DIVISION OF PAEDIATRICS & CHILD HEALTH
NEONATAL-PERINATAL MEDICINE
SPECIALIST ADVISORY COMMITTEE
ADVANCED TRAINING SITE ACCREDITATION
QUESTIONNAIRE
General Information
Training site / neonatal unit
Training alliance or Area
Health Service, if
applicable
Site Address
Contact Telephone
Head of unit/Site Contact
Contact Fax
Contact Email
Previous Accreditation, if
applicable
Supporting documents attached:
1. Supervision
RACP STANDARD
1.1
There is a designated supervisor for each Trainee.
1.2
Trainees have access to supervision, with regular meetings.
1.3
Supervisors are RACP approved and meet any other specialty specific requirements
regarding qualifications for supervisors.
1.4
Supervisors are supported by the setting or network to be given the time and
resources to meet RACP Supervision requirements and criteria on supervision.
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS NEONATAL-PERINATAL ADVANCED TRAINING
1.1.1
There will be one or more Neonatologists to supervise Trainees
1.1.2
The ratio of trainees to neonatologist FTEs must not exceed 1.
1.2.1
Trainees meet with supervisors at least every 3 months.
1.2.2
There is supervision available that is sufficient to enable an advanced trainee to complete
a project (that would meet the college guidelines) in 12 months.
1.3.1
Supervisors will have FRACP or equivalent and be a neonatologist with at least 0.5 FTE
appointment.
1.4.1
Neonatologists have a proportion of non-clinical administration time, or other protected
time, part of which can be directed to supervision of Trainees.
Please list all current Neonatal-Perinatal advanced trainees
Trainee
Supervisor
How often do Trainees meet with supervisors?
How many hours/month does each supervisor spend one-on-one with each of their Trainees?
Is sufficient supervision available to allow completion of a project (which would meet college
guidelines) in 12 months
Yes
No
Comment:
Is sufficient supervision available to allow completion of Teaching & Learning Tools (LNA & PQR)
Yes
No
Comment:
Is sufficient supervision available to allow completion of the new assessments (CBD & DOPS)
Yes
No
Comment:
Supervisor
Neonatologist
FRACP
Or equivalent
FTE
Do consultants have a proportion of paid non-clinical administration time to supervise Trainees?
What is the amount of dedicated time?
Surveyor Comments (RACP use only)
Standards for supervision achieved? Yes
Needs Improvement
Action Required
To be actioned by (date)
2. Facilities and Infrastructure
RACP STANDARD
2.1
There are appropriate facilities and services for the type of work being undertaken.
2.2
Each trainee has a designated workspace including a desk, telephone and IT
facilities
2.3
There are facilities and equipment to support educational activities, such as study
areas and tutorial rooms.
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS NEONATAL-PERINATAL ADVANCED TRAINING
2.1.1
Essential staff for the training program include all of the following (not necessarily on the
immediate hospital staff, but supporting the neonatal clinical service and directly involved in
the training program):









Materno-foetal medicine specialist, paediatric cardiologist, paediatric
neurologist
Paediatric surgeon
Paediatric radiologist and ultrasonologist
Foetal radiologist and ultrasonologist
Clinical geneticist
Anaesthetists with competence in obstetric and neonatal anaesthesia
Pathologist, with competence in perinatal pathology
Developmental paediatrician
Ophthalmologist with neonatal experience
2.1.2
Other staff desirable in the neonatal unit are medical and paramedical specialists in the
following areas – the majority of the following should be available:












2.1.3
General Paediatrics
Sub-specialty paediatrics – nephrology, gastroenterology, pulmonary
medicine, endocrinology, immunology, pharmacology, infectious disease,
paediatric haematologist
Obstetrics
Obstetric physician and endocrinologist
Surgery
Neurosurgery, orthopaedics, urology, plastic surgery, ENT, cardiothoracic
surgeon
Social Work
Medical social workers with special experience in mother/infant health.
Physiotherapy
Staff with special skills in newborn care and follow-up assessment
Biomedical Engineering
Epidemiology and Statistics
Essential facilities include:













