021 must give six-months notice of whether they would like their period of grace. Doctors in training will be contacted approximately seven months before their CCT date to complete a Period of Grace Request form. If no form is received, it will be assumed that the period of grace is not required and their employment will finish on their CCT date. If a doctor who indicate they would like a period of grace but subsequently changes their mind, they will need to ;give the standard three months notice of resignation.
The period of grace policy can be found on the policies and procedures page of this website.
Please see the Resignation section below for further details on resigning.
Personal Development Plans (PDP)
"Professional development plans for surgeons" by Mr Vijay Bhalaik
You must ensure that all reflections in the portfolio, and used as evidence for appraisal and revalidation, must have any personal information that can identify individuals (including patient identifiers) or organisations removed prior to loading.
Improving feedback and reflection to improve learning, A practical guide for trainees and trainers
Recording of reflective practice - letter from Academy of Medical Royal Colleges
Academy of Medical Royal Colleges and COPMeD Reflective Practice Toolkit
GMC - Reflective practice guidance
Resigning from a Training Programme
Upon resigning from a Training post, the following notice of resignation is required from a Trainee:
| Type | Notice Period |
|---|---|
| Core Trainee (CT) | 1 month |
| Specialty Trainee (ST) - including run-through trainees at grade ST1 or ST2 | 3 months |
Trainees resigning from their training programme must advise Lead Employer of their resignation by emailing lead.employer@sthk.nhs.uk within the above timescales.
Where a Trainee wants to leave the training programme before completion of the required notice period, they must complete an Early Resignation Form and obtain signatures of approval from the Host Trust they will be based at on the date of leaving.
Please visit the Lead Employer's Policies and Forms page on thier website to download the Early Resignation Form.
If you have any queries about resigning, please contact the Lead Employer Team at St Helens and Knowsley Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust.
Please visit the North West School of Surgey SuppoRTT page and HEE North West's Supported Return to Training page.
Revalidation
Please see the HEE NW Revalidation pages for information.
The Revalidation team can be contacted by email on revalidation.nw@hee.nhs.uk
Guidance for North West School of Surgery trainees on run-through training programmes *UPDATED* - 28 April 2021
Study Leave
Please see the HEE NW Study Leave pages for guidance, application forms etc.
The Study Leave team can be contacted by email on studyleave.nw@hee.nhs.uk
Support for Doctors
Support for doctors - Academy of Medical Royal Colleges
Support for Doctors with Mental Health or Addiction Concerns
NHS Practitioner Health is a free and confidential NHS service for doctors and dentists with issues relating to a mental health concern or addiction problem, especially where these may affect their work.
The service is open to any medical or dental practitioners in England, who are GMC or GDC registered, or those looking to return to clinical practice.
NHS Practitioner Health Leaflet
Opening Hours: Monday to Friday 8am-8pm, Saturday 8am-2pm
Telephone: 0300 030 3300
Email: prac.health@nhs.net
Website: www.practitionerhealth.nhs.uk
Supported Return to Training (SuppoRTT)
Please visit the North West School of Surgey SuppoRTT page and HEE North West's Supported Return to Training page.
Time Out of Training (TOOT)
Time Out of Training - GMC position statement - November 2012
Trainee Representatives
The Trainee Representatives attend and provide feedback at eash specialty's Training Committee and the North West School of Surgery Trainee Representatives meeting.
| Specialty | Sector | Representative |
|---|---|---|
| Cardio-thoracic Surgery | East (North Western) | Marcus Taylor |
| West (Mersey) | Matthew Smith | |
| Core Surgical Training CT1 | Both | TBC |
| TBC | ||
| Core Surgical Training CT2 | Both | Bhargavi Chandrasekar |
| Robert Leatherby (Deputy) | ||
| General Surgery |
East (North Western) | Ian Farrell |
| Adam Rees | ||
| West (Mersey) | Tim Gilbert | |
| Andrea Sheel | ||
| Neurosurgery | East (North Western) | Saam Youshani |
| West (Mersey) | TBC | |
| Oral and Maxillo-facial Surgery |
East (North Western) - South/Central | Anusha Hennedige |
| East (North Western) - North | Pavan Padaki | |
| West (Mersey) | Will Allen | |
| Otolaryngology (ENT) |
East (North Western) | Rajeev Advani |
| West (Mersey) | Andrew Lau | |
| Huw Jones | ||
| Paediatric Surgery | Both | Baqer Sharif |
| Cezar Nicoara | ||
| Plastic Surgery |
East (North Western) |
Ibrahim Ibrahim |
| Natasha Wielogorska | ||
| West (Mersey) | Sami Ramadan | |
| Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery |
East (North Western) | Sanil Ajwani |
| Kai Nie | ||
| West (Mersey) | Michael Grant | |
| Ashley Newton | ||
| Urology | East (North Western) | Craig Jones |
| West (Mersey) | Benjamin Starmer | |
| Vascular Surgery | Both | Alistair Millen |
| Mohamed Barakat |
Training Programme Directors (TPDs)
For detials of who your TPD is, please see the TPD page.
Training Support Network
Information on specialist support services for trainee doctors who are experiencing difficulties which may affect their ability to train.
HEE North West Training Support Network
Meetings and Events
North West School of Surgery Induction for new starters (CT1/ST1)
11 August 2021 *NEW* - added 8 March 2021
Venue: expected to be an online, virtual Meeting
North West School of Surgery Induction for new starters (ST3+)
12 August 2021 *NEW* - added 8 March 2021
Venue: expected to be an online, virtual Meeting
HEE North West Links
SuppoRTT (Supported Return to Training)
Study Leave | Email: studyleave.nw@hee.nhs.uk
Out of Programme (OOP) information
Less Than Full Time (LTFT) Training
Revalidation | Form R | Email: revalidation.nw@hee.nhs.uk
Leadership courses (Medical Leadership Fellowships, Postgraduate Module in Medical Leadership)
Education courses (PG Certificate in Workplace Based Postgraduate Medical Education Fellowship) | Email: facultydevelopment.nw@hee.nhs.uk
Page Last Updated 21 September 2021