We take on over 30 trainees each year. From August 2022 all tracks will involve 12months of secondary care posts and 24 months of primary care posts. All trainees are allocated educational supervisors whose s 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 O+G and paediatrics (PANDA unit).

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 palliative care at hospices in Heald Green and Little Hulton, pain clinics, dermatology/rheumatology, paediatrics at SRFT.

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

Whist in hospital posts there will be a variety of formal teaching sessions arranged by the department you are working in or the local Postgraduate Centre.

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 CSA (Clinical Skills 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.

The first part of the ST3 focuses on CSA preparation, a Mock/Rehearsal CSA is also run towards the latter part of November to further help trainees prepare and focus their learning needs.

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 TPD. 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. To this end we will often tailor individual timetables so that the teaching programme works for all trainees, regardless of how or when they train.

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.