Wednesday 29th November 2023

Message from the Associate Dean

Hello,

I’m Dr Ali Carter, Associate Dean/ Director of the London Foundation School and I’d like to take this opportunity to say hello and provide a few updates.

For those that started F1 in August, we hope you’re settling into life as a doctor, it’s an exciting time. We appreciate that as you start work, there’s lots of information, provided at induction and also filling your inboxes, that can sometimes get missed. The London Foundation School bulletin is here to signpost seasonal issues, highlight relevant national events (eg. National Foundation Doctors Presentation Day 2024) and also upcoming local school events (eg. Spring swap shop). There’s also information about working LTFT, sources of support, careers guidance and lots more.

We have recently appointed your Foundation School representatives (see below) and they’ll have a regular slot on the bulletin going forward. I regularly meet with the school reps and they also have the opportunity to attend the Foundation school meetings as well as the National UKFPO ones too. They’re eager to hear from all the trusts in their area, so if you’re a local trust Foundation rep, please do contact your area school rep too (see below for more information).

We appreciate Foundation Training is a period of change and for some of you uncertainty too – career decisions, where to live, life events and much more. There are lots of sources of support available either via the school or locally. Each trust will highlight the local ways to raise concerns or seek help via local supervisors, Trust Foundation Training Programme Directors (FTPDs), Guardians of Safe-working and your postgraduate medical education team. In addition, if you’d like to discuss or highlight an issue to the Foundation School, do please contact us via the portal. We have a team all keen to help and support you. In the Pan-London school structure we have 5 deputies Foundation School Directors (dep FSD) supporting the trusts in each of the 5 London Integrated Care Systems (ICS) as follows:

London ICS

Deputy Foundation School Director

North-West London

Dr Fionnuala Crummy

North-Central

Dr Celia Bielawski

North-East

Dr Nick Rollitt

South-East

Dr Amelia Hughes

South-West

Dr Mark Cottee

Finally, I’d like to introduce Enhance, a national programme set-up to help embed generalist skills into the medical workforce. There are different levels of involvement, more can be found here:https://www.hee.nhs.uk/our-work/enhancing-generalist-skills/enhance-foundation-programme. Please look out for more upcoming information on this programme.

Thanks for taking the time to read this.

Dr Ali Carter,

Associate Dean (London Foundation School)

School Foundation Reps

A new section of the bulletin where our School Reps can share news, information and gather feedback from Foundation Doctors training in London.

Please see contact details for appointed School Reps below:

Sub-Region

Grade

First Name

Surname

Email Address

North East London

F1

Rimsha

Khan

rimsha.khan2@nhs.net

North East London

F1

Francis

Elechi

francis.elechi@nhs.net

North Central London

F1

Zina

Al-Kaisy

Z.alkaisy1@nhs.net

North Central London

F2

Mickaela

Nixon

m.nixon1@nhs.net

North West London

F1

Melissa

Matthews

Melissa.matthews11@nhs.net

North West London

F2

James

Harkness

james.harkness1@nhs.net

North West London

F2

Syeda

Zahra

anum.zahra@nhs.net

South East London

F1

John

Gillespie

john.gillespie3@nhs.net

South East London

F1

Ellinor

Raby

e.raby1@nhs.net

South West London

F2

Gabriela

Barzyk

gabriela.barzyk1@nhs.net

South West London

F2

Lily

Scourfield

lily.scourfield@nhs.net

New Updates

Radiology survey for medical students and junior doctors

We would like to invite you to participate in completing a five-minute questionnaire regarding your experiences and perceptions of radiology during your undergraduate and/or postgraduate medical training. Your insights are invaluable to our research, and they will significantly contribute to our comprehension of the current landscape concerning career interest and awareness of radiology discipline among the next generation of doctors.

The questionnaire is designed to explore various aspects, including your perspectives on the radiology department's role, your exposure to radiology, and your interest in pursuing a career in radiology. Your responses will greatly assist us in identifying potential areas for improvement and enhancing educational opportunities for students and doctors interested in radiology.

To participate, please visit the following link: https://forms.gle/Ri9WdRmUEt8cmd8P8. We kindly request you to complete and submit the survey by Monday 4th December 2023.

