Supervision, Training and Education
Practical teaching and supervision resources
Deanery courses: The Learner Support and Faculty Development team provide several relevant courses to help newly qualified consultants and GPs develop their teaching and supervision skills. They also run several courses aimed at doctors in training, such as the Exam Game Plan, which you should recommend to those you supervise. Upcoming courses can be seen and booked here.
The Gold Guide: Produced by the Conference of Postgraduate Medical Deans of the UK (COPMeD), the gold guide is the reference guide for all postgraduate specialty training in the UK and contains important information on the arrangements, processes and guidance for Doctor and Dentists in Training. This guide can be found here.
NHS England supervision resources: NHS England has published an Enhancing Supervision in Postgraduate Training report which clarifies what is expected from supervisors and what they consider high-quality supervision. They also provide a supervision handbook, standards document and explanatory video. They can all be accessed here.
Deanery study leave policy: Your role as a supervisor may involve reviewing and approving study leave requests. This policy sets out how doctors in training can apply for study leave and have expenses approved. It can be accessed here and through the deanery website.
College resources: Several colleges have online resources for trainers in their specialty, with much of the content applicable across several specialties. We suggest you review your own college website to see what is available. For example:
- The Royal College of Physicians have written a toolkit on teaching in the busy workplace, accessible here
- The Royal College of Surgeons of England have written a toolkit for surgical mentorship, accessible here
- The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health have a section on what is expected from educational supervisors, accessible here
- The Royal College of Anaesthetists have a section on supervising and assessing doctors in training, accessible here
Supporting doctors in training (and looking after yourself)
Deanery courses: The Learner Support and Faculty Development team provide a variety of courses aimed to promote wellbeing, covering topics such as managing uncertainty, improving confidence, mindfulness and dealing with sleep deprivation. These are open to all doctors and dentists in the region, not just those in training. Upcoming courses can be seen and booked here.
Professional Support and Wellbeing Unit (PSWU): This part of the deanery provides advice and support to Doctors and Dentists in Training experiencing difficulties which are impacting on their work and learning. The PSWU webpage can be accessed here, and provides a number of wellbeing resources as well as further information on how to refer a doctor or dentist in training for coaching or neurodiversity assessment. Please note that support for locally employed doctors is provided by their employer.
Lead Employer Trust Occupational Health Service: Doctors and dentists in training are employed by the Lead Employer Trust, and their occupational health service is provided by the PAM group. Further information can be found on the Lead Employer Trust website here.
BMA wellbeing support services directory: This directory summarises the services available throughout the UK to support the wellbeing of doctors. It can be accessed here.
NHS England support directory: This webpage, accessible here, summarises the support available to those in the NHS facing mental and physical health challenges.