ST2-A Teaching 2026

Hi,

You’re getting this email as 14Fish says you are a Bolton ST2. If this isn’t right, then let us know!

If you’re new to ST2, this email should hopefully explain what happens on Tuesdays. If you’ve been doing ST2 already, please still read in case anything is new.

Most of the information you need will be on the website but you can ask us other things before sessions begin as I’m usually there from 1330. 

ST2 works a little different as almost everyone is in a GP/GP+ post. We split ST2 into two semesters “A” and “B” and you can attend these in either order which is helpful for those who are less than full time.

There is a fortnightly session held at Horwich Health & Wellbeing Hub, in the second-floor library space. We start at 1400 which means you need to have arrived before then. Your job plan should include educational time from 1300 onwards to enable travel. Car parking is free and usually quite easy. There is also covered cycle parking with CCTV, and buses 125, 516, 575 and 576 pass the Hub.

An adjoining kitchen has hot water, fridges and microwaves if you want to come early and have lunch; the building rules apply to all users and you are asked to clean any spills and load dishwashers or wash up what you have used when done. Several departments use the space, so please share with kindness, and don’t use someone else’s stuff without asking.

ST2-A starts in September and is based around the RCGP Curriculum Theme of “Applying Clinical Knowledge”. The sessions include:

• Palliative Medicine: Symptom Control (Dr Laura Edwards)
• Genomics (Dr Seb Pillon/Kate Dack)
• Statistics and Evidence Based Medicine (Dr Lizzie Hester)
• Psychiatry for GP (Dr Hannah Cappleman)
• Common & Chronic Illness (Dr Seb Pillon)
• Adult Learning Theory (Dr Seb Pillon)
• Case Studies in GP (Dr Seb Pillon)

The order is to be confirmed based on speaker availability.

In addition, during your time in ST2, you will be assigned to the Consultation Skills Course. This is a 9-week programme run on the alternate weeks to the main teaching programme. It is run by an experienced GP educator Julian Tomkinson based on the principles of TALC (which he helped create). You will usually attend during a full GP placement and Lisa Diamond will be in touch to confirm which group you are in. If you are now in your last ST2 post and you haven’t done it yet, then let us know, but come along to the first session regardless. The sessions in ST2-A  are to be held on: 

In the semester you don’t do this course, you have SDT to complete mandatory and self-defined learning (ideas for this are on the website)

As resident doctors are paid their standard wage for Tuesday afternoons, attendance is expected unless appropriate leave has bene applied for.  The educators and education centre staff cannot authorise leave or approve partial attendance. Annual leave should include educational sessions in the same 30/70 split used for creating your working week. You can read our full attendance policy here:

Structured Teaching Programme Attendance Policy – Bolton GP Training Hub

Less-Than-Full-Time resident doctors (LTFT RDs) should keep a running log of their hours to ensure that attendance matches what expected over the entirety of their ST2 training period. Many LTFT RDs choose to attend full sessions in the initial ST2 timeframe, and then claim back the additional time in lieu at the end of their training. Some will choose to attend selected sessions over the entire period of their ST2. You could attend 60-70-80% of each session but that would be weird. Make it work for you 🙂  

Lastly, please use the Deanery exam support resources at: https://www.nwpgmd.nhs.uk/GP/sca-resources  and consider doing the 5-minute screening check for dyslexia (important to know before applying to AKT/SCA).

All resident doctors should attend on Tuesday 8th September for the first session; we’ll be doing a short induction for new ST2s and then looking at how to tackle the AKT.

Dr Seb Pillon, PCME/deputy TPD for Bolton GP Training scheme (Tues/Wed)