Your participation in this endeavour is greatly appreciated, and it will undoubtedly contribute to the growth and advancement of the field of radiology.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Joshua and Stefan

Projects Leads

Radiology Academic Network For Trainees (RADIANT)

National Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Poster Competition 2024 

Deadline 6th March 2024 – details and online entry form here: 

http://www.bristolpatientsafety.com/poster-competition.html 

We have up to 160 poster places at our online conference. 

Successful entries receive: 

- An invitation to give a live oral poster presentation* at our online conference on 15th May 2024 

- A discounted delegate rate of £179 (no VAT), co-authors entitled to same rate 

- National poster competition oral presentation certificate 

- Opportunity to win a first or second prize in each themed group of 10 posters 

*2.5-minute oral presentation followed by judge-led Q&A 

Who should apply? junior doctors, nurses, midwives, consultants, AHPs, GPs, medical students and those working in care settings. 

Reminders & Guidance

REMINDER: Follow up F1 National Induction Survey 2023

Dear Foundation Y1 Trainee

Many thanks to those of you who participated in part one of the induction survey.  This second survey is designed to provide further information which will be used to develop our induction programme for trainees in the future. We plan to share this information as widely as possible so your contribution could potentially make a significant difference to future trainees.

Please complete Part 2 whether you completed part 1 or not.

There is an opportunity to provide more in-depth feedback as outlined in the final question.

To access the survey please log onto 

https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/FollowupF1inductionsurvey2023

If possible, please complete the survey in one sitting since you will not be able to access it later. It should only take you approximately 10 minutes to complete. The questionnaire is anonymous and your thoughts and comments are greatly appreciated.

Thank you for taking the time to complete this questionnaire.

Yours faithfully

Clare

Dr JCM van Hamel

Foundation School Director

E: clare.vanhamel1@nhs.net

T: 01454252656

NHS England

REMINDER: F2 GMC Responsible Officer

There are still a number of F2 doctors who have not connected to their Responsible Officer. F2 doctors are responsible for ensuring they are connected to the correct Responsible Officer, this is your Post Graduate Dean.

For more information or guidance please see: https://lonkssfoundation.hee.nhs.uk/gmc or please contact us via PGMDE Support Portal click here to be directed to the PGMDE Support Portal.

REMINDER: 2023-24 TAB (Team Assessment of Behaviour) window dates

The recommended dates for TAB are detailed below but these dates are not mandatory. More information on the TAB process can be found on the Horus Website.

Placement 1

Opens: Friday 6th October 2023

Closes: Monday 4th December 2023

 

Placement 2

Opens: Friday 9th February 2024

Closes: Monday 1st April 2024

 

Placement 3

Opens: Friday 19th April 2024

Closes: Monday 20th May 2024

REMINDER: SCRIPT – supporting safer prescribing practices

The SCRIPT programme is a collection of innovative eLearning portfolios designed to encourage safe and effective prescribing and medicines management among healthcare professionals.

SCRIPT will enhance your knowledge and confidence in prescribing correctly, improving patient safety, therapeutics and medicines management. You will receive a certificate for each module that you complete, which can be used in your online learning portfolio. SCRIPT is easy to use. You can access the modules at a time which suits you and revisit them even after completion. You can learn more about the SCRIPT eLearning programme and how to sign up by visiting Medicine & Surgery | Safe Prescriber

REMINDER: How to request discretionary study leave 

Please see below the steps of how Foundation Doctors can apply for Discretionary Study Leave.

  1. Foundation Doctor (FD) seeks support from Educational Supervisor and trust (local) Foundation Training Programme Director (FTPD).
  2. Local FTPD seeks approval from the area deputy Foundation School Director (FSD)
  3. Deputy FSD replies to trust TPD, including study leave team.
  4. Local TPD can then reply to FD with outcome. 
  5. If approved, FD completes study leave form on the study leave portal. 

We are not able to reply to direct emails about Study Leave, but if you have any questions please do contact the school via the PGMDE Support Portal click here to be directed to the PGMDE Support Portal.

An email with guidance for FTPDs has also been sent.

REMINDER: PSA Sittings 2023/24

Please note the dates for all PSA sittings (all held at 1pm):

Tuesday 12 September 2023

Tuesday 12 March 2024

Tuesday 23 April 2024

REMINDER: Provisionally registered doctors (F1) must not undertake formal locum posts or activities.

