ITPs – 2 hours of group teaching led by each trainee in turn.  
ST3s – 9am to 12.30pm half day release programme.  
-All trainees – clinical update led by each trainee in turn 
Throughout the year there are also educational half days for all trainees in lieu of the above. 

From September 2026 – Teaching on the last Thursday of the month will be replaced by the Wednesday GP Virtual School (https://gp-training.hee.nhs.uk/guildford/whatson/)

Every effort is made to match you to a practice based on distance from your home address. All of our training practices provide high quality training from a team of enthusiastic dedicated trainers.

Unfortunately, in the interest of fairness, we are unable to accommodate specific individual requests. We are a semi-rural scheme – by accepting a training post in the Guildford catchment area you are expected to be able to travel to your training practice. Because registrars are required to perform home visits and emergency domiciliary care, non-drivers must provide a formal undertaking that they have arranged alternative transportation (e.g., cycling, public transit, or taxis) without relying on the training practice or employer.

Currently the rotations at Guildford last 4 months. A typical full time trainee will undertake a mix of 3x four month GP/ITP posts and 3x four month hospital posts followed by a 12 month GP ST3 post.

From August 2026, newcomers to the scheme will be on 6 month rotations but will still have a combination totalling 24 months in GP and 12 months in hospital posts.

The GP Faculty Group’s remit is threefold: 
– ensure that the local GPST programme is fit for purpose and in line with the national GPST curriculum requirements
– quality control the local GPST programme with feedback from trainees and departments
– ensure that trainee progression is tracked, supported and audited.  Any educational concerns or targets for the trainees are shared between Clinical and Educational Supervisors through written or telephone communication and also with the GPST Faculty Group.

The local GP Faculty meets three times a year in November, March and June. 

Dates for 2025-2026 are Thursday 20 November 2025, Thursday 26 March 2026 and Thursday 11 June 2026.

You ought to be getting 2 hours of dedicated tutorial time with your ES per week and this can include teaching on clinical topics, joint surgeries etc. The latter are helpful for getting COTs and CEPs assessments completed. If you have annual leave the tutorial of course won’t happen, but if your ES is away then you should have a tutorial with someone else (GP, PM etc) or you could sit in with a nurse in a chronic disease clinic or similar. Additionally you should have 2 hours of timetabled debrief time spread across the week to discuss the cases you have seen in each session, and again this is useful for CBDs. For every 3 hours of clinical work, you ought to be timetabled an hour of admin time. Most ST1s start at 30 minute appointments working towards 20 minute appointments with 1 or 2 catch up slots per session.

Applied Knowledge Test (AKT) (ST2-3)(recommend sit it in ST2)
Simulated Consultation Assessment (SCA) (ST3)

It is recommended that you discuss when to sit the exams with your educational supervisor. You must attempt both exams within your original training envelope.

Yes!

All KSS GP Registrars have access to free indemnity cover via Medical Protection Society (MPS). The KSS GP Deanery Team provides details of new GPSTs to MPS who then email GPSTs with instructions on how to complete registration. We encourage all GPSRs to take up the offer of this cover as it provides a necessary addition to the standard NHS indemnity scheme which will only cover the financial aspects of a negligence claim.
This means Kent, Surrey and Sussex GP registrars will benefit from the provision of full medical defence, for their whole three-year training programme at no additional cost.
Registrars will, of course, have the option of arranging cover for themselves if they would prefer, however, we would encourage any registrars who would like us to arrange their cover from their start date, not to renew their cover beyond the end of the month before the month you commence training.
Further information, including Frequently Asked Questions, is provided on the MPS website.

The National Inter Deanery Transfer (IDT) has been established to support GP Specialty Registrars who have either had a significant or unforeseen change in circumstances since accepting an offer of a post on a training programme, which requires a move to a different region.
The national process is aimed at delivering a user-friendly and transparent transfer process, ensuring consistent and robust decision making and providing a single source of information for all stakeholders.
It should be recognised that transfers are not an entitlement. IDTs will depend on compliance with the eligibility criteria, evidence requirements and the availability of suitable posts in the region (or regions) to which you are applying to move.
We would always advise that you reach out to one of the TPDs early if this is something you are considering.
 
