Programme and post approval FAQs
FAQs for Trainees
FAQs for Deaneries
Trainees
Will the GMC accept PMETB approval towards a CCT?
The GMC will accept approval via whatever mechanism was in place for a post at the time. The table below outlines this approval:
| Period |
Organisation |
| Before September 2005 (for specialists) |
The relevant medical Royal College or Faculty |
| Before September 2005 (for GPs) |
The Joint Committee on Postgraduate Training for General Practice (JCPTGP) |
| Between September 2005 and March 2010 |
Postgraduate Medical Education and Training Board (PMETB)** |
| From April 2010 |
The GMC |
| **Before 31 July 2007 |
Some training posts that were completed before 31 December 2006 may have been approved retrospectively by the Royal College or Faculty for that specialty (including General Practice). This approval will have been granted before 31 July 2007 and the doctor will have written confirmation from the Royal College or Faculty confirming this. |
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Can the GMC retrospectively approve a post to count towards a CCT?
No. Prospective approval must be given by the GMC for Out of Programme Training (OOPT) and Out of Programme Research (OOPR), as well as Acting up posts (AUC) if the post is not part of the specialty curriculum and is to count towards a trainee's CCT. In exceptional circumstances if an application is received whilst the trainee is still in post the GMC may consider this request. There may be some circumstances where further investigation is warranted because of an administrative error, and the GMC will consider these on a case-by-case basis so as not to disadvantage trainees.
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I have not yet been accepted onto a specialty training programme but I want to train in my chosen specialty in an overseas (non-UK, non-EEA) country for a period of time before returning to the UK to undertake my training. Can this training be counted towards the CCT?
No. All overseas training must have the prospective support of the Postgraduate Dean and approval from the GMC. As you are not yet a UK trainee, do not have an NTN and have not been accepted onto a particular specialty, the prospective approval process does not apply. We would, however, advise you to keep a formal record of your experience so that you may count it towards a future CESR if you choose to do so.
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I want to do part of my CCT training in another European Economic Area (EEA) member state. Do I need to seek prospective approval from the GMC for this training to count towards my CCT?
No. The GMC recognises training approved by the competent authorities in other EEA states. Therefore, if you are transferring between posts which comply with European directive requirements and you have written confirmation that the competent authorities approve those posts, this training can be recognised towards a CCT without GMC involvement. This is applicable to non-EEA nationals as well as EEA nationals.
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I have been accepted for specialty training and have an NTN, however, I want to defer the start of my training to complete relevant additional training such as research. Can I apply for prospective approval of this experience towards my CCT?
Yes. As you have an NTN in a specified specialty you can seek prospective support to complete experience such as research from the College and Postgraduate Dean, and the training can be prospectively approved by the GMC. The exact length of time that such approved experience will count towards your specialty programme will be considered by your parent College or Faculty in conjunction with the deanery.
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I wish to undertake a national fellowship, such as a National Oncoplastic Breast Fellowship, in a deanery other than my home deanery. Do I need to seek prospective approval from the GMC?
Moving between deaneries does not necessarily mean moving out of programme. If the experience is not part of an approved CCT programme, it is considered out of programme regardless of location. If the GMC has approved the programme which includes the fellowship under the host deanery, and the post is training towards the same curriculum, you do not require additional prospective approval.
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I am considering moving to part-time (also known as less than full-time, flexible or supernumerary) training. Do I have to work a minimum of 50 per cent of a full-time role?
See our position statements on less than full-time training (October 2011) (pdf) and academic training in a less than full-time setting (January 2012) (pdf).
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I am a part-time (also known as less than full-time, flexible or supernumerary) trainee in general practice. Am I still required to complete one full-time week in a hospital and one full-time week in a general practice setting?
Legislative changes effective from December 2007 removed this requirement from the General Practice CCT requirements. Therefore, this is no longer a requirement for the award of a CCT for those applying after December 2007.
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Deaneries
How do I apply for GMC approval for a new programme or changes to an existing programme?
A new programme requires a completed and signed Form A to be completed by the deanery, and forwarded to the GMC quality assurance team, accompanied by a letter of support from the relevant Royal College or Faculty. No application will be approved without this indication of support.
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When do I need to complete a Form B?
A Form B only needs to be completed when a new site is being introduced into a programme which has not previously hosted training. For example, if a new hospital site is built which will host trainees, a Form B must be completed. However, if a deanery decides to reconfigure a programme and a site which was part of one programme becomes part of another programme, a Form B is not required.
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What is maximum training capacity?
Maximum training capacity, or ‘MTC’, indicates the maximum number of whole time equivalent (WTE) individuals who can train in a programme. This may not be a reflection of the actual number of trainees in a programme, but is about capacity. It is expected that the MTC will be slightly above the WTE headcount, to allow some flexibility around supernumerary posts and flexible training. However, the Royal College or Faculty must explicitly support any MTCs for new programmes, or any deanery requests to uplift an MTC.
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How does the deanery apply for approval of a post when a trainee is going out-of-programme?
There is no standardised for approval of OOP posts, but deaneries must send the GMC the following information:
- Formal indication of deanery support of the post (e.g. a letter signed by the Dean)
- Inclusion of key information regarding the trainee to go OOP such as their full name, training number, GMC number, location of the post, dates of the post (this may be included in the Dean’s letter)
- Evidence of Royal College or Faculty support via the agreed mechanisms.
This information must be received prospectively, prior to the start date of the post or approval may not be given. Trainees should be advised to begin preparing the paperwork for any OOP post well in advance.
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