Provisionally registered (PR) doctors can undertake occasional ad hoc additional/overtime shifts on their current FY placement or previous F1 placements that have formed part of their F1 rotation, where such work is undertaken only within the limits of their current competence and with the support of their educational supervisor. When undertaking such occasional ad hoc additional/overtime work PR doctors should be clear with other members of their team about their current experience and level of competence.

REMINDER: TiS Checks

Please can we remind Trust Medical Education colleagues to work with their Medical Staffing teams to regularly check Foundation Doctors’ posts on TiS, against internal records. Early recognition of any discrepancies can help us all to resolve issues quickly.

REMINDER: Contacting the London Foundation School

There continues to be an increase in emails/messages being sent to personal inboxes. Please be reminded that contact with the Foundation School Team should be through the PGMDE Support Portal, rather than to individuals email addresses or shared mailboxes. This will ensure that your query can be directed to the correct person and dealt with as quickly as possible. Please click here to be directed to the PGMDE Support Portal.

Please do not use F1.LASE@Hee.nhs.uk, F2.lase@hee.nhs.uk, FPEnquiries.lase@hee.nhs.uk or personal HEE email addresses.

GUIDANCE: Foundation Doctors taking Parental Leave

Please can all foundation doctors who will be taking a period of Parental Leave, ensure that they use the following FAQ as guidance:

HEE Parental Leave FAQ's

Please also see the NHS employers Maternity guidance using the link below:

NHS Employers Maternity Guidance (rotational doctors and dentists)

GUIDANCE: Less Than Full Time (LTFT) Training for London

Please click the link below for guidance regarding Less Than Full Time (LTFT) training.

LTFT Guidance         

GUIDANCE: Foundation doctors in GP and psychiatry placements contributing to acute services

Please see below link for guidance regarding Foundation doctors in community placements contributing to acute services Foundation doctors in GP and psychiatry placements contributing to acute services

GUIDANCE: Foundation Doctor Role and Responsibilities

Please use the following link to the updated ‘Foundation Doctor Role and Responsibilities within the Local Education Provider and Minimum Requirements for Clinical Supervision of Foundation Doctors’ document.

Foundation Doctor Role and Responsibilities

GUIDANCE: NHS employers’ guidance on induction for international medical graduates

Please find below link to guidance from NHS employers

https://www.e-lfh.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Welcoming-and-Valuing-International-Medical-Graduates-A-guide-to-induction-for-IMGs-WEB.pdf

UKFPO Bulletin

To read the latest UKFPO Bulletin access the link below:

UKFPO bulletin 

Courses, Events, Research and Competitions

Education and Support webinar - Sustainability in Healthcare 12 December 2023 2pm

The UKFPO welcome all Foundation doctors to our third webinar of the training year, which will be focused around sustainability in healthcare, and specifically sustainable quality improvement (QI). Our panel of experts will discuss these concepts and how you may approach incorporating sustainability into your QI projects, research and work.

When: Tuesday 12 December 2023, 14:00-15:00 (GMT)

Where: Virtual via Microsoft Teams. You do not need to pre-register, simply click here to join the webinar at 14:00. The webinar will be recorded and uploaded to our website.

Target Audience: Foundation doctors

Webinar panel: Dr Anthony Choules, UKFPO Education and Support Advisor and Ayoma Ratnappuli, Education Fellow, Centre for Sustainable Healthcare (CSH)

Email educationandsupport@foundationprogramme.nhs.uk with any queries.

Best wishes,

UKFPO Team  

www.foundationprogramme.nhs.uk

UKFPO Fellow FD Survey

Research is being conducted by Aysha Nijamudeen., FY2, Manchester Royal Infirmary and UKFPO Fellow who is working with the UKFPO to improve inequalities in access to training opportunities for foundation doctors in the UK.

Please can all Foundation doctors complete the following survey.

All resonses are anonymous,

link: https://www.qualtrics.manchester.ac.uk/jfe/form/SV_bw3UuWbF6nyppHg

Mental Health Mission - FY2 Taster Days

An exciting Mental Health Research Taster Days opportunity is presented by the NIHR Mental Health Mission [nihr.ac.uk] Capacity Development workstream.

