What happens after an offer is accepted to GP training in NHSE Wessex?
After the national recruitment upgrade deadline closes the General Practice National Recruitment Office (GPNRO) provide application details and accepted offer information for new starters to the Wessex GP Programme Team a few days later. The GP Programme team will share the information with the relevant Patch Team and the Programme Director will begin planning the ST1 placements.
What is a Patch?
The Patch is a team local to the training programmes that new starters are allocated to and has Associate Deans, Programme Directors and an Administrative team. In Wessex there are four Patches that cover the 9 Wessex training programmes. They are:
Portsmouth and Isle of Wight Southampton, New Forest and Jersey Mid-Wessex – covering Basingstoke, Winchester and Salisbury Dorset – covering East Dorset (Bournemouth/Poole) and Dorchester
Details of the support they provide, and their contact information can be found on our website.
Within each patch the Programme Directors are responsible for organising the rotations and work closely with the Patch Administrative Team to plan training placements. They should be the first point of contact regarding any questions or queries relating to placements.
When will employers know details of new starters and their rotations?
The GP Programme team provide the application and placement information to new starters and their lead employers (Trusts) no later than 12 weeks before the expected start date. The lead employer will then start the process of pre-employment checks and drafting employment contracts.
How is a Skilled Worker Permit arranged for training?
The national NHS England Overseas Sponsorship team contact new starters that require a right to work Skilled Worker Permit.
Application packs can be requested via england.sponsorship@nhs.net
The majority of queries can be answered from the information and FAQs they provide on their website. https://medical.hee.nhs.uk/medical-training-recruitment/medical-specialty-training/overseas-applicants
New starters should be aware that the Sponsorship Team get exceptionally busy in the summer months and there can be long delays responding to individual emails so we would encourage all new starters that require right to work to check the FAQs on the Sponsorship website first.
Can entry to the GP training programme be deferred?
Deferral can only be requested on statutory grounds. Refer to section 3.38 of the Reference Guide for Postgraduate Foundation and Specialty Training in the UK (The Gold Guide Version 9)
Non-statutory deferment to the start of General Practice training is not permitted.
New starters who have indicated on their Oriel application that they wish to defer are required to contact the GP Education Programme manager and will be expected to complete an application.
Who can complete a reference for rental agents or evidence of salary and contract?
The Programme Lead Employer (Trust) is responsible for providing the information to confirm salary and can complete references for rental agents and mortgage lenders. Contacts for the Medical Personnel team at the lead employer are on our website.
How to register with the RCGP and get access to the eportfolio?
The GP Programme Team will send Conditional Offer Documents to new starters for completion. Upon receipt of the completed documents, they will produce the National Training Number (NTN) that new starters will need to register with the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) as an Associate in Training (AiT).
New starters need to be aware that membership to the RCGP is subject to a fee. The membership fees can be found on the RCGP website – https://www.rcgp.org.uk/join
Once new starters have registered and paid their membership fee, they will then be able to set up their ePortfolio via this link https://www.rcgp.org.uk/membership/ait-trainee
Membership registration should be completed at least 4 weeks before an applicants expected training start date.
The Patch will add the stages of training, placement details and supervisor information to the applicants ePortfolio.
What Inductions do new starters need to attend?
In the first few months of training new starters to the Wessex GP Training programme will be expected to attend the following inductions:
Trust induction with their lead employer or a Practice induction if starting in a GP post, which will be done in the first few days of training
Patch Induction in the first month of training
New starters who received their primary medical qualification outside the UK will have an International Medical Graduates (IMG) induction over 2 separate days in the first two months of training
Welcome to Wessex Induction event will be within the first 12 weeks of training
Each of these events are mandatory, and applicants will receive separate invitations by the organisers of each event.
New starters to the Wessex GP Training programme are also required to attend the one day Wessex Patient Safety First Training Day. https://wessex.hee.nhs.uk/quality/patient-safety/patient-safety-first-programme/
What is the process to apply to train Less Than Full Time (LTFT)?
New starters who wish to train LTFT should read the guidance on the Wessex website https://wessex.hee.nhs.uk/trainee-information/trainee-journey/less-than-full-time-training/
and will be required to give the standard notice period https://wessex.hee.nhs.uk/general-practice/gp-training/
What is the process to apply for Combined Training?
New starters who have indicated on their Oriel application that they wish to be considered for the Combined Training Pathway will be contacted by the GP Programme Team approximately three weeks before their expected start date. New starters will then be given two weeks to upload their CV to the RCGP ePortfolio (Fourteen Fish).
More information regarding the application and process can be found on the RCGP website: https://www.rcgp.org.uk/training-exams/discover-general-practice/qualifying-as-a-gp-in-the-nhs/combined-training.aspx
How do new starters arrange indemnity cover?
NHS England works in partnership with Medical Defence Organisations (MDOs) to ensure postgraduate doctors in GP training have comprehensive indemnity arrangements throughout their training.
NHS England Wessex has partnered with The Medical Protection Society (MPS) and GP doctors in training are expected to engage in this process when contacted by MPS or the GP Programme team.
Please access https://wessex.hee.nhs.uk/trainee-information/employment-matters-2/medical-indemnity/ for more information
GP Registrars and the NHS England Performers list
GP Registrars continue to be exempt from inclusion on the NHS England Performers List.
The latest statement from Primary Care Support England (PCSE) can be found on our website https://wessex.hee.nhs.uk/general-practice/gp-training/
Further information can also be found on the PCSE website https://pcse.england.nhs.uk/
What areas in Wessex have placements with the Targeted Enhanced Recruitment Scheme (TERS)?
The Wessex GP Training programme advertises placements in Dorchester, Isle of Wight and Portsmouth that come with TERS funding.
For more information on TERS and the number of placements available in the Wessex locations stated please access the GPNRO website