Peninsula Foundation School Committee Minutes
Wednesday 6th March 2024 Plumer House, Plymouth and via MS Teams
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Present:
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Apologies:
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1. Apologies
SM confirmed apologies received from those listed above. SM also confirmed that unfortunately Trudi Geach would no longer be working in the school follow the decision by NHSE not to further extend her temporary contract. In her absence SM passed on TGs apologies that she did not have a chance to say goodbye to everyone. Her departure was unexpected. Trusts are requested to contact the school if something has been missed. AC asked that particular attention be given to out of synch doctors ARCPs to ensure that none are missed.
2. Agree meeting notes from Nov 2023 Foundation School Committee Meeting.
SM confirmed that both her and AC are continuing to try and engage with the two local Medical Schools. SM reported the turnover of staff has been quite high recently but they will continue to work to build relations with both schools. SM has now managed to visit both schools to deliver presentations to 4th year students and will be attending a preparing for F1 day in Plymouth in May. Remove Action.
SM has been unable to obtain any further breakdown of the placement money allocated to trusts. Finance information is not forthcoming and with the restructure of deanery teams this is unlikely to change in the near future so action will need to be removed.
Local Foundation Reps – AW and RW have tried to engage but not had much success. SM suggested that all trusts with local informal foundation doctor reps send their contact details to SM and she will contact them to ask permission to share their details with our elected Reps.
Action: Local trust teams to send the contact details of any informal foundation doctor representatives/mess reps etc. to SM who will contact them and ask if they are willing to be put in contact with our FSC reps.
Foundation Fellows – AC has requested ongoing funding, but currently there are no funds available. AC asked Foundation reps to promote the UKFPO opportunity to be a UKFPO fellow in their F2 year, it would be good to have a Peninsula F2 selected. Entries will be capped at 100 so they will need to submit an application on the opening day. Action
SM reported she is trying to email F2s advance notice of courses being put onto MAXCOURSE but is aware that she had been late with some of them – SM will continue to try and improve communication and notice periods. Action closed.
Buddy system from Torbay. RW reported this had been sent to TG. SM asked RW to resend. RW confirmed that the team are currently looking at the final feedback before disseminating. Action
AC to look into increasing FPP offer under the Enhance Explore offer. Carry over action.
ALS vs ILS – Action closed, resus training now given at induction and team assess those that will need 2 day course as opposed to one day course. IMGs are given dates for later in the academic year so they have a chance to settle into the NHS.
AC to summarise new Quality Panel process AC confirmed this has now been done. BW confirmed as a lay rep he is happy to take on which ever role on a Quality Panel that suits the trust. Action Closed
3. Trainee Rep Matters
RW only present not much to feedback – still trying to engage with other trust Foundation Doctor representatives (see actions above). Very few placements giving F2s outpatients opportunities. AC noted that this should be in job descriptions. Community is a curriculum requirement.
Action: F2 programme directors to remind departments they need to facilitate outpatient opportunities.
AC asked that up to date Job descriptions be obtained for those departments that have not provided one recently. It was suggested that a clinical supervisor in the department could do this or ask their F2s to. FB stated that the F2s writing the job descriptions worked very well in North Devon and they even managed to turn it into a Quip. AC asked FB to share template with SM so she can send out as best practice.
Action: All trusts to again try and obtain up to date Job Descriptions for F1 and F2 jobs.
Action: SM to send out North Devon template as best practice.
4. Psychiatry update and introduction
No Psych Rep present
5. Foundation School Directors Update
SFP recruitment. AC outlined the new process by which SFP programmes will be recruited to from August 2025 start. The old system of application, white spaced questions and then a shortlisting and interview process will no longer take place. All SFP jobs will now be entered into the main FP recruitment round and all applicants will have an equal chance in securing a SFP programme. This method has already been adopted in Wales. This has caused some concern amongst the academic faculty and discussions are ongoing locally and nationally.
Historically the more able candidates have been appointed as they can generally cope better with obtaining the required F2 competencies whilst only working clinically at 60%.
The new PIA system of allocation may mean that someone not able to cope with the demands of the programme or someone who really does not want to be an academics may be randomly allocated an academic programme.
SM stated that one option if it is still available next would be to put all the SFP programmes into the FPP round.
Following a general discussion it was agreed that there should be the option open to the ARCP to recommend the removal of the academic component if an appointed doctor is deemed unsuitable for an academic F2 year. This is to be made clear in all advertising of the future programmes.
Programme completion dates
AC reported that there had been a lot of discussion both nationally and regionally re F2s completing their training earlier. AC stressed that FY1 is both time based and competency based – there are no exceptions to this GMC requirement a F1 cannot complete in less than 12 months.
F2: For a trainee to be considered for an earlier sign off date the training will need to be accelerated and they must request to be considered for acceleration at their penultimate ARCP date. The penultimate ARCP for most Foundation Doctors is their F1 ARCP. So theoretically a F1 can ask to be considered to accelerate their F2 by a minimum of 4 months. AC felt that the likelihood of an ARCP panel agreeing to this at the level of F1 meant there will never be a scenario that this would be possible.
