Minutes of the meeting of the General Practice, Public Health Medicine and Occupational Medicine Specialty Board Meeting held at 1.30 pm on Wednesday 18 December 2013 inRoom 5, Westport, Edinburgh

Present: Ronald MacVicar (RM) Chair, David Bruce (DB), Philip Cachia (PC),Jim Chalmers (JC), John Gillies (JG), Moya Kelly (MK), John Kyle (JK), Alastair Leckie (ALe),Rowan Parks (RP).

By videoconference: Jean Robson (JR).

In attendance: Helen McIntosh (HM).

Apologies: Kenneth Lee (KL), Anthea Lints (ALi), Ian Longair (IL), Alan McDevitt (AM), Paul Ryan (PR),Iain Wallace (IW),Carrie Young (CY).

1. / Welcome and apologies
The Chair welcomed all to the meeting and apologies were noted.
2. / Minutes of meeting held on 16 October 2013
The minutes were approved as a correct record of the meeting and will be posted on the website.
3. / Matters arising/action points from previous meeting
3.1 / STB membership: Occupational Medicine representative
ALe reported he continued to seek a second representative for the STB and will confirm as soon as possible.
RMacV reported Professor Sullivan was leaving post and therefore leaving the STB. RMacV will confirm the name of a new Academic representative as soon as possible.
Actions:
  • ALe to confirm second Occupational Medicine representative for the STB.
  • RMacV to confirm Academic representation on STB.

4. / STB report to MDET – meeting held on 6 December 2013
Received for information.
5.
5.1 / Recruitment update
StART Alliance
The paper circulated was prepared for the NES Board where it was warmly received. The paper described various initiatives – website, trainee ambassadors, understanding decisions made on training and career and recruitment and retention.
JG noted the StART initiative was presented to the Scottish Academy by RP where it was welcomed. He stressed the need to publicise the high quality training provided in Scotland. RMacV said it had become apparent at 2012 BMJ Careers Fair that Scotland was lagging behind the other countries in publicising itself. They had returned to this year’s Fair with an improved presence and the importance of continuing this presence was acknowledged. RMacV asked JC and ALe to identify trainee ambassadors for their specialties and will re-circulate information previously sent. He confirmed trainees who have volunteered will be able to participate by videoconference and asked all to ensure this information was widely known. To date 60 trainees were signed up and the number was growing. The vast majority were located in WoS although representation was across all Scotland and broad specialty groups.
DB proposed including other groups in the initiative eg Enterprise Scotland/charities. RMacV and RP will take the suggestion to the core group.
The next phase will concentrate on recruiting trainer ambassadors.
Actions:
  • RMacV to re-circulate trainee ambassador information to JC and ALe.
  • RMacV and RP to take proposal to include other groups in the initiative to the core group.

5.2 / GP
MK presented a detailed paper showing the position as at 12 December. 417 applications were received of which 401 were active; one rejected applicant was appealing. Across the UK there were 5,477 applications for GPST1 of which 5,386 were active. Overall numbers were slightly down however the percentage decrease in Scotland (3%) was smaller than in the rest of UK; across the UK 9 Deaneries have experienced a significant drop (10%). No area has increased.
The Foundation competence table showed fewer had alternative certificates hence the percentage of those coming via Foundation was growing and the applicant profile was generally changing. Stage 2 will take place the first week in January and by February they will have a clearer idea of numbers.
JG felt the external training environment was key and felt the recent negative press coverage of GPs was likely to affect recruitment especially in England. The College worked to mitigate such effects.
5.2.1 / Update on system for termination of sponsorship
RMacV reported he sought guidance from HR and will ensure PR was aware of the response.
Action:
  • RMacV to ensure PR was aware of response from HR.

