Wessex AIT Subcommittee

Run ‘by trainees, for trainees’, we aim to provide support through identifying and solving problems that may arise and to be an advocate for trainees in liaising with NHS England South East (Wessex), Patch Office, Royal College, BMA and LMC.

Please note that this information has been provided to the Patch office by Wessex AiT Sub-committee – information is subject to change and will be updated at regular intervals to keep it up to date for trainees.

Current Mid-Wessex AiT representatives

Basingstoke:
Sobia Kashif (IMG rep)

Salisbury:
Anicka Sufraz

Winchester:
Chris McQuitty

Contact via email: midwessexaitreps@gmail.com

Wessex AiT Subcommittee Summaries for AiTs

Below are the summaries produced after Wessex AiT Subcommittee meetings:

AiT Sub-Committee 1 page summary January 2022

AiT Sub-Committee summary from April 2022 meeting

AiT Sub-Committee 1 page summary from January 2023

AiT Sub-Committee 1 page summary July 2023 meeting

AiT Sub-Committee 1 page summary February 2024

Training overview

The training programme is designed to support you in achieving the requirements of the GP Curriculum through supervised hospital and GP posts with formal education sessions. Click the link for information about the MWGPE teaching programme ST1/2 Teaching

Training requirements change depending on your training level (ST1-3) and training start dates. For more information use the links below:
ST1/2 Training Pathway

GP Training - Working across Wessex Health Education England (Wessex)

Training RCGP Exams

Associates in Training - become a member RCGP AiT

You can find individualised information about the amount and type of WPBAs required for each review period in your FourteenFish eportfolio (Click ‘Requirements’ in the ESR preparation section).

During hospital placements it can be difficult to balance training needs with shift work. Consider using study leave to attend clinics that you feel would benefit your training. Additionally, when in GP placements, you can use your private study sessions to arrange time with community services or secondary care specialities.

All specialty training programmes are different, so hospital staff may not be aware of the WPBA formats. It can be helpful to discuss this with the person who is completing the WPBA and include the capabilities you think have been covered in the online form.

Starting in a GP practice

The AiT committee have developed a useful handbook in order to help Trainees and their Trainers plan their induction when they start their placement in a GP practice AiT information Health Education Wessex

Educational support

If you have questions relating to training or would like extra support, there are several people you can contact:

Clinical supervisor - A named Doctor in the specialty you are based in for your hospital placement. They oversee the education you receive in the specialty post and provide both formal and informal support. They should complete a placement planning meeting at the start of your placement and a clinical supervisor report (CSR) at the end. They will change with every hospital placement.

Educational Supervisor- A GP trainer usually allocated to you at the start of the training programme. The usual plan is for them to act as your Educational Supervisor during your GPST3 post. They remain with you throughout your training, apart from during GP placements when your educational supervisor will be a GP in the surgery at which you are based (Your ST3 ES then acts as clinical supervisor during these posts so they still have access to your portfolio). They can provide informal and formal support and link with the Patch Office and RCGP. They should regularly review your eportfolio entries and complete an educational supervisor report (ESR) every six calendar months, whether you are training full-time or not. Reviews are carried out even if they do not coincide exactly with the end of posts.

Training Programme Director (TPD) – This is a GP who organises placements and the structured teaching programme and can help with pastoral support if needed. Click the link for more information and contact details: MWGPE About Us

Other support

Postgrad & Medical Staffing Advisor in the Trust (Programme Lead Employer): For enquires regarding contracts/pay, Sick leave/Occupational Health, Study Leave allowances & funding for study leave in hospital posts, Annual leave, maternity/paternity leave, and unpaid leave. Contact details are available on the Patch Office website: Patch Office admin

Financial Hardship:
The Cameron Fund - The Cameron Fund website
The Royal Medical Benevolent Fund - RMBF website
The BMA Charities - BMA Charities

Wessex Professional Support and Wellbeing Unit (PSW): Discuss with ES/TPD to arrange referral HEW PSU homepage

BMA: A trade union and professional body for doctors in the UK. They can help members with issues such as work contracts, pay, pensions, visas, rota-checking and discrimination BMA - Home BMA homepage

Wessex Local Medical Committees (LMC): the representative body, recognised by statute, for GPs and their Practices. The website has lots of useful information for GP trainees near to qualification Wessex LMCs

There is also a summary page on Tier 2 visas Wessex LMCs: Wessex LMCs Tier 2 Visas

Facebook forums: informal forums that can give support and advice. They are not associated with the deanery or RCGP. Be aware of privacy settings and confidentiality rules.

Tea & Empathy: This is a national, informal, peer-to-peer support network aiming to foster a compassionate and supportive atmosphere throughout the NHS.
GP Training Support - GP Entry, MSRA, MRCGP AKT, CSA, RCA, GP Careers group: support for GP training from application to qualification. Please note this group is not associated with the RCGP so check for up-to-date information on the RCGP website or via your educational support channels.
LTFT Trainees Forum: A group for LTFT trainees (or those thinking about) to discuss related topics.

Useful resources/apps

Below is a list of apps/websites that previous trainees have found useful:

Microguide: hospital/organisation specific antimicrobial guidelines available as an app or online, relevant for hospital placements. In GP we use the South Central Antimicrobial Guidelines for Primary Care: SCAN

Induction: An app for quick access to hospital-specific telephone and bleep numbers.

BNF: British National Formulary available as an app or online BNF British National Formulary NICE

NICE CKS (Clinical Knowledge Summaries): summaries of the current evidence base and practical guidance on best practice for primary care practitioners. CKS NICE

GP Notebook: a website providing synopses of clinical topics in a lecture-style format. Some people prefer this to NICE CKS as it can be more concise. General Practice Notebook (gpnotebook.com) GP Notebook

The ENTSHO: ENT advice specially targeted at junior doctors and professionals in emergency and primary care settings. Available as an app or online ENT SHO

iResus: an app developed by the Resuscitation Council UK for quick and easy offline access to all the latest emergency care algorithms.

My Emergency Department: an app with ED specific guidelines, clinical calculators, quick medication guides and online learning.

Bradford VTS: a website providing a wealth of free medical resources for GP trainees, their trainers and TPDs. It was originally developed by the Bradford GP team but has information applicable to all trainees. Bradford VTS

Patient.info: a website providing clinical information written and reviewed by a network of healthcare professionals. It has lots of patient information leaflets and links into GP electronic record systems. patient.info

Locum’s Nest: an app to easily find, apply for and record locum shifts in NHS hospitals.

Wessex Healthier Together (for Primary Care Paediatrics) Healthier Together

MDCalc app for clinical scores (eg NEWS2, GCS etc etc)

Exam resources

GP Self-test: a free resource produced by the RCGP with AKT-style questions.

FourteenFish AKT and RCA learning resources: All existing trainees prior to August 2020 have access to this via the FourteenFish training portfolio for the remainder of their training. ST1s or ST2s who don't have access already, can pay for access to both of these resources via FourteenFish and claim it back from their study budget during their hospital posts. Access is then available until the end of your training.

RCGP RCA and AKT Revision Courses: please follow the link and scroll to the bottom of the page for detailed information about how to access these Mid-Wessex GP Education: ST1/2 Study leave

Additional training experiences

Study leave: This can be used for courses and shadowing of community services or secondary care specialities. Please follow the link for further information Mid-Wessex GP Education: ST1&2 Study leave

HEE:

HEE Further development opportunities

HEE Wessex QI Fellowships & programmes

Next Generation GP: a funded national leadership programme for trainees and new GPs.
Home Next generation GP