About the Northern Foundation School
Here in the North East and Cumbria we are committed to providing the very best care we can for our patients. This goes hand in hand with training our doctors of today and tomorrow. At the Northern Foundation School (NFS) we want you to be the very best that you can be and we will do our best to help, support and guide you. For an overview of how FP Training is managed in NFS please view our information document.
The North East and North Cumbria ranked highly in the national GMC 2023 survey of junior doctors. This data is very encouraging, based entirely upon your predecessors feedback, and I hope demonstrates our commitment to ensuring your time within the Northern Foundation School is supportive and productive.
What is Foundation Training?
The Foundation Programme (FP) is a two year generic training programme which forms the bridge between medical school and Specialty/General Practice Training. During FP, trainees have the opportunity to gain experience in a series of placements in a variety of specialties and healthcare settings.
FP is a UK-wide initiative with a national FP Curriculum and Portfolio. FP training is overseen by the UK Foundation Programme Office whose website is a useful resource, including for all national FP documentation. FP Training is managed and delivered through Foundation Schools which are established across the UK.
Message from Northern Foundation School Director, Dr Jon Scott
“As Northern Foundation School Director it is my responsibility to ensure that each individual 2 year Foundation training programme is attractive, of proven high quality and of sufficient variety and depth to enable each trainee to maximise and develop their inherent talents, whilst gaining new skills and knowledge through continuing personal and professional development. The Foundation School promotes and assures these objectives through very close working relationships with the UK Foundation Programme Office, Medical Schools, each of our partner Local Education Providers (Trusts), and Speciality/GP training schools.
Prior to taking on the role of Foundation School Director in 2013 I worked as Foundation Programme Tutor for 7 years in one of our local Local Education Providers . I therefore understand the practicalities and intricacies of the Foundation Programme and what details are important to prospective applicants and to trainees already within the School. You can be reassured that I will work tirelessly to ensure that your experience within Foundation Programme is as rewarding as possible so that you are fully equipped to be a professional, empathetic, patient-centred doctor who is suitably prepared for whatever your future career holds”
Supporting policies and documentation for our Trainees and Local Education Providers
If you wish to report a foundation doctor with differing needs then please complete the electronic form which can be accessed here : Reporting a doctor with differing needs. Following on from discussion at our recent FP Faculty event in February we are pleased to announce that we are now able to launch our online DWDN Update form which can be accessed here: https://healtheducationyh.onlinesurveys.ac.uk/dwdn-update-form-feb-2020
For further information please email Dr Jo Flowers or Dr Nicky Desira
Contacting us
If you are a potential or current FP trainee or part of our region's FP faculty, we hope that you find everything you need through browsing our website. Please, however, feel free to contact the Foundation School team by email or telephone.
If your query is relating to recruitment at the Northern Foundation School please email the generic inbox FoundationrecruitmentNFS.ne@hee.nhs.uk and we will aim to respond to your query within 5 working days of receipt of your email.
If your query is relating to HORUS and e-portfolio please email the generic inbox HorusNFS.ne@hee.nhs.uk and we will aim to respond to your query within 5 working days of receipt of your email. This includes requests for verification of training dates from former Foundation doctors with accounts linked to the NES ePortfolio.