Study Leave Policy for GP School in Yorkshire and the Humber Deanery

Introduction

This policy applies within all localities of the Yorkshire and Humber Deanery .It is guidance for GP and the primary policy remains the deanery policy Accessing Postgraduate Medical and Dental Education and Training to achieve Curriculum Competencies; A Handbook for Doctors and Dentists in Training.

The training schemes will be responsible for managing the study leave budget through the whole of the training programme (including the hospital posts) rather than post by post.

This policy describes how the available funding for study leave will be shared out and managed. It is possible that there will be challenges to the long term funding of study leave at the levels existing in 2009.

Core Educational Principles

  1. Study leave is intended to support the personal development plan of the trainee that has been agreed by the Educational Supervisor.
  2. Study leave that prepares the trainee for the requirements of the core curriculum defined by the RCGP and RCGP membership examination is prioritised above any personal learning interest or development towards a potential role as a GPSI even though this interest is included within the GP curriculum

Deanery principles

  1. Courses that are run for the whole of the local training scheme will take priority over courses for examinations or other courses.
  2. Local courses get priority over more distant courses. Therefore study leave for courses in preparation for the membership will generally only be approved for locally run courses, unless there is not a suitable local course available in the relevant time frame.
  3. Study leave needed for day or half day release will take priority over other demands for study leave unless there is an explicit decision that the trainee does not (for a defined time frame) need to attend the release scheme (e.g. because has completed all assessments and has identified a particular learning need, or has been part time on the scheme for a long period and the release course is repetitive). For all those attending the release course there is a clear expectation that they will achieve the locality (or scheme) defined attendance expected. It should be clear from each scheme to all trainees on the scheme how many days per year are taken up by scheme organised release programmes and core courses.
  4. Study leave can only be taken from posts if there is agreement from the clinical team (consultant or trainer) and the rota manager; Service needs must be fulfilled.
  5. The study leave year runs concurrently with the ST year, leave can be taken with consent slightly unevenly from different posts in the year but consent for this must be obtained from the CS and Rota organiser for the time when the leave will be taken (not necessarily therefore the current CS and Rota manager).
  6. Flexible trainees should be treated equitably and will normally have access to study leave pro rata , and a Personal Development Plan etc conforming to exactly the same principles as other trainees
  7. Study leave is intended to support adult learning and development (COPMED statement 2006) and should be cost effectively managed
  8. If study leave is approved then the national terms and conditions apply i.e. travel and associated costs.
  9. If there is an expectation of the GPSTR returning to work after the study leave ( e.g. for an evening shift immediately after a day time course) then this does not qualify as study leave.

Amount of leave

The study leave entitlement is currently a maximum of 30 days per annum in total for all training grades, as defined within your national Terms and Conditions.

Education and training activity that occurs within the workplace, such as teaching ward rounds, regular weekly teaching/tutorial meetings, journal clubs and protected teaching time within the working week does not count against your study leave entitlement. (i.e. if you leave work and are required to return to work from the activity this does not count as study leave.)

Training activity that is ARRANGED AS an integral part of your School’s local educational programme WILL be counted against your leave entitlement. You still need to apply for this leave to ensure that service delivery is not compromised. If you do not attend the number of sessions/days that are required by the School programme, your access to alternative leave activities may well be restricted.

Organisational Practicalities

  1. Study leave will only be granted for learning needs which are on the PDP
  2. Study leave must be agreed by the Educational Supervisor
  3. Study leave must be approved by the responsible GP Programme Director.
  4. Study leave must also be signed for by the Clinical supervisor and if appropriate the local Rota manager

(e mail confirmation of assent from the relevant people or attachment of the rota demonstrating the individual is known to be unavailable is acceptable but must be attached to applications).

5.Study leave must be requested 8 weeks in advance of the course

6.Charges; some courses will still ask for an up front payment by the trainee though this will later be fully reimbursed for those that attend but not for those who fail to attend.

7.part funding of study leave is not accepted under current contracts.

Exam Leave

Trainees will be granted leave with pay and expenses (other than examination fees) for the purpose of sitting an examination for a higher qualification where it is necessary as part of an approved, structured training programme and meets curriculum requirements. Leave will be granted without expenses for second and subsequent attempts at the same examination. Where it is essential for doctors and dentists in training to obtain an appropriate higher qualification, financial support will not be provided to allow them to obtain the equivalent qualification of more than one College/Faculty.

