UKFPO Bulletin: 5th May 2021
Welcome to another UKFPO bulletin ably pulled together by Ellie at the UKFPO. As usual, there are some useful and important links, not least of which is a reminder about the GMC survey which is a valuable tool to maintain the quality of our training programmes. Whether you’re a supervisor or a foundation doctor, I would encourage you to fill it in and feedback on the state of postgraduate medical training in the UK.
The other really important link is the one to the eating disorders training. All too often, poor care in our health services is exposed that highlights gaps in service and, sometimes, the knowledge and skills of the professionals involved. Such is the case with eating disorders and there is currently a drive to improve the recognition and treatment of these surprisingly common conditions. Although they are often thought of as ‘mental health’ disorders and part of our approach should be to recognise and talk more openly about them, they can also present as life-threatening ‘medical’ emergencies. Learning about them thus fits well with the ‘generalist’ approach we adopt to training and care in FP. Once again, I would encourage you, foundation doctor or supervisor, to take a look at these excellent resources.
Tony Choules, Operational Advisor to the UKFPO
FY2 Trainees – Evaluation of Improving Surgical Training
Health Education England has commissioned an independent evaluation of the Improving Surgical Training (IST) pilot. This pilot is being run in selected sites to explore the effect of new competence-based, run through surgical training programmes in selected surgical specialties. As part of the evaluation, SQW (the evaluation research partner) wish to find out about how the IST pilot is affecting Foundation Year 2 trainees with an interest in a surgical career.
If you are an FY2 trainee and would like to participate, we would really appreciate your feedback. The survey can be accessed by following this link: IST FS2 Survey 2021 or by scanning the QR code below.
Survey completion takes about 10 minutes. It is confidential and anonymous. Its findings will be used as part of the evidence to evaluate IST and agree the next phase of surgical training.
The survey is now open and will close at 5pm on Tuesday 1st June 2021.
Further information about the survey, and how your data will be used and stored is provided when you start the survey. If you have any queries, please contact the Medical Education Reform Programme team via email merp@hee.nhs.uk
UKFPO Call for Foundation Doctor Case Studies
To help prepare new F1 doctors for life in foundation training, we are requesting case studies from current foundation doctors for the UKFPO website. Have a read of our new case studies, submitted by current foundation doctors, for an idea of what this can look like, but we are open to ideas on what aspects of foundation training you would like to write about. Please contact Ellie at ellie.walsh@foundationprogramme.nhs.uk to discuss your ideas or request more information. Thank you!
COVID-19 Ways of Working
Please visit the HEE Covid-19 Ways of Working update here to find learning resources such as rapid training webinars and COVID-19 vaccination e-learning materials. This material is available to staff and trainees in all four UK nations.
Events, Information and Opportunities from External Partners
GMC National Training Survey (for Trainees and Trainers)
The GMC invite trainees and trainers to complete this survey by Tuesday 18th May 2021. This information will support the GMC in monitoring and reporting on the quality of education and training in the UK.
7th Annual QIP Conference – Call for Abstracts
This is an exciting opportunity for UK Foundation Doctors to present to a national audience. The event will take place on the 1st and 2nd July 2021 6-9pm and will be held virtually. The deadline for abstract submissions is 5pm on 15th May. For more information please review the event poster or contact BHTQIPconference@gmail.com.
Mind the Bleep
Mind the Bleep supports foundation doctors with free content on clinical, employment & career topics. Get in touch if you’re keen to boost your portfolio e.g. lead a national QIP. If you’re a new FY1, Mind the Bleep are providing weekly webinars to help you! Mind the Bleep is created by Dr Akash Doshi, a medical registrar who loves teaching & supporting foundation doctors. He’s always happy to be contacted to offer help & support to any one.
Conquest Orthoplastics Teaching Programme – Teaching Sessions
The Conquest Orthoplastics Teaching Programme are holding two teaching sessions in May, listed below. These will be held virtually on Microsoft Teams. You can sign up for free by emailing hosam.nasr@nhs.net.
Lower Limb Injuries – 10th May 2021 18.00
Upper Limb Injuries – 13th May 2021 18:30
Eating Disorders Training for Foundation Doctors and Medical Students
This training was developed in response to the PHSO investigation into avoidable deaths from eating disorders as outlined in recommendations from the report titled Ignoring the Alarms: How NHS Eating Disorder Services Are Failing Patients (PHSO, 2017). It is the result of collaboration between Beat, Health Education England and the Royal College of Psychiatrists’ Faculty of Eating Disorders and is designed to ensure that all medical students and foundation doctors are trained to understand, identify and respond appropriately when faced with a patient with a possible eating disorder. The training can be accessed via the Beat Eating Disorders website.
Career Webinar (run by doctors and the BMA)
Wednesday 19th May 2021 – 19:00-21:30
Explore your career options post-Foundation Programme – a webinar by experienced doctors and the BMA about your career options post FY2. An exploration of in-training options, out of training, portfolio career and locuming. For more information please review the event poster.
RCPath Book Club
RCPatch Book Club is running a number of events and competitions, which may be of interest to foundation doctors. Please review this poster to find out more.
Learning Resources
The Foundation e-learning programme has been developed specifically for Foundation doctors by the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges in partnership with Health Education England e-Learning for Healthcare (HEE e-LfH) and is approved by UKFPO.
Do you need to complete parts of the curriculum on your e-portfolio which you do not cover in day-to-day practice? If so, why not try some of our free e-learning mapped directly to the Foundation Professional Capabilities (Training Outcomes) in the 2016 Foundation Curriculum.
The sessions in the e-LfH Foundation e-learning programme include:
· Communicating Treatment Risks to Patients
· Organ Donation and Related Communication Skills
· Primary, Secondary Care Interface
· Effective Referrals to Other Clinical Teams
· Impact of Short-term and Long-Term Physical Problems on Daily Living
· Assessment of Ability to Self-Care after Discharge
· Family Dynamics Affecting Discharge
· Management of Long-Term Disease in the Community
You can sign in to the e-learning with your login supplied by e-LfH at any time during your foundation training.
Horus and Turas link to e-LfH e-learning sessions from the FP Curriculum and are therefore accessible to all trainees, making it quicker and easier to access the appropriate session linked to the curriculum.