Blood gas estimations available 24 hours, with 15 minutes response when
needed;
Microchemical laboratory with 24 hour capacity, and 60 minute availability of
basic determinations;
Haematology laboratory with 24 hour capacity for complete blood picture,
platelet count, and coagulation studies;
Radiology service, able to provide portable x-rays within the nursery, with 30
minute response when needed;
Blood bank and blood serology facilities;
Pharmacy able to provide parenteral nutrition solutions;
Bacteriology/virology diagnostic laboratory;
ECG;
EEG;
Ultrasound facilities, both for cardiac and central nervous system
investigations;
Perinatal diagnostic laboratory which performs current tests of foetal wellbeing;
A cytogenetic laboratory;
Facilities for training in neonatal resuscitation programs
2.1.4
Neonatal nursing staff with leadership by trained nurses specialising in newborn care. At
least half of the nursing staff should be neonatal care qualified.
2.2.1
The trainees have their own designated offices with desk, telephone and IT facilities.
2.3.1
There are meeting rooms and other facilities available for the activities under section 2.1,
above.
Staff
Materno-foetal medicine specialist
Paediatric cardiologist
Paediatric neurologist
Paediatric surgeon
Foetal radiologist and ultrasonologist
On hospital staff
or on campus
Available and
provide support
to the neonatal
unit
Paediatric radiologist and ultrasonologist
Clinical geneticist
Anaesthetists with competence in obstetric and neonatal
anaesthesia
Pathologist, with competence in perinatal pathology
Developmental paediatrician
Ophthalmologist with neonatal experience
General Paediatrics
Sub-specialty paediatrics – nephrology
Sub-specialty paediatrics – gastroenterology
Sub-specialty paediatrics – pulmonary medicine
Sub-specialty paediatrics – endocrinology
Sub-specialty paediatrics – immunology
Sub-specialty paediatrics – pharmacology
Sub-specialty paediatrics – infectious disease
Sub-specialty paediatrics – paediatric haematologist
Obstetrics
Obstetric physician and endocrinologist
Surgery
Neurosurgery
Orthopaedics
Urology
Plastic surgery
ENT
cardiothoracic surgeon
Social Work – Medical social workers with special
experience in mother/infant health
Physiotherapy
Staff with special skills in newborn care and follow-up
assessment
Biomedical Engineering
Epidemiology and Statistics
Are blood gas estimations available:
24 hours? Yes
No
With 15 minutes response when needed? Yes
No
Is there a Microchemical laboratory with:
24 hour capacity? Yes
No
60 minute availability of basic determinations? Yes
No
Is there a Haematology laboratory with 24 hour capacity for complete blood picture, platelet count,
and coagulation studies? Yes
No
Comment:
Is there a Radiology service:
Able to provide portable x-rays within the
nursery? Yes
No
With 30 minute response when needed?
Yes
No
Is there a blood bank and blood serology facilities? Yes
No
Is there a pharmacy able to provide parenteral nutrition solutions? Yes
Is there a Bacteriology/virology diagnostic laboratory? Yes
Are there ECG services? Yes
No
Are there EEG services? Yes
No
No
No
Are there Ultrasound facilities for:
Cardiac investigations? Yes
No
Central nervous system investigations? Yes
No
Is there a Perinatal diagnostic laboratory which performs current tests of foetal well-being?
Yes
No
Is there a cytogenetic laboratory? Yes
No
Are there facilities for training in neonatal resuscitation programs? Yes
Nursing staff
No
Total number
Total FTE
Total number
Total FTE
Nurses/Midwives
Neonatal Intensive Care Qualified
Nurse Educators
Nurse Practitioners
Medical staff
Neonatologists
Neonatal Fellows/Senior Registrars
Neonatal Registrars
Neonatal SHOs
Other
Do trainees have their own:
Designated office? Yes
Telephone? Yes
No
No
Desk? Yes
No
IT facilities?
Yes
No
Please detail:
Are there meeting rooms available for teaching activities? Yes
No
What other facilities are available for activities under section 2.1?
Surveyor Comments (RACP use only)
Standards for facilities and infrastructure achieved? Yes
Needs Improvement
Action Required
To be actioned by (date)
3. Profile of work
RACP STANDARD
3.1
The setting shall provide a suitable workload and appropriate range of work.
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS NEONATAL-PERINATAL ADVANCED TRAINING
3.1.1
3.1.2
The setting should be one of the two main types of neonatal unit:

Neonatal unit in a tertiary perinatal centre (Perinatal Centre)
- The obstetric and neonatal-perinatal training program must be
closely associated.
- These units may or may not provide experience in the care of
neonates with surgical conditions.

