Half Day Release (HDR) is a great opportunity to not only meet your peers in GP training but also an opportunity to explore new concepts and areas of learning. Our HDR offers an opportunity for you to actively get involved and present on areas that you are excited and passionate about. The themes for HDR change every 6months and the programme is managed by Dr Jess Keeble, the TPD (Training Programme Director) responsible for HDR. If you have any suggestions of any hot topics you would like to be covered in your HDR timetable please feel free to drop Jess a line at jessica.keeble2@bradford.nhs.uk.
HDR Programme
Below is the timetable for the next 6months of HDR. Sessions start at 14.00 and finish at 17.00. As national guidance changes around social distancing it is likely that some of the teaching sessions will be run face to face and others will be remain on Zoom. Like face to face HDR some of the sessions involve external speakers, others involves small group work in breakout rooms where the group is divided into your usual HDR groups for discussion and sharing learning as well as some dedicated 3 Tier sessions appropriate for your level of training (ST1, ST2 and ST3). The link to join HDR. can be found at;
Tuesdays at 02:00 PM Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 918 7574 6062
Passcode: MFw0Vg
The theme for this 6months (Aug 2022 – Feb 2023) of HDR is ‘Empowerment’.
Dates | Parallel session | Title |
August 9th | 1.RCA prep ( 21 Sept submission) | Introduction |
August 16th | 2.RCA prep ( 21 Sept submission) | Blended Learning/ consultation skills: INTRODUCTION to TALC and Blackboard |
August 23rd | 3.RCA prep (21 Sept submission) | Prison Healthcare ONLINE |
August 30th | 4.RCA prep (21 Sept submission) | 3 tier session: ST1/2 GP consultation skills LC/ HM ST1/2 specialty modular professional values JK/HB ST3: AI/ GJ |
September 6th | Blended learning/ consultation skills : TALC 1 beginning consultations effectively | |
September 13th | ONLINE – Group PBL Flying, Driving, Dementia and Consultation Skills from Blackboard 04-PROFCAP: consultation skills | |
September 20th | 3 tier session: ST1/2 GP consultation skills LC/ HM ST1/2 specialty modular JK/HB ST3: AI/ GJ | |
September 27th | Weight Management | |
October 4th | group 2 | |
October 11th | 1. RCA prep (16 Nov submission) | Planetary Health Regional Conference ONLINE |
October 18th | 2. RCA prep (16 Nov submission) | 3 tier session: ST1/2 GP consultation skills LC/ HM ST1/2 specialty modular JK/HB ST3: AI/ GJ |
October 25th | 3. RCA prep (16 Nov submission) | Decision making/EBM in clinical settings |
November 1st | 4. RCA prep (16 Nov submission) | Blended learning/ consultation skills: TALC 2 building effective relationships |
November 8th | Mental Health/ Adolescents ONLINE | |
November 15th | Group PBLNeurology, Sexual Health & Consultation Skillsfrom Blackboard 04-PROFCAP: consultation skills ONLINE | |
November 22nd | 3 tier session: ST1/2 GP consultation skills LC/ HM ST1/2 specialty modular JK/HB ST3: AI/ GJ | |
November 29th | Red Whale GP Update (Central HEE) | |
December 6th | 1. RCA prep (Jan 24 submission) | Adult Safeguarding |
December 13th | 2. RCA prep (Jan 24 submission) | Headache ONLINE |
December 20th | 3.RCA prep (Jan 24 submission) | Blended learning/ consultation skills |
December 27th | Christmas no HDR | |
January 3rd | 4. RCA prep (Jan 24 submission) | group 6/ ARTS |
January 10th | Blended learning/ consultation skills: TALC 3 effective information gathering | |
January 17th | Crisis to Clarity | |
January 24th | 3 tier session: ST1/2 GP consultation skills LC/ HM ST1/2 specialty modular JK/HB ST3: AI/ GJ | |
January 31st | CONSULTATION SKILLS – Motivational Interviewing RM |
Please register by scanning the below QR code
Open your camera app and hover over the code to scan

QR code not working? Follow the link here: https://forms.office.com/r/Aybh7Ygcz3
Zoom & HDR
Below are some hints and tips on how to make the most of a Zoom teaching session especially for when you are delivering a presentation using this medium (Such as Wednesday tutorials);
HDR Group Learning
Many HDR sessions involve small group work, each facilitated by either a Programme Director, Trainer, Intending Trainer, or a combination thereof. On joining the scheme trainees will be assigned to a HDR group. We hope the groups will create a safe space in which difficult or uncomfortable issues can be explored in confidence and personal experiences shared. For continuity trainees stay in their HDR group for the duration of their training. HDR groups are made up of trainees at varying level of training (ST1, ST2 and ST3), with different levels of experience (depending on their previous training), working in different specialties and often from different backgrounds. The groups decide their own ‘group rules’ and it’s okay for the group to decide to change the agenda and deal with an urgent problem raised by a group member.