For more information on the IDT process, please visit:
https://medical.hee.nhs.uk/medical-training-recruitment/medical-specialty-training/inter-deanery-transfers-idt
 
If you are considering a move within the KSS deanery (an inter-programme transfer), please visit: https://kss.hee.nhs.uk/primary-care/kss-gp-school/ipt/
 
There may be additional options available to you depending on your circumstances:
 
Trainees can reapply for GP training without surrendering their current training number and there is an opportunity to have the training you have already undertaken recognised by the new scheme. Keep an eye on the NRO website for updates to recruitment rounds: https://medical.hee.nhs.uk/medical-training-recruitment/medical-specialty-training/general-practice-gp/how-to-apply-for-gp-specialty-training/gp-specialty-training-recruitment/applying-for-general-practice
 
You may wish to consider reducing to Less Than Full Time training: https://gp-training.hee.nhs.uk/guildford/trainees/ltft/

 

All of the Guildford trainees are randomly assigned a named training programme director (TPD) when you join the scheme. Ben, Debra, or Hannah will be in touch in the first few weeks to arrange a welcome meeting with you as your named TPD.

You will keep the same named TPD for the duration of your training, however, you can reach out to any member of the team if they are away or for any other reason.

As the TPDs are working GPs they are best contacted by email.

We strongly encourage trainees to familiarise themselves with the RCGP’s guidance on the use of AI: https://www.rcgp.org.uk/mrcgp-exams/wpba/generative-artificial-intelligence

The RCGP position is that Generative AI is a valuable tool to support learning and Workplace Based Assessment (WPBA), but it must be used to complement rather than replace the development of independent clinical skills.
 
Professional Responsibility: Trainees are not required to declare AI use in their Portfolio entries we would recommend you do so. Trainees are entirely responsible for ensuring its use is ethical, professional, and compliant with data protection and patient confidentiality requirements.
 
AI Literacy: Both trainees and educators must develop “AI literacy,” which involves understanding the capabilities and significant limitations of these tools.
 
Critical Engagement: Because AI models “hallucinate” (fabricate plausible-sounding but false information) and do not “understand” facts, trainees must fact-check all outputs, verify references, and challenge AI-generated findings.
 
Support for Reflection: AI can provide prompts to guide reflection (such as suggesting relevant curriculum capabilities) but it must not be used to generate reflections or replace genuine reflective practice based on real patient experiences.
 
Risk of Over-reliance: While AI can help with data gathering, over-reliance risks undermining the development of core clinical judgements and reflective skills necessary for independent practice.

The Professional Support and Wellbeing Service (PSW) (formerly the Professional Support Unit) is a free service primarily dedicated to supporting the progression of postgraduate training for NHS healthcare professionals. They work independently of Specialty Schools, Training Programmes or Trusts and can offer confidential and impartial support or advice for those who need it. 

They offer access to support for neurodiversity (excludes diagnosis), dyslexia, communication or linguistic difficulties, careers advice, and coaching.

More information is available here.

Referral to the PSWS is made jointly with the trainee and educator. Please speak to your TPD or educational supervisor if you feel the service would be beneficial for you.

The Curriculum and AKT Support for Training (CAST) Programme is open to all KSS GP Speciality Trainees to aid Applied Knowledge Test (AKT) Preparation. The various resources are designed to be utilised from early ST1, throughout ST2 with additional targeted support for resitting candidates.

Visit them here.

Accommodation is available within the hospital grounds (Gill Avenue) for staff employed by the Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust. For up-to-date information and availability please visit the link below.
https://a2dominion.co.uk/rent/Key-Worker/Gill-Avenue-Guildford

First 5 Guildford & Waverley is a group for local GPs who have recently qualified. Join them here: www.first5guildford.com

Have a question? Email Donna Stevens or one of our TPDs