Neonatal unit in children’s hospitals –
- These units mainly care for neonates with surgical conditions.
- They do not provide any perinatal experience
In a perinatal centre:


The unit must have an intensive care nursery
The number of births within the region from which the centre receives
referrals should be at least 8,000 per year



the Level 3 facility should have at least 2,500 births per year
The number of infants needing airway support should be at least 100 per
year.
The unit must provide experience with follow-up activities (short-term
follow-up, long-term neurodevelopmental follow-up, discharge planning)
3.1.3
In a Neonatal unit in a children’s hospital:
 The unit must have an intensive care nursery
 Most of the following conditions should receive pre-op and post-op care in
the unit:
- Gut problems (e.g., NEC, gut atresias, volvulus, malrotation);
- Chest problems (e.g., TOF, oesophageal fistula, CCAM, biopsy)
- Diaphragmatic hernia
- Exomphalos/gastroschisis
- Neurosurgical problems (e.g. ventricular shunt/drain, repair spina
bifida)
- PDA requiring ligation
- ROP requiring laser
 The unit must provide experience with follow-up activities (short-term
follow-up, long-term neurodevelopmental follow-up, discharge planning)
3.1.4
The unit must provide transition to consultant skills experience.
The duties of the trainee must include regular planned episodes of the majority of the following:
 Leading ward rounds,
 Planning retrievals,
 Leading discharge planning,
 Leading antenatal counselling sessions,
 Leading difficult discussions with parents (e.g. withdrawal of care, consent
to treatment, etc),
 Unit/hospital committee work,
 Develop protocols and guidelines,
 Assessing performance of peers and juniors,
 Administration/management duties (e.g. rosters).
Is the setting a neonatal unit in a tertiary perinatal centre (Perinatal Centre) Yes
If yes, is the obstetric and neonatal-perinatal training program closely associated?
Yes
No
Comment:
Does the unit provide experience in the care of neonates with surgical conditions?
Yes
No
Comment:
Is the setting a neonatal unit in a children’s hospital? Yes
No
If yes, does the unit mainly care for neonates with surgical conditions?
Yes
No
Comment:
Does the unit provide any perinatal experience?
Yes
No
Comment:
For units in a Perinatal Centre
What is the population covered by the hospital?
How many births are there within the region from which the centre receives referrals?
How many births are there per year in the Level 3 facility and co-located facilities?
No
Is there an intensive care nursery? Yes
No
Comment:
How many intensive care beds?
How many special care beds?
How many other beds?
These beds are designated as
beds
How many admissions to the neonatal unit per year?
How many admissions <32 weeks GA per year?
How many admissions <1500 gram birthweight per year?
How many infants are there needing airway support?
How many babies have surgery per year?
How many have pre-operative care only (surgery elsewhere)?
How many have immediate post-operative care after surgery?
Does the unit have its own neonatal retrieval service? Yes
No
If yes, No. of retrievals per year
How many retrievals would a Trainee expect to do in a 12 month period?
Do the following conditions receive pre/post-operative surgery care in
the unit:
Gut (e.g. NEC, gut atresias, volvulus, malrotation)?
Chest (e.g., TOF, oesophageal fistula, CCAM, biopsy)?
Diaphragmatic hernia?
Exomphalos/ gastroschisis?
Neurosurgical problems (e.g. ventricular shunt/drain, repair spina bifida)?
PDA requiring ligation?
ROP requiring laser?
Do the duties of the trainee include these follow-up activities:
Short term follow-up
Yes
No
How many hours per week does the trainee do?
Long-term neurodevelopmental follow up
Yes
No
How many hours per week does the trainee do?
Discharge planning
Yes
No
How many hours per week does the trainee do?
Pre-op
Post-op
Do the duties of the trainee include regular planned episodes of the following:
Leading ward rounds? Yes
Planning retrievals? Yes
No
No
Comment:
Comment:
Leading discharge planning? Yes
No
Comment:
