Welcome to UK practice programme
Contents
Background
We want to help doctors new to UK practice understand the ethical and professional standards expected of them.
Our aim is to address the variations in the standards of medical practice that we identified in our report, The State of Medical Education and Practice in the UK 2011 (pdf). We also want to make sure doctors are prepared for practice.
We believe that an induction programme for doctors new to our register can help improve medical practice and, in turn, the quality of care that patients receive.
To help us develop an effective programme, we began by collecting information, data and opinions from a variety of organisations and individuals. We also undertook a literature review of existing research and evidence and held workshops with interested parties. This analysis has helped us develop and test the principles that will underpin our Welcome to UK Practice programme.
Piloting
We have now started to pilot the programme and will be delivering four pilot events between January and March 2013.
Questions and answers
Who is the Welcome to UK Practice Programme for?
The programme is designed for doctors who are new to practice in the UK.
This will include the UK medical graduates as well as EU and non-EU qualified doctors.
What do you think it will look like?
We anticipate that the programme will consist of three parts:
- An online tool that will enable a doctor to assess their understanding of Good Medical Practice
- A one day induction event, which will be an interactive environment covering some of the key issues facing doctors who are new to UK practice
- Online learning resources that will support a doctor's ongoing knowledge and application of the GMC’s ethical guidance.
When will it be introduced?
After we have evaluated the pilot and improvements to the programme,we aim to implement induction in 2013.
Why are you introducing it now?
Based on research we’ve commissioned and other available evidence, we believe that doctors new to practice could benefit from additional support before they start practising in the UK. We believe this will improve the quality of care patients receive and should therefore be developed and introduced quickly.
Will this replace other induction programmes?
No. This will not replace local induction schemes. Employer inductions are a helpful way of ensuring that doctors have better understanding of their local environment and systems. The Welcome to UK Practice programme will focus on professional standards expected of doctors practising in the UK.
If you have any questions about the Welcome to Uk Practice Programme, please contact the team at induction@gmc-uk.org