Trainers
Welcome to the trainer section of the York VTS website. This section contains
information for trainers, their practices and intending trainers. If as a trainer you
would like to add anything to the website for use by other trainers as a resource
please email the information to Beverly Johnson.
In York we have 40 trainers who support the York VTS.
Trainer activities
As well as supervising a trainee in their practice trainers also have the
opportunity to be involved in other activities that support the York VTS and
training in the Yorkshire and Humber Deanery.
These activities include:
Planning and facilitation of half day release teaching sessions
Educational supervision
Mentoring a new trainer
Participating in local and Deanery ARCP
Participating in the mock CSA (usually run in Sept/Oct on a Wednesday
afternoon)
Facilitation on the Induction and Launch Pad courses
Involvement in GP trainee recruitment (usually Feb/March each year)
Teaching and facilitation on Deanery courses e.g. CSA preparation courses,
spring and autumn school.
It is expected that trainers undertake some of these additional activities in
addition to their training role in their practice.
It is not always possible to allocate a trainee to a trainer every six months. Many
trainees now work less than full time and we have a large number of trainees in
York training in innovative posts; which means combining part time general
practice with a part time specialty post. On occasions if a trainer has not been
allocated a trainee they may be asked if it is possible for them to supervise a
FY2 doctor.
Trainer Pathway
What does a GP trainer do?
The role of a GP trainer in general practice incorporates overseeing the clinical
practice of a GP trainee while supporting their learning experience. The trainer
helps the trainee plan their learning so that they acquire all the skills and
knowledge necessary to be a safe competent GP. The learning process is now
based around the new MRCGP which involves demonstrating that the GP
curriculum has been appropriately covered and the 12 GP competencies
achieved.
The trainer needs to ensure patient and trainee safety. This requires the ability
to recognise at what level the trainee doctors is performing and to arrange
structured experiences which help further develop his or her skills.
The whole practice needs to be committed to GP training. The requirements of
WBPA require the involvement of the whole team, from admin staff inputting
patient satisfaction data into the trainee’s e-Portfolio to GP colleagues
observing the trainee’s practical skills and taking tutorials as appropriate.
What are the benefits of becoming involved in training?
For the trainer
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the stimulation of learning new skills
the satisfaction of helping young doctors develop
excellent peer support from the trainers’ group
the opportunity to develop as an educator
For the practice
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the prestige of training status, usually seen as associated with high
standards of record keeping, organisation and patient care
contact with young doctors keeping everyone in touch with new
developments
a good balance of practice activities – educational and clinical
extra clinical sessions – in most practices the trainer devotes 1-2 clinical
sessions per week to training, but the trainee is expected to do seven
the trainer’s educational skills valuable for practice events
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recruitment of former trainees, or of candidates attracted by the practice’s
training status
financial support available from the Deanery for practices who don’t have
adequate space or facilities
Most practices in York are now training practices, and many have a number of
trainers who work as a team to deliver GP training.
How do I become a trainer?
In the Yorkshire and Humber Deanery there are a number of pathways to
becoming a trainer. All are detailed in full on the Deanery website.
PATHWAY 1
Leeds Post Graduate Certificate in Education for Primary Care
PATHWAY 2
Hull and York Medical School - Certificate in Medical Education
PATHWAY 3
Sheffield University - Certificate in Medical Education
PATHWAY 4
Introductory Seminars (ISCS, IS1 & IS2)
If you would like to explore becoming a trainer in York please visit the Intending
Trainer section of the Deanery website for additional information and an
application form.
www.yorksandhumberdeanery.nhs.uk
You will need to follow the steps outlined below.
Step 1: Make an appointment through Beverly Johnson at the PGME at York
Hospital to meet with one of the TPDs.
This is an informal meeting for advice about personal and practice preparation (if
not already a training practice) for becoming a trainer. Note that a GP needs to
have MRCGP, iMap or nMap, and Practice Nurses need a degree or equivalent.
Step 2: Contact Deanery Office
To express an interest in training. At present contact Leanne Sorby. In future
contact will be made via an administrator in each of the three locality offices.
Step 3: Educational preparations for becoming a trainer
Start attending trainer workshops and help at half-day release sessions.
Choose one of the four pathways detailed above.
Submit videotape of consultations – need to pass COT standard. Assessed by
dedicated team for consistency of assessment (“CAT” – consultation assessment
team).
Contact programme director to arrange mentorship from experienced trainer. NB
A trainer can mentor more than one prospective trainer and some meetings can
be in the form of group learning.
Arrange training in Workplace Based Assessments, the eportfolio, educational
supervision and diversity training.
Step 4: Contact Deanery for Formal Visit
Need to have completed certificate or IS course by this stage, also have
agreement with the TPD that the practice is ready for a formal visit.
Deanery office will ask for TPD report, a trainee questionnaire if there is a trainee
in practice, and information on the practice health profile.