All FY2 medical trainees with interest in mental health research are encouraged to apply and spend time in one of the leading clinical academic centres in the UK. The project is supported by the institutions across England, Wales, Scotland, and Northen Ireland, and we will tailor your placement based on your research interests and geographical preferences. Travel, accommodation, and subsistence costs will be covered by the award.

Applications are open now and are accepted until Friday, 15th December 2023, 17:00 UK time:

NIHR FY2 mental health research taster awards - Google Forms

The scheme was piloted in 2022 and proved to be very successful. Testimony from last year’s FY2 Taster Days awardee Dr Fiona Kehinde and Psychiatry Foundation Fellow:

 “I undertook 4 research taster days at the University of Manchester June 28- July 1st 2022 attached to leading Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist Dr Shruti Garg. Dr Garg specialises in presentations of Autism and ADHD in rare disorders such as Neurofibromatosis 1 (NF1). Spending 4 taster days with Dr Garg was an invaluable experience that I am extremely grateful for. Through this experience I was awarded a standalone 6-month Houghton Dunn Fellowship to undertake a research project with Dr Shruti Garg and Professor Jonathan Green at The University of Manchester. As a direct result of the Houghton Dunn Fellowship, I have been able to prepare a research article for publication and successfully presented a poster of my findings at the RCPsych Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Annual Conference September 2024. Thank you to the team for welcoming me into their research group and supporting me through this project.”

National Foundation Doctors Presentation Day 2024.

The UKFPO are pleased to announce the National Foundation Doctors Presentation Day 2024.

When: Friday 19th January 2024

Where: Bristol

Target audience: All foundation doctors are warmly invited to a day of oral and poster presentations by F1 and F2 doctors. Judges to include representatives from the UKFP, GMC, MSC, BMA & more.

Current F1 or F2 doctors in recognised Foundation Programmes in the UK or Malta are invited to submit abstracts relating to work undertaken during Foundation training. Successful abstracts will be presented as 10-minute oral or 3-minute poster (mini-oral) presentations. Abstract deadline: 23:59 PM GMT, Sunday 29 October 2023

Please find flyer attached and visit the UKFPO website for further details.

Access the point of care tool BMJ Best Practice for free

BMJ Best Practice takes you quickly and accurately to the latest evidence-based information, whenever and wherever you need it.

Our step-by-step guidance on diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, and prevention is updated daily using robust evidence-based methodologies. 

This tool is freely available to all healthcare professionals who work for the NHS in England. You can register for free here https://www.bmj.com/company/hee/

If your institution would like to receive further information on BMJ Best Practice, please contact Dr. Kieran Walsh, Clinical Director at BMJ. Dr. Walsh can deliver talks for Foundation Programme doctors at their training sessions or provide information on areas such as the local HEE/BMJ clinical champion scheme. Contact Dr. Kieran Walsh at kmwalsh@bmj.com.  

New video resource for foundation doctors

A new video for all foundation, foundation schools and trusts, helping them to understand more about the Foundation Programme Charter, has been shared.

Please click here to launch the Foundation Programme Charter video.

Further videos including Foundation Programme Review and Self Development time can also be found here

NHS Induction Programme for International Medical Graduates - e-learning for health

The National Induction programme has been designed to ensure that all international medical graduates (IMGs) recruited to the NHS are welcomed, valued, and supported as they transition to UK clinical practice.

Please use the following link to access the programme:  https://www.e-lfh.org.uk/programmes/nhs-induction-programme-for-international-medical-graduates/

Foundation Careers & Coaching Events Team

Careers Conversation

All foundation trainees have the opportunity to have an individual careers conversation with one of our career coaches which can be arranged by completing the application form at the following link:

https://london.hee.nhs.uk/professional-support-and-development/careers-unit/apply-careers-advicecontact-us/careers-application-form

FY2 - Preparing for Speciality interviews/F3 Options Stream Videos

Please see below links to the previous webinar recordings delivered to F2 trainees on preparing for speciality applications/interview & F3 options

FY2 Webinar - Preparing for Specialty applications and Interviews-20220914_180522-Meeting Recording.mp4

F3 Options Webinar-20221006_180437-Meeting Recording.mp4

Self Awareness | London (hee.nhs.uk)

Career Exploration | London (hee.nhs.uk)

Useful links

https://london.hee.nhs.uk/professional-development/courses-and-conferences

FAQS

Horus - Changes and updates