5.3 / Public Health
JC reported they were recruiting to 6 posts in Scotland via a selection centre in Loughborough in February. Across the UK there have been 686 applications for 69 posts which was a slightly higher total than last year with a similar ratio of medics/non medics. Longlisting was currently taking place.
5.4 / Occupational Medicine
ALe reported there were 3 vacancies funded by NES with one likely to remain fallow and another post with no Educational Supervisor support available. One post was advertised at present and he was hopeful a second will be added later. There were also 2 separate industry based organisations enquiring about recruitment and this seemed to be the direction of travel. Many people in the specialty were over 55 so industry was beginning to realise it had to grown its own people. One industry location has been visited and the other will be visited soon. These posts must be advertised in open competition with Deanery and RSA involvement although they will be recruited separately and appointed by industry. This recruitment was not bound by the NES recruitment timetable and potentially candidates could apply to both.
They appointed 2 GP Fellows although one left after a week to move to GP. This year a few Health Boards were interested in the posts as well as increased interest from industry so there will be more with a better geographical spread and recruitment will take place in Spring 2014.
6. / Feedback from meeting with OM Clinical Supervisors
ALe reported difficulty in getting sufficient people to sit on ARCP panels and held a meeting with Clinical Supervisors. This was a positive meeting and he was optimistic this will solve the issue.
7. / Specialty Training Developments
A 4 nations group wasestablished to consider enhanced GP training and while this was being discussed the Shape of Training report was published. HEE England has a mandate to extend training to 4 years and must do this; the other nations have to set any changes within the context of Shape of Training which has given its support to 4 years GPST. The next meeting of the 4 nations group was due to take place and HEE and NES were due to meet at the end of January 2014. Meantime the Scottish Government has confirmed it was happy for NES to consider how the recommendations of the Shape of Training report will look across Scotland and within that how GP training will evolve. The GP Directors will produce a proposal for consideration by RP before the paper goes to MDET for its consideration.
JC noted discussion on the Shape of Training report at a recent meeting of the Faculty of Public Health. Public Health was not clear how it will fit into the Shape of Training recommendations although it welcomed the report so there was much discussion at the meeting. The Faculty will respond with its formal view. DB felt the specialty would have to address the question at what point it will credential or offer higher training with credentialing.
8. / Faculty Development update
The over-arching work based tool was nearing completion. This will assist in the approval/recognition of trainers and maintaining skills. Discussion was also taking place on how NES will support those individuals who were already trainers or who would want to be and they were working on providing entry level and a range of CPD courses. The GP lead and secondary care leads have been appointed on one session each. By July 2014 all trainers will have to be approved/recognised. RP was working on a draft communication for wide distribution in January and DB will also produce a powerpoint illustrating the work.
DB confirmed that currently planned SCOTS courses will run but will disappear after these complete. A new course for Clinical and Educational Supervisors at entry level will be ready by the end of January for piloting and rolled out later. Local help will be provided for the delivery of courses. STAR online training will remain; most likely using the NES platform for e-learning and new e-learning opportunities will be developed.
9. / Updates
9.1 / Specialty updates
GP
DB reported:
  • CPD strategy was moving to one system across Scotland; a paper was being developed.
  • How to implement the system of approval for Educational Supervisors and TPDs – work on developing one implementation process was almost complete with only one or two details to be confirmed.
Public Health
JC reported he discussed training numbers with Professor Finlay and agreed 36 reducing to 32. RMacV will send him information on the process for disestablishing posts.
Action:
  • RMacV to send JC information on disestablishing process.
Occupational Medicine
ALe wrote to Professor McLellan as Lead Dean for the specialty regarding national school discussions in England to which Scotland was not formally invited. He will inform Professor McLellan of his interest in an observer role. As Scotland has a national school he felt there was little material to be gained and it was unlikely they would lose trainees to England.
He hoped it would be possible to improve recruitment as in the last few years they have had little success and trainees were experiencing difficulty in progressing. He will keep the STB informed on progress.
9.2 / Liaison Dean update
PC highlighted:
  • Professor Irvine has written to all potential stakeholders informing them of the move to a single Scottish Deanery from 1 April 2014.
  • UK recruitment – updates on Oriel testing and SST pilot for every CT1/ST1 post in recruitment. This will be done via a 2 hour test at Pearson-Vue centres. It was hoped to recruit 1,200 participants and 3 randomised systems will be used and evaluated.
  • NES Conference will be held on 6 May 2014 in Edinburgh.

9.3 / Service update
9.4 / Academic update
9.4 / No updates were received.
9.5 / DME update
PC confirmed there should be little impact on DMEs from the move to a single Scottish Deanery. Senior staff in the directorate will be impacted however regional offices will remain so local contact will be unaffected. The NES relationship with GMC will change and programme governance in Scotland will be considered for national programmes. The 4 PG Deans will remain with their roles moving into leading national workstreams.
9.6 / Trainee update
JK reported formal contracts negotiations began on 18 October with the plan to complete by April 2014. However the timescale was felt to be optimistic and an extension was granted with the deadline for August 2015.
Negotiations were progressing slowly and the BMA was pushing for a separate sub group to deal with GP issues. The main GP issue was the potential loss of the GP and OOH supplements and pay progression protection was also under discussion. This may be lost or frozen although this was not yet finalised. JK will keep the STB informed on the progress of negotiations and ongoing discussion.
9.7 / Lay representative update
No update was received.
10. / AOB
No other business was raised.
11. / Date of next meeting
The next meeting will take place at 1.30 pm on Wednesday 19 February 2014 in Room 6, Westport, Edinburgh (VC available).

Actions arising from the meeting

Item no / Item name / Action / Who
3.
3.1 / Matters arising/action points from previous meeting
STB membership: Occupational Medicine and Academic representation / To confirm second Occupational Medicine representative.
To confirm Academic representation. / ALe
RMacV
5.
5.1 / Recruitment update
StART Alliance / To re-circulate trainee ambassador information to JC and ALe to identify individuals.
To take proposal to include other groups to the core group. / RMacV, JC/ALe
RMacv/
RP
5.2
5.2.1 / GP
Update on system for termination of sponsorship / To ensure PR was aware of HR response. / RMacV
9.
9.1 / Updates
Specialty updates: Public Health / To send JC information on disestablishing process. / RMacV

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