Appeals

Where there are appeals against the decision by the local scheme to agree study leave these should be made to the scheme office with an accompanying letter explaining why the GPSTR feels that the School of GP in Yorkshire and the Humber Deanery process has not been appropriately applied. The local scheme will pass the appeal to be reviewed by the APD for the scheme in conjunction with the Deputy Director for GP. The details of the process for appealing are detailed in the Deanery policy titled Accessing Postgraduate Medical and Dental Education and Training to achieve Curriculum Competencies; A Handbook for Doctors and Dentists in Training

Notes

Diplomas (DRCOG, DCH, DGM)

Although these are not necessary for the development of the core knowledge and skills for nMRCGP, they may be of interest to some GP StRs, especially those who may wish to pursue a special interest. If progress towards certification is satisfactory and there have been no concerns, study leave will be available to sit these exams Leave will be granted without expenses. . Funding will not be guaranteed for preparation courses for these diplomas but may be available at the Scheme’s discretion.

GP Update/Refresher/Hot Topics Courses

The school of GP would not usually approve or fund requests to attend the above courses. These are not considered to be the most effective way to prepare for AKT and if a trainee has already passed AKT, their knowledge has been assessed as up-to-date, evidence-based and of a standard required for independent GP Practice so attending a course would therefore not be useful or productive use of study leave.

Commercial “crammer” courses will not normally be funded.

College and other courses

From time to time the local faculty of the RCGP arranges courses (usually one day) which whilst mainly targeted as CPD for GPs post GPSTP may be appropriate for GP StRs in the latter stages of training.

Other courses (minor surgery etc.)may also be appropriate for those who have completed AKT,CSA and demonstrated high performance at their WPBA

Though this study leave will have lower funding priority than courses for the core curriculum.

Private Study (i.e. time approved for study without funding)

The authorisation of requests for private leave is discretionary and is subject to the support and formal approval of the local Deputy Director of GP Education, Educational Supervisor and Training Programme Directors. Private study leave will count towards the study leave entitlement and should only be awarded in exceptional circumstances e.g. immediately prior to examinations. No more than 2 days in preparation for an exam and no more than 3 days in total during one ST year.

GP re-orientation study leave

It is important for GPSTRs to be able to maintain a GP focus. This can be difficult to achieve during their time in hospital posts. To allow periodic contact with GP and often with their GP Educational supervisor ( and enable Educational supervisor reviews based on recent experience of the GPSTR’s work the school supports use on days that can be suitably negotiated with the CS, rota organiser etc of Re-orientation study leave.

This leave may include several or all of the following:

  • Returning to the first training practice to re-orientate to GP, including undertaking a surgery and/or home visits and debriefing,
  • Returning to first training practice to carry out or complete audit or change management project (as required for ARCP record of experience),
  • Educational Supervision meetings as well as other activities during the day in GP.

Appendix 3

Whilst not always complete the following is a list of currently (2.11) available stand alone courses aimed at the particular needs of GPSTRs.

Courses which trainees may want to consider (availability of these will vary between schemes and within localities )

Please discuss with your ES and or TPD re local availability and when thee are most suitably taken

AKT preparation (all schemes)

Focussed preparation for the knowledge based examination is only part of the course. A significant part of the course is aimed at improving critical appraisal of evidence and accessing / understanding common data appropriately and successfully.

Care of the Acutely ill (All schemes in West and NEYNL )

The Course focuses on Common and Serious conditions that may present as an emergency in the Primary Care setting. It should enable GPR’s to be well prepared prior to attending sessions with their Clinical Supervisor in Out of Hours (OOH) Care

Managing emergencies in General Practice (Pennine)
A training course for managing emergencies in General Practice – a one day course covering CPR & AED accreditation & managing medical and non medical emergencies in primary care

CPR and AED training (All Schemes)

All GPs are expected to maintain appropriate CPT skills for the posts that they are undertaking. This will include PLS for those doing Paediatrics and BLS for all hospital posts. They much complete their training with a certificate of CPT and AED competence.

CSA preparation (All Schemes)

There are various different preparation courses available in the deanery. In collaboration with the local faculties there is a college approved trainee preparation course. There is also ( in WYLO) a CSA familiarisation course which is designed for trainers and GPSTRs. For those who have failed CSA there is a special course which used the feedback statements to and group reflection and sharing to develop skills

All schemes in addition provide a CSA practice day at scheme level annually to support the preparation for CSA.