If a doctor applies to train on a less than full time basis for F2, their end date and ARCP will change. At this point they will have already had their penultimate ARCP so cannot request acceleration.
RT was concerned that F1s have been told that if they go LTFT for F2 they can still finish in August.
AC stated that if a F2 goes LTFT for one placement only they MAY still be able to finish in August in exceptional circumstances. Their portfolio would have to be exemplary and considered to be in the top 5% of the country. Again they cannot request acceleration as this time would be less than 4 months minimum.
AC also confirmed that any F1s requesting an acceleration will need to have raised it with their ES before their F1 ARCP.
Action: AC will seek further clarification from the UKFPO and then put guidance together that can be sent out to all Foundation doctors.
Oversubscription was discussed later in the meeting.
6. Enhance
There is a push nationally for Foundation doctors to engage with the Enhance programme. AC asked if there had been any local interest. The FS team will look at the F2 regional teaching programme to rebadge any that can be counted towards Enhance. AC confirmed Certification is overseen by local Education team.
Action: AC and SR to review F2 regional teaching to rebadge those that can be counted towards the Enhance programme.
Action: AC will send out guidance on certification and provide a video presentation on the Enhance programme to be played at F1 teaching.
7. Education Update
SR Education Lead for the Peninsula delivered the attached slide presentation. Her presentation highlighted the F1 regional teaching programme for the next 12 months. It also highlighted the areas of the F2 curriculum where we already had good coverage, where we had some and where we are currently lacking. The number of regional teaching hours provided by each trust in comparison with those provided by the region was discussed. SR concluded with the areas where we needed to improve the current F2 teaching offer.
TF had now introduced a rolling F1 programme covering the more difficult areas of the F1 curriculum requirements. TF is gathering feedback and will collate in July to deliver to the FSC in September.
EH asked re the dates for next year’s programme – and after a discussion it was agreed that the trusts would pick suitable dates. These would then need to be published in good time. All sessions would be 2 hours and TF would obtain the consensus on what time to start the sessions.
8. General Practice Update
No representative available
9. Recruitment Update
SM delivered the attached recruitment update.
SFP F1 2024 Only the research SFP jobs were recruited via the interview process. 292 applications for 20 SW jobs. 2 research in Exeter and 3 in PHT recruited to them all.
FPP Only just concluded for F1 2024. ND had 2 x 3 Year posts in ND. Only filled one of the 2. Offered to someone who ranked by mistake. All Med Ed and Leadership Academic posts have been filled through this process.
The ND post not filled through the FPP will go into the main allocation round.
Main FP round. SM confirmed the following: 265 jobs on oriel including FPP. We will be allocated 302 applications on 7th March. 37 posts short. UKFPO based number on modelling of previous years behaviours. The UKFPO’ prediction that 37 applicants will withdraw is based on historical data and behaviours. No SJT or academic scores this year due to PIA allocation. In previous years we have had lower applicants and IMGs who would have applied elsewhere and subsequently withdrawn. Modelling is historic and we don’t know what PIA will do to the ranking behaviours of this year’s cohort. The modelling also allows for our historic high rate of IMG allocations. SM felt that as this year is not score based the IMGs are not likely to preference PEN due to our location. In conclusion the actual numbers we will need is very hard to predict.
7th March 302 will be allocated. The applicants will have until 28th March to rank all programmes. Cohort one will be allocated on 11th April. 37 placeholder placements are being created to accommodate the shortfall of jobs we currently have. On 15th May the school will look at number of withdrawals and to try and determine how many additional programmes we will need. There are two further national allocation to programme dates one on 30th May and the last allocation on 4th July – all applicants will need to have their placement confirmed by 4th July. SM pointed out that late withdrawals happen past the 4th of July so there is a risk that there will still be vacancies if extra posts are created.
Candidates will be randomly allocated to programmes. That means that some very good applicants could be allocated to a placeholder programme.
Applicants first choice school will all be looked at first. If not their first choice has no places left then the applicant will be skipped and the algorithm will come back to them in the second pass. The UKFPO are hoping that more will get first choice. There are 18 schools across the country. Historically an average of 74% got their first choice based on old system. On new system they predict that 78% get a better choice with PIA. The revised system went out to consultation. SM reported though that some medical students did not know or understand the PIA process.
- Could have a completely differ calibre this cohort. London on old system if you were averagely good would not have got in but with PIA you might.
- UK grads could sit in placeholder posts whilst IMGs are in a post.
- Those who have worked really hard doing extra degrees are disadvantaged now.
- Pre-allocation process still in place for those with special circumstances.
There are some negatives but positives for the region. IMGs will be spread around the country. This might mean we have less doctors who need extra support.
