Trainees’ meeting - 17 October All of the Trainees Committee was present except for Jonathan Treml (Training Committee Rep) who sent his apologies. The meeting was well attended by trainees. Suzanne Sorenson (Research into Ageing), Nikki Colledge (Secretary, SAC Geriatric Medicine), and Steve Allen (Chair, BGS Training Committee) attended on the Trainees Committee’s invitation.
New curriculum for geriatric medicine and SpR assessment	Cath Church - Chair Trainees' Committee

The New Curriculum is awaiting final SAC approval in December and is expected to be in place for all new SpRs appointed from 1st January 2003. It will not be retrospective and will therefore only apply to new SpRs taking up posts from the beginning of 2003. There are ongoing discussions regarding the assessment of SpRs both in terms of competence and knowledge. As regards assessment of competence, the plans are to include both a 360 degree appraisal and mini CEX (clinical evaluation exercise). The mini CEX is widely used in the USA and comprises repeated clinical assessments (preferably by different consultants) throughout the year e.g. supervised history taking and examination. These will be piloted on current SpRs in due course.

As regards a knowledge-based test, the plan is for a web-based assessment but further details have yet to be decided.

It was stressed that these assessments will not be retrospective and therefore will not apply to SpRs currently holding an NTN.

New SHO modernisation plan
The plan is that doctors will undertake a 2 year foundation programme after qualification. The first year will be as a PRHO and the 2nd as an SHO although it isn’t entirely clear what this 2nd year will comprise. There will then be a basic training programme as an SHO which will probably be 4 years in duration. This will be taken in one of approximately 8 subjects (e.g. general medicine, general surgery). The period will be ‘time-capped’ and doctors will then move on to a period of higher specialist training. Concerns have been raised that this plan may increase the amount of time in purely service posts, particularly for those who are unable to enter a higher specialist training post of their choice. The plan also discusses obtaining a CCST in GIM only one year after completion of the basic training programme, which raises concerns about a ‘junior consultant grade’.

Research
All SpRs should have a research supervisor and ideally should meet with them on an annual basis. They will obtain a report from this supervisor which should be submitted at their RITA assessment. Research will be monitored more vigorously by means of the RITAs and SAC visits.

Intermediate care
Steve Allen has drafted a document to clarify the components of intermediate care and guidelines for training requirements and assessment in this area. The document has been submitted to the SAC for approval.

Stroke training
The new subspecialty SAC for stroke medicine met for the first time a couple of weeks ago. It is still unclear what the impact of stroke training and a stroke CCST will have on our training (in terms of duration).

European Working Directive (EWTD)
The EWTD is law and the 48 hours duty time limit (including all rest/breaks) comes into force in 2009. Discussions are ongoing between the DOH and BMA Junior Doctors’ Committee regarding derogations from the rest rules. Many more SpRs are now working shifts, particularly since the pay for band 3 posts increases substantially in December 2003. There are concerns about the impact of shifts on SpR training and it was agreed that the Trainees’ Committee would send out a questionnaire to trainees to try to establish the impact that the shifts are currently having.

General
The BGS Newsletter is now available both on line at www.bgsnet.org.uk as well as and in paper form.

BGS subscriptions are to increase slightly next year and SpRs will be expected to pay more than SHOs.

Next meeting
This will be held during the Spring BGS 2003 in Aberdeen.

Cath Church
Chair of Trainees’ Committee
c.j.church@ncl.ac.uk