CSA Feedback ( re-takers)

Normally run about 4w after each set of CSA results and specifically tailored to use the feedback that those who have not passed have received. This course is run for the whole deanery and all those who have failed CSA will normally be invited

Administrator for this course is Leanne Sorby in the Leeds office

Dermatology Course (Sheffield &….)

(2 days)

This course has been designed especially for the GPSTP and the feedback has been excellent. It is run twice a year in May and November. Attendance is advised but not essential and would be very appropriate during any hospital or final GP post.

It is not recommended that trainees attend the dermatology course in the first 4 month GP post as they should spend as much time as possible in the GP setting. Anybody who wants to do this course during their first GP post should always discuss this with their ES as well as with their trainer.

Consultation Skills Training – a two day `survival course' for GP Trainees new to General Practice (Pennine)
Aimed at GP Registrars in ST1 & ST2, this course is very interactive and will help you develop confidence within the consultation and improve your consultation skills.

‘Do you Speak English’ Course (Sheffield &…)

An increasing proportion of GP consultations are with patients who have limited English, or none at all. These consultations are always more challenging, and usually more time consuming, than the average. The use of interpreters, however helpful, creates added challenges and pitfalls. To enhance our consultation teaching skills to support the current consultation skills and CSA teaching, a one day course is offered in Sheffield on a hospital group teaching day for trainees to improve their skills with such consultations. The course includes a variety of presentations, DVDs and exercises and includes working in small groups on simulated consultations involving patients with broken English and with various kinds of interpreter.

ENT course (Sheffield &…)

(1 day)

This course covers core knowledge and skills in a clinical area most GP StRs have limited clinical training in but which forms an important part of the GP workload.

This course is run in Sheffield as part of the GPSTP Day Release Course once or twice a year for GPSTP teaching group.

Exit (post CSA) Course (several largely WYLO)

Providing focussed input to look at skills needed for independent practice, obtaining work, organisational and management aspects of primary care as salaried GP or partner.

Family Planning Theory Course – has been replaced with the new DFSRH training package ( different ways to provide but FP training in all schemes)

As of January 2010 the Diploma in Family Planning will be replaced by a new blended learning package, underpinned by an e-portfolio which will be used as a record of progress and as a learning tool in its own right.

The training programme consists of the following elements;

  1. E-SRH (electronic learning package) approx 20 hours, the online learning must be completed before proceeding to Part 2
  2. Course of 5 sessions, comprising 5 one hour sessions with fixed content
  3. Clinical experience, which may take place in a variety of locations including community clinics and general practice

Trainees should start the diploma at a suitable point in their training, and will be expected to be able to perform basic procedures such as pelvic examination and giving intramuscular injections before they proceed to Part 3, clinical assessments.

Contraception and HRT in the consultation - A guide for GP Trainees (Pennine)
This one day course is aimed at GPSTs new to General Practice. It's a very practical course which helps equip you with the knowledge and skills for managing contraception and HRT issues which commonly arise in GP consultations.

Family Planning Practical Sessions ( all schemes)

All trainees who have previously obtained the Diploma in Family Planning Theory Course have 3 years in which to undertake their practical sessions. You should arrange these sessions yourself with the Central Health Clinic and claim reimbursement from the GPSTP office in the usual way.

Induction Course (most schemes)

Details vary between schemes as do the days on which these are provided. The objective of this course willnormally include looking at material covered in chapters 1 and 2 of the GP curriculum and developing the study skills and group work skills necessary for GGP and adult learning.

Minor surgery (various schemes and faculty providers)

Providing skills to ensure safe GP surgical practice, core skills and compliance with normal primary care health and safety regulations.

Musculoskeletal courses (Sheffield & ..l)

Objectives include ensuring competent examination and assessment of any musculoskeletal problem as well as use of brief assessment tools like GALS

Safeguarding Children Course (SYLO Specifically aimed at GP trainees this is available and compulsory for all trainees. It is a prerequisite that the GPSTR has completed successfully defined e-learning. The first day of the course is skills based looking at the different skills needed to identify potential safeguarding issues, to broach the subject and to ensure a successful referral. The follow on half day looks at the Community Orientation aspect of Child protection, the importance of knowing who else is likely to be involved and what the GPs role may be.