Bulletin – June 2026

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Image of the word 'June' written in orange text with branches and flowers surrounding the word

Volunteers’ Week – 1-7June

Diabetes Awareness Week – 8-14 June 2026

National Clean Air Day – 18 June

Other national campaigns this month

Action for happiness calendar – Joyful June

Introduction

We are right in the middle of ARCP season. I reflected on ARCPs in last month’s bulletin, and I hope that this has gone well for everyone.

Getting out and about

Last month, I was asked to talk at the annual conference of the National Association of Medical Education Managers (NAMEM) about the work of the UKFPO and how the Foundation Programme works. It was great to meet so many amazing people who are totally committed to ensuring that UK postgraduate medical education is carried out to a high standard at local level. If you don’t know the name of the person leading medical education at your hospital, trust or board, then please go and find out, and maybe give them some appreciation for all the work that they have done over the past training year.

In the same week, I was also at a meeting of the Medical Schools Council where it was fascinating to hear about the issues of the day for medical schools. Again, there were so many highly committed and enthusiastic people, who clearly want to make undergraduate medical education work as well as possible despite the funding constraints that are as present in higher education as they are in healthcare.

I was saddened that we still had to talk about how medical students are treated by senior doctors in the NHS setting, including having to discuss sexual safety. If there’s a medical student on your team, then please try to make them feel welcome, know their name, get them immersed in the care provided by you. There’s a wealth of literature showing the importance for professional learning of feeling involved as part of a team, so by being inclusive with medical students, you are helping the doctors of tomorrow learn today!

Post-ARCP opportunities

By the time you read this, you will have submitted all of your evidence for ARCP and panels will be underway. However, it is important that you continue to maintain your high personal and professional standards, even though your ARCP is done. One of the reasons that we prefer people not to look at ARCP as an exam is that learning in postgraduate medical education occurs all year round for the benefit of your all-round professional development, not just to get through ARCP, which is an assessment of where you are at that point in time.

There are still lots of learning opportunities available:

  • Reflect on your ARCP – the process of completing your e-portfolio, what worked and what didn’t, think about how you could use this learning in the future
  • Are there clinical learning opportunities? Could you use some time to go to an outpatient clinic? A different clinical setting, an operating theatre session?
  • Continue to attend local teaching sessions
  • There are regional and national learning opportunities that you could attend, as advertised elsewhere in this bulletin (for example, online genomics teaching developed especially for foundation doctors)

As ever, look after yourselves and each other.

Dr Mike Masding
National Clinical Director
UKFPO

Notices and announcements

F2 Career Destination Survey 2026

The UKFPO has run an F2 Career Destination Survey (CDS) since 2010 – have a look at the insightful reports from these surveys on our Reports webpage. The CDS had to be discontinued during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, and we were finally able to bring it back in 2024, by piloting a new, shorter version. The published results from the 2024 and 2025 surveys have already contributed to the development of policy changes.

We are running the survey again this year – it will be open for all F2 doctors to complete between Monday 29 June and Thursday 13 August 2026. The link will be shared with all eligible doctors on 29 June. If you are an F2 doctor, please take 5 minutes to fill in this important survey! You will receive a confirmation of completion, which you can include in your e-portfolio.

Spotlight on educational resources

A case based introduction to genomics and its relevance to your everyday practice – Monday 8 June 2026 1:30pm-4:30pm

The South West Genomic Medicine Service (based in south west England) is offering an interactive online case-based introduction to genomics for UK foundation doctors. Attendance is free and you need to sign up to receive joining details. All the information is available on our ‘A case based introduction to genomics’ events page.

The NHS 10 Year Health Plan for England positions genomics as a core pillar for shifting care from reactive treatment to proactive prevention. The plan emphasises that by 2035, genomics will be an integral, daily part of NHS care.

Key genomic initiatives:

  • Universal Newborn Genomic Testing: Genomics England will complete the Generation Study to inform a national roll out, targeting over 200 rare genetic conditions
  • Cancer Care: Comprehensive genomic testing will be routine to guide personalised treatment choices
  • Rare Diseases: Rare genetic conditions are diseases caused by DNA mutations, generally affecting fewer than 1 in 2,000 people. While over 7,000 unique conditions exist, they collectively impact millions.
  • Pharmacogenomics: Integrating genetic testing into over 40s NHS health checks to tailor prescriptions and prevent adverse drug reactions
  • R14 genetic test is NHS rapid whole genome (or exome) sequencing test. It is used for acutely unwell babies and children (typically in NICU or PICU), where immediate results are required to guide emergency clinical treatment

All of the initiative topics will be included in the agenda on 8 June – sign up to ‘A case based introduction to genomics’

Video series on doing research for newer researchers

WE-R NHS has created a series of 9 videos on ‘Doing Research’ (available on YouTube for free). Aimed at the newer researcher, these videos cover a range of topics including research ethics, quantitative and qualitative research methods, setting up surveys and focus groups as well as much more. These free videos would be of interest to anyone undertaking research projects for the first time.

SCRIPT elearning – Module spotlight

To mark Diabetes Awareness Week (8-14 June), see key modules to help build your confidence in safely and effectively managing diabetes mellitus during your foundation training:

  • Diabetes: Insulin Part 1 and Diabetes: Insulin Part 2 – explores how to safely prescribe insulin, outlines the different insulin profiles and regimens available, and introduces the principles of prescribing Variable Rate Intravenous Insulin Infusions (VRIII).
  • Diabetes: Antihyperglycaemic Medicines – covers the pharmacological management pathway of type 2 diabetes mellitus and describes the main classes of antihyperglycaemic medicines.
  • Medical Emergencies in Diabetes – discusses the emergency management of hypoglycaemia, diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) and hyperosmolar hyperglycaemic state (HHS).

All foundation doctors have free access to SCRIPT. You can sign up and access SCRIPT here: https://foundation.safeprescriber.org/login

Webinars

Recent webinars

See our Webinars page for recordings of all UKFPO webinars.

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

RCOG Careers Day – 13 June 2026

This free virtual event is designed for medical students and foundation doctors considering a career in O&G, offering insights into the specialty, career pathways and training opportunities.

In collaboration with The British Undergraduate Society for O&G (BUSOG), this event will feature inspiring talks from leaders in the field, key information about career progression and training, interactive Q&A sessions and on-demand access to talks from O&G specialist societies.

For more information, including the programme and registration details, visit the RCOG Careers Day 2026 registration page.

TIPSQI: free national foundation doctor QI conference – 30 June 2026 6:00pm-9:00pm

This virtual national conference will showcase the excellent quality improvement work undertaken by FDs across the UK; as well as the provide opportunity to present and to learn more about quality improvement. All the information is in the attached event poster: TIPSQI Summer Showcase 2026 advert

Humans of the Foundation Programme

New article published this month:

See our Humans of the Foundation Programme webpage for more information, including how to submit your own article.

We invite honesty and openness, and also encourage you to consider the impact on your employer, foundation school and colleagues. Please discuss any specific issues or challenges you are experiencing with your local team, and seek support when needed.

Foundation elearning project (elfh) update

Review the May 2026 elfh update