Leading difficult discussions with parents (e.g. withdrawal of care, consent to treatment, etc.)?
Yes
No
Comment:
Unit/hospital committee work? Yes
No
Develop protocols and guidelines? Yes
Comment:
No
Comment:
Assessing performance of peers & juniors? Yes
No
Administration/management duties (e.g., rosters)? Yes
Leading antenatal counselling sessions? Yes
No
Comment:
No
Comment:
Comment:
How many antenatal consults per week are done by the Trainees?
For neonatal units in a children’s hospital
Is there an intensive care nursery? Yes
No
Comment:
Do the following conditions receive pre/post-operative surgery care in
the unit:
Gut (e.g. NEC, gut atresias, volvulus, malrotation)?
Chest (e.g., TOF, oesophageal fistula, CCAM, biopsy)?
Diaphragmatic hernia?
Exomphalos/ gastroschisis?
Neurosurgical problems (e.g. ventricular shunt/drain, repair spina bifida)?
PDA requiring ligation?
ROP requiring laser?
Do the duties of the trainee include these follow-up activities:
Short term follow-up
Yes
No
How many hours per week does the trainee do?
Long-term neurodevelopmental follow up
Yes
How many hours per week does the trainee do?
Discharge planning
Yes
No
How many hours per week does the trainee do?
No
Pre-op
Post-op
Do the duties of the trainee include regular planned episodes of the following:
Leading ward rounds? Yes
Planning retrievals? Yes
No
No
Comment:
Comment:
Leading discharge planning? Yes
No
Comment:
Leading difficult discussions with parents (e.g. withdrawal of care, consent to treatment, etc.)?
Yes
No
Comment:
Unit/hospital committee work? Yes
No
Develop protocols and guidelines? Yes
Comment:
No
Assessing performance of peers & juniors? Yes
Comment:
No
Comment:
Administration/management duties (e.g. rosters)? Yes
No
Leading antenatal counselling sessions? Yes
Comment:
No
Comment:
How many antenatal consults per week are done by the trainees?
Surveyor Comments (RACP use only)
Standards for 3.1 achieved? Yes
Needs Improvement
Action Required
To be actioned by (date)
RACP STANDARD
3.2
Trainees participate in quality and safety activities.
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS NEONATAL-PERINATAL ADVANCED TRAINING
3.2.1
Trainees participate in quality assurance/audit evaluations of clinical management
3.2.2
The unit has clinical practice guidelines and the Trainees’ duties involve creation and
updating of these when needed.
Do Trainees participate in quality assurance/audit evaluations of clinical management?
Yes
No
Comment:
May also include activities under 4.1.1
Does the unit have practice guidelines available?
Yes
No
Do the duties of the trainee include creating or updating practice guidelines?
Yes
No
Surveyor Comments (RACP use only)
Standards for 3.2 achieved? Yes
Needs Improvement
Action Required
To be actioned by (date)
RACP STANDARD
3.3
There is the capacity for project work (including research) and ongoing training.
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS NEONATAL-PERINATAL ADVANCED TRAINING
3.3.1
The Trainee has some protected research time
Does the trainee have some protected research time? ?
Yes
No
If yes, how many hours of protected research time does the trainee receive a week?
Surveyor Comments (RACP use only)
Standards for 3.3 achieved? Yes
Needs Improvement
Action Required
To be actioned by (date)
4. Teaching and Learning
RACP STANDARD
4.1
There is an established training program or educational activities such as
multidisciplinary meetings, academic meetings, rounds, journal clubs.
4.2
There are opportunities to attend external education activities as required.
4.3
There is access to sources of information, both physical and online, including a
medical library or e-library facility appropriately equipped for physician training.
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS NEONATAL-PERINATAL ADVANCED TRAINING
4.1.1
Trainees are able to attend the majority of the following types of meetings:

Perinatal Mortality/Morbidity meetings

Neonatal Mortality/Morbidity meetings

Case Conferences

Journal Reviews

X-ray meetings

Registrar/Fellow Tutorials

Neonatal Grand Rounds
4.1.2
The duties of Trainees include teaching:

Junior trainees,

Medical students,

Neonatal nurses, and

In a neonatal resuscitation program.
4.2.1
Each trainee has provision for study leave to attend external education activities as
required.
4.3.1
There is an on-site medical library providing basic and clinical resource material, plus
support services such as title-search capability, and electronic access to major paediatric,
neonatal and Perinatal journals; internet access and Medline database searches.
4.3.2
There must be dedicated computers available for trainee-use only 24 hours within the
Neonatal Unit.
4.3.3
There must be 24 hour internet and e-mail access within the Neonatal Unit.
4.3.4
There must be 24 hour availability of standard and neonatal and obstetric reference texts
within the Neonatal Unit.
Trainee
required
to attend
Activity
Trainee may
attend
Frequency
(e.g. weekly)
Perinatal/Materno-Foetal Meeting
Perinatal Mortality/Morbidity meetings
Neonatal Mortality/Morbidity meetings
Case Conferences
Journal Reviews
Radiology meetings
Registrar/Fellow Tutorials
Neonatal Grand Rounds
Do Trainees teach:
Junior trainees
Yes
No
How many hours per week?
Medical students
Yes
No
How many hours per week?
Duration
( e.g. 1
hour)
Neonatal nurses
Yes
No
In a neonatal resuscitation
program
Yes
No
How many hours per week?
Does the trainee receive study leave? If yes please specify amount of leave.
Is the trainee able to attend external educational activities? If yes please specify
Is there a library on-site? Yes
No
Does it provide basic and clinical resource material? Yes
No
Does it provide readily available support services such as title-search capability? Yes
Is there electronic access to major paediatric, neonatal and perinatal journals? Yes
Is there internet access? Yes
No
No
No
Is there literature (e.g., Medline) database search facilities? Yes
No
Are there dedicated computers available 24 hours for trainee use only within the neonatal unit?
Yes
No
How many computers are available?
Is there 24 hour availability of standard and neonatal and obstetric reference texts within the
Neonatal Unit?
Yes
No
Surveyor Comments (RACP use only)
Standards for teaching and learning achieved? Yes
Needs Improvement
Action Required
To be actioned by
(date)
5. Support Services for Trainees
RACP STANDARD
5.1
There are workplace policies covering the safety and well-being of Trainees
5.2
There is a formal induction/orientation process for Trainees
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS NEONATAL-PERINATAL ADVANCED TRAINING
5.1.1
5.2.1
There are a range of policies dealing with health and safety issues including but not limited
to:

Infection Control/Needle stick injury

Manual handling

Aggression management
Supervisors or designees provide an orientation/induction into training at the setting to new
Trainees within the first week of commencement of training.
Are there policies dealing with:
Infection control/needle stick injury? Yes
Manual handling? Yes
No
Aggression management? Yes
No
Comment:
Comment:
No
Comment:
Do Trainees receive an orientation/induction within their first week of training?
If yes please provide further details.
Yes
No
Comment:
Surveyor Comments (RACP use only)
Standards for support services achieved? Yes
Action Required
Needs Improvement
To be actioned by (date)
Accreditation Decision (RACP use only)
Summary of training setting
Overall recommendations
Accreditation status
Not accredited
Provisional (pending Trainee feedback)
Accredited
Conditional (action/s required)
Action/s
To be actioned by (date)
Areas of training accredited and maximum number of months training time
Maximum total time that can be approved towards training (months)
Maximum time approved towards core training (months)
Maximum time approved towards core training in a perinatal centre (months)
Post is likely to provide a neonatal Trainee with the required experience in
the care of surgical neonates
Each
months spent working in the unit is equivalent to
Yes
No
months surgical experience
How much of the requirement (to do 25 retrievals over 3 years) could be
met in 12-18 months in this post?
A Trainee could be reasonably expected to meet their requirements for
follow-up activities in 12 months
[the specific requirements for individual Trainees should be discussed
with the supervisor to ensure that if needed then these requirements can
be met during this time]
Accreditation length (years)
Year of next review
Yes
No