Approval of out of programme posts
As of August 2007, all training posts that count towards a CCT should be incorporated within the specialty training programme in the deanery. Each deanery will have a breakdown of the posts that are within each programme and trainees should contact the deanery if further information is needed on individual posts.
If you want a post from outside your training programme to count towards your CCT it must be approved by the GMC before the post is started. In exceptional circumstances consideration may be given to approving later than this, but no later than by the time the post is completed. Applications for post approvals are made by the Deanery to the GMC. The only types of posts which will be granted individual approval are ACF/CL, OOPT/OOPR, or AUC posts.
If you are a doctor on the Combined Programme (CP) you must also seek approval for any out of programme posts once you have been accepted onto the programme.
Out of Programme Training/Research posts (OOPT/R)
Trainees with national training numbers (NTN) undertaking posts outside of their specialty programme must have prospective approval if the post is to count towards their CCT. Deaneries should apply to the GMC prior to the start of the post. If a trainee is undergoing an inter-deanery transfer, no information needs to be sent to the GMC.
Further guidance documents available:
Acting Up as a Consultant (AUC)
If this post is not part of the approved specialty programme but is to be counted towards the trainee's CCT, the deanery should apply for approval of the post in the same way as for OOPT/R.
Enquiries
If you have a query about a training post approval, please contact ooptapprovals@gmc-uk.org.