UK Shape of Training steering group: report

12. Summary and recommendations

12.1 In summary the UKSTSG was tasked to consider the recommendations arising from the SoTR and to make policy proposals to UK Ministers. For the past 3 years the Group has worked collaboratively with stakeholders to understand and interpret the recommendations and to develop a strategy for implementation.

12.2 During that time the 4 UK Health departments described their strategic plans for the future configuration and delivery of clinical services. It became evident that these plans and the recommendations outlined in the SoTR were complementary and should be taken forward in tandem.

12.3 The UKSTSG recommends that the principles of the SoTR as interpreted in this report should underpin future developments in medical education and training to meet the current and future needs of patients within an evolving service landscape.

12.4 The UKSTSG considers that the following recommendations are a proportionate and practical response to the SoTR and will not disrupt services. It is also anticipated that successful implementation of these recommendations would deliver clear and tangible benefits for patients, doctors and service providers.

UKSTSG Recommendations

The UKSTSG recommends that the following activity should commence.

In relation to curricula and training pathways:

• The curricula and training pathways outlined in this document should be further developed by the appropriate Medical Royal Colleges in collaboration with educational commissioners and other stakeholders and submitted to the GMC for approval.
• The Panel of the UKSTSG should consider the submissions from the remaining Colleges to ensure that they fulfil the principles of the SoTR aiming to complete this element of the work by July 2017.
• The 4 UK statutory post-graduate medical education bodies should continue work to prepare for implementation of the new curricula and training pathways described in this document.

In relation to credentialing:

• The UKSTSG identified the development of credentialing as described in this report an important element of the strategy to ensure that medical education and training responds to the needs of patients and service providers.
• The UKSTSG has identified a simple method whereby the process of developing post CCT credentials could begin. Namely; Medical Royal Colleges develop the educational content based on the specialty components of their current curricula, the GMC as the regulator approve and quality assure them (subject to any legislative change that may be required), and the four UK statuary post-graduate medical education bodies implement them in the same way that they deliver pre- CCT training.
• On this basis the GMC should bring forward proposals to further develop credentialing as soon as it is reasonable to do so.
• The UK Medical Royal Colleges and others should work collaboratively with the GMC to agree the components of their curricula that will be credentialed.
• The determination of the number and type of credentials should be informed by local patient and service needs.

In relation to responding to patient and service needs:

• Any other implementation activity should be undertaken by the Implementation Steering Groups or other appropriate organisations in each Country taking account of local strategic plans and patient needs but based on UK agreed standards and curricula.

Other:

• Medical Royal Colleges and employers should work collaboratively with others to deliver a more formalised system of supportive mentoring for doctors at the transition points of their careers and particularly for newly appointed consultants.

In relation to future curricula submissions and oversight:

The UK Medical Education Reference Group ( UKMERG) is currently the forum for the discussion and approval of matters relating the medical education and training with representation from the four UK health departments and the four statutory post graduate medical education bodies. At present proposals for new training curricula and applications for the recognition of new specialties are considered by this group in the first instance. Since in the future it will be necessary to ensure that curricula fulfil the principles of the SoTR the UKSTSG recommends that the following protocol be adopted.

• Submissions (as at present) to be submitted to the UKMERG in the first instance and thereafter to the GMC for Regulatory approval.
• Submissions to be assessed to ensure that they fulfil the following 5 key principles of the SoTR:
  
  (i) Take account of and describe how the proposal will better support the needs of patients and service providers.
  (ii) Ensures that the proposed curriculum to CCT equips doctors with the generic skills to participate in the acute unselected take and to provide continuity of care thereafter.
  (iii) Where appropriate describes how the proposal would better support the delivery of care in the community.
  (iv) Describes how the proposal will support a more flexible approach to training.
  (v) Describes the role that credentialing will play in delivering the specialist and sub-specialist components of a curriculum.
• The UKMERG should engage with and seek regular reports from Colleges and others as necessary to monitor progress in implementing any agreed changes.