F2 Standalone – Currently as a school we have 19 vacancies. 240 nationally. Any F2s needing extensions will need to be placed in these posts if extension over 6 months.
Action: Let SM know by 15th April if there are any F2 doctors that are going to need extensions longer than 6 months.
SM thanked those that had volunteered to help with the National F2 SA interviews. The UKFPO are leading on it and all guidance and links will come from the national team. There has been an exceptionally high number of applications. Only those who have the highest SJT scores will get an interview.
Changes for 2025 recruitment to FP
- no SFP incorporated in to main FP round. Maybe we can add research in to FPP.
- Eligibility criteria – any coming in will have to provide evidence that GMC considers them eligible. Hoping to sort out GMC registration issues.
AC stated that the school did not know how this year’s allocation to F1 is going to turn out. There is a chance that 37 placeholders won’t be needed. What do we do? UKFPO have stated it is a local decision has to how we manage the process.
It is unlikely that any new programmes created will not be used year on year but there is no guarantee. The UKFPO and government have confirmed that tariff funding only including community will be available. At the moment only F1 programme details will be needed if F2 programmes cannot be confirmed yet.
AC is working with the PG dean on a document to send to trust chief execs outlining that we will come to them in May for posts. Requests need to go above TPDs due to financial constraints.
If we create jobs, we all know that late withdrawals create vacancies that can’t be filled.
AR felt that May is too late to create posts and that we were being put in an impossible situation. AC confirmed the expectation that the placeholders will start jobs in August.
There is apparently an English Dean’s paper asking for F1 recruitment to be removed from the recruitment freeze in trusts.
Concerns were raised about the educational balance of placements and finding supervisors. There was a concern that a hastily put together unbalanced programme would give the trainee a bad experience possibly deterring them from staying in region for specialty training – would not aid retention. Quality could not be assured and high-quality supervision cannot be created if done at short notice.
AC agreed with all the comments made but the UKFPO message is coming through strongly that we just need programmes and that balance is a nice to have.
Nationally it was suggested converting F2 standalone programmes into F1 programmes but Ac confirmed the Peninsula F2 SA vacant posts are not suitable.
AC also confirmed that Severn need between 11-29 extra programmes. Nationally some regions want extra and some like us are struggling.
AC stressed that as a school we appreciated what is happening on the ground, but we are required to find the jobs. It was flet that if the request was made at a higher level it takes away some anxiety.
SM also announced that we have had more offers of F2 GP placements than were needed in every trust apart from Plymouth. Any expansion programmes could potentially include some more GP placements (apart from Plymouth).
10. A.O.B
Absence. Industrial action counts as absence and to be included on doctor’s form R under paid/unpaid leave – it does not need to be specified as industrial action. If total absence exceeds 20 days then the whole portfolio must be reviewed with scrutiny by the Head of School and a decision made by the ARCP panel
Next FSC will include an ARCP workshop session.
Ange thanked everyone for coming. The meeting concluded.
Future meeting dates
Wednesday 15th May 13:30 – 17:00 (will be afternoon but timings to be confirmed)
Wednesday 18th September 13:30 – 17:00 (will be afternoon but timings to be confirmed)
Wednesday 20th November 09:00 – 13:00 (will be morning but timings to be confirmed)
Actions for Review:
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Agenda Item |
FSC Member |
Action |
By When |
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2 |
FSC Reps and School |
UKFPO Foundation Fellows vacancies all to encourage applications |
Application deadline |
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RW |
To resend feedback on Buddy System in Torbay to SM |
Next meeting |
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AC |
Look into increasing FPP under the Enhance Explore Offer |
Ongoing |
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All Trust Teams |
Local trust teams to send the contact details of any informal foundation doctor representatives/mess reps etc. to SM who will contact them and ask if they are willing to be put in contact with our FSC reps. |
Next meeting |
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3 |
F2 Programme Directors |
Remind departments of the need to facilitate outpatient opportunities |
Next meeting |
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FPDS and Admins |
Request updated JD for those jobs that have not provided one recently. Consider asking the clinical supervisors to provide or to delegate to the F2s in their departments – consider using North Devon template. |
Ongoing |
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SM |
To send out North Devon Template to other trusts when received from North Devon |
Next meeting |
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5 |
AC |
Contact the UKFPO for further clarification and guidance re LTFT completion dates and then send out updated guidance to all trusts/FDs |
Next meeting |
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6 |
AC |
Send guidance to all trusts on Enhance certification and record and distribute a presentation for delivery in F1 teaching |
Next meeting |
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AC & SR |
Rebadge regional teaching to include Enhance suitability |
Ongoing |
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7 |
School |
To ensure TF has opportunity to deliver feedback on F1 regional teaching in September FSC |
Next meeting |
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9 |
All Trusts |
Let SM know by 15th April of any likely F2 extensions over 6 months required |
15th April |
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All Trusts |
Prepare for additional F1 programmes being required for August 2024 start |
4th July |
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