UKFPO Bulletin
April Bulletin
Stress Awareness Month
Other national campaigns this month
Action for happiness calendar – ‘Active April’
Introduction
Welcome to the April bulletin!
I hope that things are going well. April means moving into the last post of the training year for most Foundation Programme doctors, and I wish everyone success in their new placement.
Sharing good practice
Last week, Medical Education Leaders (UK) and UKFPO jointly hosted a one-day event in Birmingham about sharing good practice in Foundation Programme training. It has been a pleasure to attend this on many occasions in the past, and this year was no exception, with a wide variety of extremely good oral presentations and posters that highlight some of the excellent innovation in training that is currently going on throughout the UK in the Foundation Programme.
I was pleased to see the emphasis on support for doctors new to the NHS, on NHS England’s generalist enhance programme and on the importance of social determinants of health. As we move towards the 20th anniversary of the start of the Foundation Programme in August 2025, it is important to me that everyone involved remains committed to ensuring that our new doctors are equipped with the skills that 21st century patients need.
The end nears…
No, not the title of a horror film – rather a reminder that the end of the training year, and your ARCP, is rapidly approaching.
If you are not sure about what you need to do for your ARCP, then get in touch with your educational supervisor and/or your training programme director to find out. Other resident doctors, particularly foundation doctors who have been through the process before, will be able to help you. There is ARCP guidance on the UKFPO website, and two weeks ago there was an excellent webinar about preparing for ARCP, which you can access from the UKFPO webinars webpage if you did not see it first time around.
It is very important that you get everything done for your ARCP that you need to do, so if you are not sure, ask someone who knows!
As ever, look after yourselves and each other.
Best wishes
Dr Mike Masding, Co-chair of the UKFPO
Reflection
Have you reflected on what you’ve learned and experienced during FP so far?
Are there any specific skills and behaviours you want to focus on during your last placement?
Is there anything you would like to achieve personally?
Spotlight on educational resources
ARCP preparation
ARCP is approaching – make sure you’re taking time to review your e-portfolio, speak to your supervisor and plan what else you need to do before June. For further information and guidance, see our ARCP microsite.
Sharing good practice
We have collected lots of examples of good practice in FP over the years on our sharing good practice webpage. These could help you generate ideas of what else you might like to get involved with during your foundation training, either by joining an existing initiative or creating your own!
Webinars
Coming up
Recordings
The following recordings are now available on our webinars webpage:
‘Preparing for your ARCP – Time to polish up your e-portfolio’, held on 19 March
‘National Foundation Doctors Presentation Day 2025 – winning presentation and reflections’, held on 28 February
If there are any specific topics you think we have missed or you wish for us to cover in our educational webinar series, please send your suggestions to foundation.educationandsupport@nhs.net
Opportunities and events
Humans of the Foundation Programme
See our ‘Humans of the Foundation Programme’ webpage for details of this exciting creative writing initiative, including the submission form for articles of your own, and published articles.
New articles published this month:
- ‘Words and Thoughts’ – Dr Kesri Gajadhar
- ‘Journey of learning and teaching’ – Dr Teck Yon Lee
- ‘Can I be more than a Doctor?’ – Dr Charlie Price
- ‘Nightshift’ – Dr Katie Rooney
BSACI Medical Scholarships Scheme 2025 for doctors interested in Adult Allergy and Clinical Immunology
BSACI is offering financial support to resident doctors to facilitate their ability to attend the BSACI Annual Conference 2025 at the ICC Wales on Thursday 16 and Saturday 18 October. The scholarships scheme is open to FY2 doctors, Clinical Fellows and IMT doctors in the UK. The deadline to apply is Monday 28 April 2025.
See the BSACI medical scholarships scheme 2025 poster for more details.
TIPSQI Free national foundation doctor QI conference – 17 June 2025 18:00-21:00
This virtual national conference this summer will showcase the excellent quality improvement work undertaken by foundation doctors across the UK; as well as the opportunity to learn more about quality improvement from a keynote speaker (TBC).
Abstracts are now welcome via the submission form, which is also available through the conference Eventbrite page or by contacting the team at tipsshowcase@gmail.com. Submission deadline is 2 May 2025.
GMC National training survey (NTS) – closes 7 May 2025
The 2025 GMC NTS is open until 7 May 2025. All UK foundation doctors are encouraged to complete the survey.
The NTS is run every year to gain a comprehensive picture of the experiences of doctors in training and trainers across the UK. The survey is a core part of the GMC’s work to monitor and report on the quality of postgraduate medical education and training. Case studies highlighting the survey’s impact are available on the GMC website.
Elearning for healthcare update
Review the March 2025 elfh update