The four HDR groups are;
- Chameleon
- Garam Masala
- Freedom
- Diversity
Not sure which group you’re in? Why not ask Gemma at Admin.GP@bthft.nhs.uk.
We hope HDR will help you develop skills for your lifelong learning as an independent innovative GP for tomorrow.
There are three types of session frequently used in the Half Day Release course:
Structured Sessions
Sometimes using an external resource – in which we aim to explore important areas of General Practice ‘beyond the textbooks’, which you may otherwise not meet in everyday practice, nor cover in topic based tutorials.
Presentations
Which involve subgroups of 6-8 people who explore a topic/theme by looking at the literature, visiting community based projects or NHS services, contacting local experts etc. They then give a presentation to the whole group. By doing these sessions you develop presentation and teaching skills as well as exploring subjects in new ways.
Open Group Work
Sessions including case discussions (which may include video), ‘hot topics’ and Problem-Based Learning (PBL). PBL sessions – these small group sessions involve the exploration of a case scenario, with each stage raising different issues for discussion. Group members choose aspects to go away and research, and bring their findings back the following week. These types of sessions will certainly help you when it comes to doing the MRCGP case based discussions.
Previous HDR Resources
Here are some resources from previous HDR programmes for you to access;
Digital Healthcare Feb 2020 – Aug 2020
Resilience Aug 2019-Feb 2020
To be completed
Feedback & Evaluation
We’d love to hear your views on HDR and value your feedback. We use this to design and mould future HDR programmes and is an essential component. We’re happy to hear from you at the end of each session or even each 6month block as to what went particularly well (and should continue) and on aspects that could be done differently. Please feel free to drop Sania a line at gpscheme.bradford@hee.nhs.uk to share your thoughts or by completeing the online feedback by scanning the below QR code

QR code not working? Follow the link here: https://forms.office.com/r/vy3SW5eC1B
CSA & RCA Preparation Sessions
The CSA/RCA Preparation Sessions are designed to help you prepare for the RCGP RCA/CSA Exam. These sessions run in parallel to the main HDR session. Trainees who are sitting the exam in the next sitting will have the opportunity to attend preparations sessions ahead of their submission/exam sitting. These sessions are usually small group sessions and facilitated by experienced GP trainers/TPDs and focus around refining and fine tuning your consultation skills ahead of the CSA/RCA exam. These sessions currently take place on zoom. For more information feel free to get in touch with Gareth, the TPD responsible for the RCA exam preparation.
Course 1 – 30 Sept Sitting
24th August – overview of submission preparation / review of trainees videos in 2 groups.
31st August – complexity – case selection / review of trainees videos in 2 groups.
7th Sept – discussion around time management / review of trainees videos in 2 groups
14th Sept – final 3rd of the consultation / review of trainees videos in 2 groups
Course 2 – 22nd Nov Sitting
19th October – overview of submission preparation / review of trainees videos in 2 groups.
26th October – complexity – case selection / review of trainees videos in 2 groups.
2nd Nov – time management / review of trainees videos in 2 groups
9th Nov – final 3rd of the consultation / review of trainees videos in 2 groups