REQUEST FOR SHORTLISTERS/INTERVIEWERS TO TAKE PART IN RECRUITMENT FOR SPECIALTY TRAINING IN PSYCHIATRY IN SCOTLAND 2012
I am writing to ask if you would be willing to be involved in the Recruitment process for entry into psychiatric training in Scotland in 2012.
As you may be aware, the Recruitment process is organised and run centrally by NES for Scotland. Since the introduction of MMC in 2007, Scotland has undertaken a separate National Recruitment Process from the rest of the UK. To date, this has received very positive feedback from applicants and selectors and we have also had a high fill rate for posts. It is therefore our intention to continue with this process in 2012. For each Medical Specialty there is an associated Lead Deanery, which in our case is Grampian. They provide all the necessary HR support, including contacting the applicants with information about the recruitment process, creating all the relevant paperwork, and playing a major role in running the shortlisting and interview process. Their support has been invaluable and has allowed the system to run remarkably smoothly over the last few years. The Recruitment Team within the Specialty Board are involved in overseeing the recruitment process, designing the person specifications, creating the psychiatric specific questions for the application form and also the interview questions. We also have an active role in organising and running the shortlisting and interview days.
Although we run a separate recruitment process from the rest of the UK, we now follow the same timeline in terms of dates of application, dates offers have to be made etc, which obviously leads to a greater degree of co-ordination.
As of August 2009, psychiatric training in Scotland decoupled into 3 years core training and 3 years advanced training. In 2012 the first cohort of trainees appointed to CT1 in 2009 will be applying in open competition for ST4 posts. There still remain a few trainees appointed in 2007-8 to run through training who will require to be allocated to advanced training posts at ST4 level. This uses a process called competitive allocation and as with open competition posts will involve completing an application form and being interviewed. Both processes will take place in March 2012 once the results of the next MRCPsych CASC results are known. CT1 posts will be appointed in January. there is also the possibility of a second round of recruitment to ST4 later in the year but this remains to be confirmed.
While we would welcome the involvement of any interested consultants (whether you have been involved in the process before or not), we are particularly keen to involve those with a significant role in postgraduate medical education. In particular, we would expect that Training Programme Directors in various core and higher specialties, College Tutors (now known as Educational Supervisors in some deaneries) would be involved. The Specialty Board considers that it is an essential part of the role of Training Programme Directors/Tutors etc to be involved in the selection process at both CT1 level and for entry into advanced training. This year, we are again asking specifically whether those consultants involved in medical management roles would be able to assist as they have been under represented in previous years and we consider this to be important in helping to improve the links between service and training. I would wish however to emphasize again that this does not exclude others who are interested.
If you agree to take part, you would require to attend a training day in either Perth or Glasgow. The training days will take place on Monday 12th December 2011 in Perth and Monday 19th December 2011 in Glasgow. The training takes half a day and there will be one session available in Perth in the afternoon and a morning or afternoon session available in Glasgow. These days will look at aspects of the shortlisting and interview process and allow practice in the methods involved.
Also all those taking part in selection have to have undertaken Equality and Diversity Training within the last 3 years. Previously NES had an approved course that selectors were encouraged to undertake, but this is no longer the case and you would be required to consult with your own Health Board as to which Equality and Diversity Training Course they use. These are now almost invariably online.
Shortlisting for CT1 will take place on 9th January with interviews on the 30th and 31st of January. Shortlisting for ST4 ( both competitive allocation and open competition) will take place on 12th March with interviews on the 26-28th March. In previous years these have been held at the Westpark Conference Centre in Dundee and it is hoped that this venue will be able to be used again.
For those who require it, accommodation will be made available. It is important to note that applications for professional leave should be made at least 6 weeks before the relevant dates and that all expenses are claimed back through your own Health Board. We fully understand that many Consultants will not be able to come away for the whole of these periods of time and there is no problem in being involved in one or more days. We would ask however, that if you come to the training days and agree to take part, you are able to allocate at least a period of time for the shortlisting and interviewing processes. As indicated above, there is also going to be a Round Two later in the spring, although the shortlisting and interview dates for this have not been finalised at the present time.
If you are interested in taking part, I would be most grateful if you could contact Tracey Hicks, Project Lead, SMT Recruitment Team, NHS Grampian, Westholme, Woodend Hospital, Eday Road, Aberdeen, AB15 6LS () by the 28th of October 2011.
I should add that until the final number of applications are known the exact number of Consultants that will be required for shortlisting and interviewing cannot be known. We will however endeavour to ensure that as many Consultants as possible who have undergone the training will get the opportunity to take part. Also, because the procedure changes each year, it is important that those involved in previous years re-attend the training days.
I hope this information is of some value but if you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact either Tracey Hicks or myself ()
Thanks in advance for your help
David Brown
Chair of the Recruitment Team for Specialty Board
for Training in Mental Health Specialty