Applications for educational approval from new units or additional training recognition

Quality Assurance and Inspections

As the statutory body, the PMETB are responsible for giving approval to all new posts. Units applying for the approval of a new post also require support for approval from the Deanery and the College. Please find guidelines for the approval processes set out below. In all cases, please approach the QA Team first for individual guidance QA Team

Approving a training programme

Training programmes are agreed between the Deanery and the PMETB with appropriate College input. As part of run-through training, maximum training capacities were agreed. These capacities include all doctors in training for a given specialty. Increases in the capacity need to be agreed by the PMETB in conjunction with the Dean.

Approving an additional post

Where there is a proposal for the creation of a new post, the QA Team at the JCST should be consulted for advice. The process is as follows:

1) The Hospital Application Form should be completed and returned to the QA Team by the Lead Consultant or trust contact applying for approval.

2) The SAC Liaison Member will review the HAF and confirm support via email to the QA Team. If support is not given, the SAC Liaison Member may request further information, monitoring or a Deanery triggered visit where appropriate. If the post is the first of its kind at a hospital, it is likely that a visit will be requested.

3) The SAC Liaison Member will expect the following to have been undertaken prior to support being granted:

• The post should have been discussed and agreed by the Training Programme Director (TPD) as an appropriate addition to their programme;
• Funding should have been confirmed by the Deanery (either through their direct funding or via the Trust);
• Consultant to middle grade ratio should be appropriate to ensure that current trainees will not have their training affected. Middle grade doctors include all those in training and providing service supervised by a consultant.

4) The QA Team will then liaise with the Postgraduate Dean’s team informing them that the post has SAC support. As part of the new run-through training programmes, Deaneries agreed maximum training capacities with the PMETB. If the Dean supports the approval request and there is room within the capacity to create this post, the Dean will confirm the post has approval.

5) If there is not room within the capacity the Deanery will have to contact the PMETB to agree a new training programme capacity. Following this process, the Dean will confirm approval with the JCST QA Team.

Clinical Fellowships and Interface posts

Clinical Fellowships are ST posts based in a particular special interest area (for example, intensive training in Knee Surgery for Orthopaedics). These posts may be approved by PMETB as stand-alone posts within deaneries that are open to trainees from other deaneries. These posts are part of the PMETB-approved curriculum, usually in a specific special interest area, and are approved in the same way as standard ST posts. However, it must be made clear to PMETB in approval applications that these are Clinical Fellowships and not Academic Fellowships. PMETB will not approve these posts without demonstrated SAC/JCST support. One type of Clinical Fellowship is a Training Interface post. Such a post combines training from at least two parent specialties (i.e. a Head and Neck Oncology post may include aspects of Plastic Surgery, Otolaryngology, and Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery). These are part of the curriculum and should be approved the same way as standard ST posts, but in this case the Training Interface Group rather than the SAC will review documentation for approval.

Academic Fellowships

These posts are specifically for doctors in formal academic training and are not for general research purposes. Academic posts should be organised centrally via the Walport Process, and academic trainees will have an ‘A’ training number. Any requests for academic posts should be directed to the appropriate Postgraduate Dean.

Approving a post in the Republic of Ireland

The process runs the same as steps 1 to 3 above. Following SAC support, the post is given approval, which will be communicated to the RCSI, the Programme Director and the Trust by the JCST QA Team.

Flexible training posts

PMETB requires that all LTFT training either takes place in an educationally-approved slot or has its prospective approval. Most LTFT posts should exist within the deanery’s maximum training capacity, which would have been agreed by the deanery and PMETB. Occasionally a LTFT trainee will be placed in an ad personam post that will exist outside of the approved maximum training capacity. These posts need additional PMETB approval if they are to count towards a trainee’s CCT

All LTFT trainees must submit the following to the SAC, as SAC support for all LTFT training is required:

• Details of the proposed LTFT training eg timetable or number of sessions to be worked.
• Start and end date of LTFT training.
• Details of any periods spent outside training eg sick leave, study leave or maternity leave.
• Letter of support from the Programme Director or Postgraduate Dean with confirmation that the trainee will occupy an approved slot.

If a trainee is in an educationally approved slot, once SAC support is given no further applications need to be made to the PMETB. The PMETB has agreed that ‘if a post is approved for training, then it is also approved for training on a flexible basis.’ (Gold Guide, 6.76). All LTFT trainees in run-through training are required to register with the ISCP.

If the LTFT training is in a post outside of the deanery’s maximum training capacity, the PMETB must also prospectively approve the LTFT post. This must be done before the start of the post, so trainees should begin their paperwork in good time to allow for both SAC support and PMETB approval. Once SAC support is given, the Deanery must then submit the following to PMETB as part of an application for prospective approval:

• Letter from the Deanery which outlines its support for the post and confirms that the post will meet the necessary training and educational requirements.
• Copy of the letter from the SAC confirming its support.
• Name of hospital.
• Job Description.
• Learning outcomes for the post.
• Current CV.

The PMETB will be responsible for confirming final approval to the Dean, and should also inform the JCST.

Page last updated: 25 June 2008