The Induction and Working Week
This is really an orientation process so that the Foundation doctor finds the way around the practice, understands a bit about the practice area, meets doctors and staff, learns how to use the computer and knows how to get a cup of coffee! This is very similar to the induction programme used for GP ST3s (Registrars) but will probably last about a week. It should be planned for the first week of their 3 or 4-month rotation with you. It is also very helpful if you have an introduction pack for the Foundation doctor, which again is similar to that which you might use for a locum or GP ST1 or ST2. An induction week might look something like the timetable below but this is only a guideline and should be adapted to suit your learner and your practice.
F2 Induction Programme
Day 1
Meeting
doctors/ staff
9-10
Sitting in the
waiting room
10-11
Surgery & Home
visits with
trainer
11-1
Working on
Reception desk
2-3
Surgery with trainer
3-6
Day 2
Treatment Room
9-11
Chronic Disease
Nurse clinic 11- 1
Computer training
Surgery with another doctor
Day 3
District Nurses
9-12
12-1
Local Pharmacist
2-4
Surgery with another trainer or Partner
Day 4
Health Visitors
Admin staff
11-12
On Call with GP. Assisting with triage/ acute patients/ managing incoming demand
Day 5
Surgery and home visits[1] with another doctor
9 – 12
Practice meetings
Meet trainer to debrief on the first week
Sitting in with other members of the team exposes the learner to different styles of communication and consultation.
Of course this will not necessarily fit into neat hourly blocks of time and you may have several other opportunities that you feel your Foundation doctor would benefit from in this initial phase.
The working and learning week
Every experience that your Foundation doctor has should be an opportunity for learning. It is sometimes difficult to get the right balance between learning by seeing patients in a formal surgery setting and learning through other opportunities. The table below is an indicator as to how you might plan the learning programme over a typical week with a doctor who is in your surgery on the standard 4-month rotation. (The next section will look in more detail at each of these learning opportunities) The working/learning week for a Foundation doctor is 10 sessions (regardless of your practice working week arrangements). The F2 is not expected to do out of hours work during their General Practice rotation. The Foundation doctor must have a named clinical supervisor at all times. This will usually be you, but you may share this responsibility with suitably experienced colleagues, usually another Partner in the Practice.
The 10 session week comprises sections A+B + (C or D)
D Surgeries
Minimum of Seven sessions of Surgeries and Home Visits per week
§ These will usually start at 30 minute appointments for each patient and then reduce to 15- 20 minute appointments as the Foundation doctor develops their skills, knowledge and confidence.
§ The F2 doctor must have access to another doctor (not a locum doctor) but not necessarily the trainer in the practice
§ The F2 doctor does not need to have their own consulting room and can use different rooms so long as patient and doctor safety and privacy is not compromised
B.
2 x sessions in other learning
Opportunities
This includes Trust – organised generic Teaching Sessions
This could be
§ 1:1 session with the trainer or other members of the practice team. (i.e. a Tutorial)
§ Small group work with other learners in the practice
§ Small group work with F2s from other practices
§ Shadowing or observing other health professionals or service providers e.g. outpatient clinics pertinent to primary care, palliative care teams, voluntary sector workers
C.
1 x session on
project work or
directed study
§ Your F2 may wish to undertake a project or audit during their time with you. They should have protected time to do some research, collect the data, write up the project and present their work to the practice team. They need not do a full audit but must understand the process.
D.
I x session
Private study
(optional)
§ The GP Supervisor will plan with the F2 doctor those areas where study related to Primary Care will be beneficial.
Tutorials
Examples of possible tutorial topics are attached at Appendix 3.
Chronic Disease Management
Classroom taught sessions
In addition to the weekly timetable organised by the practice, the Acute Trusts and Deanery team will organise training that amounts to about 12 days during the year.
It is the F2 doctor’s responsibility to ensure that they liaise with their Clinical Supervisor to book the time out of practice.
The F2 doctor will not be expected to attend the GP vocational training days.
[1] See section on – Home Visiting Guidance