The visit will be led by an APD or a TPD from another program assisted by two
others - a local TPD or experienced trainer and a Practice Manager or Practice
nurse. A trainee representative can attend the visit as an observer. If there is a
trainee in the practice they are interviewed by APD or TPD before the trainer is
interviewed.
Step 5: Formal trainer interview
Held at Deanery office in each locality in turn three times a year. Prospective
trainers can choose to be interviewed in any locality but we would expect that if
there is no urgency they will aim to be interviewed in their own locality.
(Composition of the panel – Deputy Director/APD/PD/Trainee/RCGP faculty
board member.)
Step 6: Trainer approved – notified to Speciality Training Committee and then to
PMETB.
Step 7: Start training.
Trainer Workshops
Trainers who support the York VTS are invited to attend the York Trainers Group.
The group has regular evening workshops at the Postgraduate Centre and a
twice yearly away day. Supper is provided at the evening meetings and lunch at
the away days. The agenda is set by the group.
All trainers are notified of the meetings by email.
The meetings are chaired by one of the trainers, currently Dr Richard Thompson.
Richard.Thompson@gp-B82005.NHS.UK
Minutes of the meetings are kindly taken by Dr Paula Evans, these are circulated
to all trainers by email.
Meeting dates for 2011 (these may be subject to change)
Evening Workshops
Wednesday 19th January
Tuesday 14th June
Wednesday 21st September
Thursday 17th November
Away Day
Thursday 28th April
Wednesday 12th October
** Karl - We need to have the ability here to upload programmes/minutes etc as
attachments **
Re-approval
Re-approval Process for GP trainers
GP trainers are expected to meet with one of the TPDs at the Postgraduate
Centre each year for an appraisal of their work as a GP trainer. Rachael
Snelgrove will arrange the appraisal meeting and send out the paperwork.
Trainers are expected to be involved with supporting the HDR programme,
attending and contributing to The Trainer Group, and undertaking a number of
activities that support the VTS as detailed in the trainers section of the website.
Trainers are also expected to set annual educational objectives and undertake to
meet these.
A trainer also needs to take part in the Deanery re-approval process.
The trainer will be required to attend one TQA seminar every three years. At the
seminars consultation skills, teaching and quality of workplace-based
assessments will be assessed by peers, facilitated by experienced trainers/
programme directors. If a trainer cannot get to any of the TQA seminars offered
then as an alternative, in an exceptional case, they could choose to be visited
instead.
Educational Courses
Please follow this link for courses organised through the Deanery
http://www.yorksandhumberdeanery.nhs.uk/general_practice/educators_trainers/
Seminars/default.aspx
Scaling the Heights
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http://scalingtheheights.com
Scaling The Heights is an organisation of like-minded medical
educationalists based around the UK. We are committed to learnercentred teaching, and in particular valuing the individual. We believe that
by focusing on valuing one another we can contribute significantly to a
healthier and happier morale and ethos in the Health Service, and
ultimately to an improved standard of patient care. The educational
activities we provide aim to enable participants to learn more effectively
and enjoyably.
Some objectives include:
Review their current practice with regard to an identified role.
Identify their own learning needs with respect to that role.
Construct achievable outcomes related to needs.
Generate a variety of strategies to achieve these outcomes.
Identify ways in which they can determine their success in achieving the
outcomes.
Their courses can be found on this link
Carl/Stuart I imagine we will add more to this with time.
Training Resources
** Karl - I imagine we will add to this too, I’ve not unified the font and text as I
imagine that will get done when it is typed into the webpage **
For Training
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www.bradfordvts.co.uk
Lots of resources for both trainers and trainees. Find information on:
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http://www.sheffield.ac.uk/vts/resources/useful-information
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www.gp-training.net
Another great educational resource for GPs, GP trainers and doctors in
specialty training for general practice.
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www.pennine-gp-training.co.uk
Another training scheme website but again with useful tools for both
trainees and their trainers.
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www.abersychan.demon.co.uk/trtut.htm
Some great tutorials from this South Wales site.
For the e-Portfolio
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The York Guide to the e-Portfolio (download to attach please)
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www.nottm-vts.org.uk
This site has some really good resources in relation to nMRCGP. Check
out their walk-through guide to the e-portfolio.
For learning and teaching
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www.learningandteaching.info
This is one fabulous resource which will help you brush up on your
educational theory and put it into practice. Look especially at
http://www.learningandteaching.info/learning/index.htm
 www.doceo.co.uk
Another site mainly about learning and teaching at college, university and
professional levels. It concentrates on underlying principles, values and
analytical tools and the synthesis of odd ideas. Again, a really easy to
follow website.
This part of their site
http://www.doceo.co.uk/academic/learning_links.htm is really good.
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www.faculty.londondeanery.ac.uk/e-learning
Excellent e-modules in ethics, communication, patient safety and
leadership etc. They provide e-certificates on completion which can be
uploaded into your e-portfolio and are great for demonstrating learning for
your PDP.
