Regulating doctors, ensuring good medical practice

Improving the quality of medical training

Press Release

06 Jan 2012

The GMC is consulting on proposed new arrangements for the recognition and approval of medical trainers in a consultation launched today. (1)

‘Doctors who train other doctors are absolutely critical to developing and improving standards of care. We want to give this formal recognition by identifying and recognising the contribution they make to improving standards and protecting patients.

Niall Dickson, the Chief Executive of the GMC

GP trainers are already approved by the GMC and the success of this system is illustrated with GP trainees having the highest satisfaction scores (87.2 per cent) of all medical trainees (74.6 to 83.7 per cent depending on specialty). (2)

Building on this success, the new proposals are designed to improve the quality and consistency of medical training across the UK by clarifying the roles and responsibilities of those who deliver training as well as the parts played by the GMC, postgraduate deaneries and medical schools.

Niall Dickson, the Chief Executive of the GMC said:

‘Doctors who train other doctors are absolutely critical to developing and improving standards of care – they help to shape the next generation of doctors and are important role models for medical students and trainee doctors. We want to give this formal recognition by identifying and recognising the contribution they make to improving standards and protecting patients.

‘We would need new legal powers to approve non-GP trainers on an official basis, until then, we believe the proposed recognition system will ensure that more formal arrangements are in place.’

In the new proposals, local education providers such as NHS trusts would use a structure of seven areas (from the Academy of Medical Educators) to show how they identify, train and appraise trainers. Postgraduate deaneries and medical schools would be responsible for holding the names of all recognised non-GP trainers and showing the GMC what local arrangements are in place to maintain standards.

The new system is designed to help raise the profile of trainers, ensuring they are supported and subject to effective and fair appraisal. The standards trainers will be expected to meet are already set out in Tomorrow’s Doctors (2009) for undergraduate training and The Trainee Doctor (2011) for postgraduate training.

The GMC is now asking medical training organisations, healthcare providers, medical trainers and doctors to tell us if they think the new proposals will promote the value of training and enhance its status. Respond to the consultation: https://gmc.e-consultation.net/econsult/default.aspx

Notes to editors

(1) The new proposals relate to:

  • named educational supervisors in postgraduate training
  • named clinical supervisors in postgraduate training
  • lead coordinators of undergraduate training at each local education provider
  • doctors responsible for overseeing students’ educational progress for each medical school
  • The proposals do not cover other doctors whose practice contributes to the teaching, training or supervision of students or trainee doctors.

Definitions of these trainers are available. See Appendix C of the consultation document on the GMC website: www.gmc-uk.org.

(2) GMC National training survey 2011 – key findings page 14, table 1.3.

About the consultation

The consultation runs from Friday 6 January to Friday 30 March 2012. The GMC intends to begin implementation in 2013, subject to feedback from the consultation.

The proposals complement requirements around training for all doctors as set out in Good Medical Practice. Further information about the consultation is available on the GMC website: www.gmc-uk.org/trainersconsult2012

Alternatively contact the Media Relations Office on 020 7189 5454, out of hours 020 7189 5444/ 07920 461497, email press@gmc-uk.org, website www.gmc-uk.org.

The General Medical Council registers and licenses doctors to practise medicine in the UK.

The law gives us four main functions:

  • keeping up-to-date registers of qualified doctors
  • fostering good medical practice
  • promoting high standards of medical education and training
  • dealing firmly and fairly with doctors whose fitness to practise is in doubt