Yorkshire Run through Training Programme Details

August 2007

Background A series of changes to the training and assessment of doctors that have been introduced, make it important to re-design the Yorkshire Paediatric Training scheme for both Senior House Officers and Specialist Trainees. The Postgraduate Medical Education Training Board (PMETB) now have responsibility for issuing certificates of completion of training (CCT) as well as assessing and approving training schemes throughout England.

The Chief Medical Officer has made recommendations regarding the Training and Assessment of doctors (Unfinished Business, Good Doctors Safer Patients) and in July 2007 the Government is to introduce run through training for all doctors working in the health service. This is known as Modernising Medical Careers or MMC. MMC establishes a framework of training for all doctors and in paediatrics it runs from ST1-ST3 (old SHO grade) and ST4-ST8 (old Specialist Registrar grade). The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health have produced a series of documents looking at ‘competency’ assessment of paediatricians in training.

In Yorkshire we have established a ‘School of Paediatrics’ within the auspices of the Yorkshire Deanery, which co-ordinates and organises paediatric training from entry at ST1 to completion at ST8, utilising the expertise generated from the MSc (Paediatrics) training programme. It is hoped that this will provide a clear structure to training making sure that progression through your training is based on a combination of clinical experience, competency assessment to PMETB standards and a series of modular training programmes. (See School of Paediatrics).

Yorkshire Programme

Within Yorkshire there is one Paediatric Programme with trainees being placed primarily in one of 3 units at the start of training (see below). Progression through RTT will be dependent on completing certain core competencies and with each year progressing through different aspects of paediatrics

ST1      General Paediatrics
ST2      Neonates (6/12), General paediatrics and community experience (6/12)
ST3      Placement in higher level and specialist training posts.
ST4      Core general paediatric post at middle grade
ST5      Core neonates (6/12) and core Community (6/12)
ST6-7  Speciality Posts including PICU (6/12) and National Grid Placements
ST8      Final year placement and completion of National grid.

Special expertise training and National Grid programmes.

The Yorkshire Scheme offers the opportunity for trainees at ST5 level to either apply to the National Paediatric Grid Scheme or to develop a special expertise in specific areas of Paediatrics. National Grid Programmes are advertised centrally by the RCPCH and requires formal application and interview. It is not always possible to offer training slots in NG programmes every year. Some NG programmes rotate between 2 centres (Hepatology, Gastroenterology and PICU). Special expertise training is offered in all common areas of paediatrics and will involve a minimum of 1 year in the specialty (possibly two 6 month slots in different hospitals) based within units accredited for training and fulfilling certain minimal requirements. One year in Paediatric Cardiology is available subject to formal interview.

Accepting a place on the Yorkshire Paediatric Training (ST1 level) programme requires you to:

1. Purchase the RCPCH Master Course programme for ST1-3.
2. Attend modular training programme ST1-3 and MSc ST4-6 and appropriate deanery training at ST7-8.
3. Complete appropriate assessment and training programmes compatible with PMETB as organised by the School of Paediatrics.
4. Maintain a portfolio and logbook throughout training.