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http://library.leeds.ac.uk/info/200159/medicine/610/medicine_training
A super resource that tells you the sort of things no one has done so
before. Things like: how to search for information on the web, how to
check out web validity, how to use the various medical databases,
managing information, referencing, keeping up to date and lots more.
Definitely worth a stop at least once in your life!
For the humanities
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http://medhum.med.nyu.edu
Here is something different for the educational portfolio: set up by New
York University school of medicine this is a database of resources
(indexed and searchable by theme) derived from art, literature, poetry and
other humanities which can be used in medical teaching.
+ lots of links to other humanities places.
For communication
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www.skillscascade.com
This collection of resources has been setup by East Anglia
Communications skills cascade facilitators to promote and support the
teaching of communication skills in health care; primarily promoting the
Calgary-Cambridge approach to the consultation.
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www.healthyinfluence.com
Healthy Influence is the new way to get what you want . . . with words.
Take years of persuasion science out of the research labs, test it in the
real world, then translate it into tools for action, and you’ve got Healthy
Influence: Communication for a Change.
Healthy Influence is applied science, using words to make behavior
change with real people in real time in the real world. It has the best, most
reliable, and most tested knowledge the smartest minds in the history of
human civilization have produced.
For clinical learning
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www.gpnotebook.co.uk
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http://cks.library.nhs.uk/home
Some people love this one because it is more evidence based than GP
notebook. Users of the former Prodigy will like this one as it is a
continuation of it. Others find that it gives too much information and is not
as snappy as GP Notebook. You decide.
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www.onmedica.co.uk
Onmedica.co.uk is an online medical publication for daily news, views,
blogs and learning.
They combine high-quality journalism with medical expertise to cater for
the daily information and professional development needs of doctors. You
can, for instance, search for material from reliable health websites in the
UK (including clinical information and leaflets). Their educational content
is peer reviewed and authors are required to declare competing interests.
It also has a clinically interactive area which can prove useful with your
trainees.
All of their content is free but you will need to complete a quick registration
process to obtain access to all of it.
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www.gplinks.co.uk
Although Google is good, it can be embarrasing to use in front of patients
as it can make you look a bit clueless. Try GP links instead which is a
customised google search which means it only looks at a set of reliable
medical websites.
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www.eguidelines.co.uk
Provides updated evidence based guidelines with a Primary Care
perspective.
Don’t forget
 YouTube
http://uk.youtube.com
We are impressed with the range of videos on YouTube showing you how
to perform various examinations - a resource many might not have
considered previously. But apart from skateboarding squirrels there are
some pretty impressive examinations, e.g. McMurray's test, Phalen's and
reverse Phalen's, general chest/abdo/cardiac examinations etc. Always
consider doing a search in YouTube - say even on something like ethics you'll be surprised at what you might find.
Other useful links
BMJ Learning
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http://learning.bmj.com/learning/main.html
Some great learning modules written by world-renowned experts, peer
reviewed and edited by doctors.
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Patient.co.uk
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www.patient.co.uk
Access some brilliant patient leaflets on diseases, investigations and even
local organisations. An essential tool for the GP consultation.
Doctors.net
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www.doctorsnet.org.uk
The bit we like is the doctors.net GP forum which can give you a very wise
overview of a subject if you are lucky, and very quickly too. Has some
fantastic learning modules too.
National Electronic Library for Health (NELH)
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www.library.nhs.uk/default.aspx
Login in with your Athens ID (which you can get free by calling your local
hospital library team). It gives access to NICE , CKS and even bandolier
and DTB which we you would otherwise have to pay for.
Links to useful organisations
Royal College of GPs
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www.rcgp.org.uk
Royal College of GPs (Yorkshire Faculty Site)
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www.rcgp.org.uk/default.aspx?page=1054
Listing local faculty courses many of which are orientated to making your
working life easier. Yorkshire RCGP faculty is growing and people are
finding it more and more useful. This not only includes GPs, but trainees
too (referred to as AITs). Take a look and see what they can do for you.
UKAPD - UK Association of Programme Directors
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www.aco.org.uk
The UKAPD is the only national body representing the views of
Programme Directors in Britain and has been in existence since 1984. The
first National conference was held in 1985 when it was agreed by
delegates that the primary aim of ACO (Association of Course Organisers
as it was then known) was educational. Since then the UKAPD has
continued to thrive and now has 400 members nationwide. The ACO
linked Journal of Education in Primary Care (published bi-monthly by
Radcliffe Medical Press) continues to provide relevant and stimulating
articles and resources for all Primary Care Educators.
NAPCE - National Association of Primary Care Educators
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www.napce.net
The National Association of Primary Care Educators has a network of
expert educationalists across the country. They have a valuable role in
mentoring, teaching and facilitating continued professional development
for Primary Care Educators around the UK. Take a look at their website
and see what benefits they might have for you.
culminating in the annual residential conference which rotates around the
UK deaneries.