This will normally be your ST3 GP trainer who will meet you at regular intervals throughout your 3 year programme to advise and support your training. You will need a formal Educational Supervisors review (ESR) every 6 months of training where your progress towards CCT will be assessed using evidence in your e-portfolio

Following appointment to the programme all trainees are allocated to an Educational Supervison.

This is the GP trainer or hospital consultant who oversees a single post.  S/he is responsible for the day to day experience and your assessments (though other senior clinicians may perform individual assessments). You should have a formal meeting with your clinical supervisor at the start of your post, at the midpoint and at the end. At the final meeting the clinical supervisors report (CSR) should be completed.

This is a GP who organises the tracks and placements and the structured teaching programme and supports the educators and clinical and educational supervisors to deliver training.

This is a GP who will delivers and organises the content of the structured teaching programme. We have three PCMEs in Salford and Trafford currently and each of them lead on an individual stage of training (ST1, ST2, ST3.)

This is an experienced administrator who is an important point of contact and can give advice about technical issues eg on the eportfolio, out of hours training and clinical posts, among other things.

We take on over 40 trainees each year. All GP training tracks involve 12months of secondary care posts and 24 months of primary care posts. All trainees are allocated educational supervisors whose role it is to mentor the trainees throughout the programme. Trainees will be supervised by their ES for their ST3 training time. Regular reviews of the progression of all trainees are part of the programme ensuring that development during specialty training is specific to the individual towards completion of training.

Hospital posts include:

At Salford Royal – Geriatrics (CoTE, COPE, ACM and orthogeriatric posts available), Surgical Specialties (including general surgery, urology, ENT and orthopaedics), Emergency Medicine posts with opportunities in A+E and EAU offered as well as the medical specialties of stroke medicine & dermatology, and paediatrics (PANDA unit). Gynaecology posts at Salford Royal include a 1 month secondment at the Royal Bolton Hospital to obtain obstetrics exposure.

At Trafford we have medicine posts on the wards and MAU, whilst St Mary’s Hospital host trainees gaining experience in O+G.

With GMMH Trust we endeavour to give as many trainees as possible psychiatric experience as part of their training (in line with RCGP recommendations). Trainees are hosted with GMMH – clinics and work at Moorside, Woodlands, Meadowbrook and Wythenshawe – posts involve inpatients, home based treatment work, outpatients and liaison team work. These posts are both substantive and available as GP plus posts.

Other GP plus posts:

Other specialities available as a part of GP plus experience include public health, pain clinics, palliative care at hospices in Heald Green and Little Hulton, dermatology and rheumatology and paediatrics at SRFT.

The primary care experience is varied with trainees usually being placed at 2 or 3 different practices throughout their training. Out of hours experience is based with local providers: Salford Primary Care Together; and Mastercall for our Trafford based trainees. Primary Care practices are based throughout Salford and Trafford.

Soon after you start in August we hold a full day’s induction programme at which you will get to know your fellow trainees and the Programme Director and Medical Educators. Then, during the next three years there is a half day structured teaching programme which provides GP orientated formal teaching. It usually runs on Wednesdays from Sept – June each year and is well received. In the ST1 year we focus on the e-Portfolio initially and a focus on competencies continues throughout the year as we look at clinical and nonclinical areas relevant both to the curriculum and to being a GP.

We also begin teaching communication skills in the ST1 year which continues through and including the ST3 year, preparing you for both the SCA (Structured Clinical Assessment) examination and most importantly, consulting with patients on a day to day basis.

In the ST2 year we expand our study of the GP in the wider professional environment, in line with the GP curriculum, as well as building on clinical knowledge and looking at the evidence base underpinning our practice. All of this supports preparation for the AKT (Applied Knowledge Test) examination, as well as several sessions which are specifically focused on this dotted through the year.

The communication skills course continues too, supporting the new skills and attitudes trainees develop as they continue in both secondary and primary care posts.

In the first part of the ST3 year trainees are focused on SCA preparation and this is facilitated through communication skills sessions. We are currently inviting trainees due to take the SCA to sign up for a recorded mock exam with simulated patients and feedback provided by experienced educators.

Much of a trainee’s clinical and best practice learning at this stage is supported by self directed learning and 1:1 tutorials with their educational supervisors, so we take advantage of being able to work in groups and explore further the roles of the GP in the wider professional environment.

This is a formal programme of education delivered though the 3 years of training. Details of your local teaching will be given to you by your educator team. All programmes are designed to supplement the learning from your clinical experience to meet the requirements of the GP curriculum. Attendance at the programme is mandatory and is part of your study leave allowance. The structured teaching programme looks to support all trainees; full time and less than full time trainees, August and February starters, out of sync and in sync trainees.

Whilst in a GP post you should have a weekly formal protected 2 hour tutorial with your GP trainer or other member of the practice team. The subjects of your tutorials should be negotiated with your trainer based on your learning needs but will include assessments and reviews.

Getting involved in quality improvement is important during your training and will prepare you for life as a GP. In Salford and Trafford, trainees have produced fantastic quality improvement work, for the benefit of their practices and their patients.