Management

Types of Training: Management of Specialty Programmes

The duration of training and configuration of training length varies between specialties. The training is generally split into core training, intermediate and higher training. Higher training is currently managed in the main via the London Deanery on our behalf, although KSS Deanery is taking over the management of some specialties. These are:

  • Acute Medicine
  • Dermatology
  • Geriatric Medicine
  • General Internal Medicine
  • ICM
  • Renal Medicine
  • Rheumatology

 

Entry to specialty trainingis covered in section 6 of the Gold Guide. In summary, National training numbers (NTNs) are allocated to doctors in specialty training programmes which, subject to satisfactory progress, have an end point of the award of aCertificate of Completion of Training (CCT), or a certificate of eligibility for specialist registration, or GP registration (CESR or CEGPR). KSS Deanery, like all deaneries, has alternative numbering systems for other trainees (such as core trainees) to track their progress and to ensure future recognition of successful completion of approved training posts. These KSS Deanery training numbers are for administrative purposes and do not confer any entitlement to entry to further specialty training. The main purpose of a training number is to support educational planning and management by enabling Postgraduate Deans to keep track of the location and progress of trainees.

 

Additionally training numbers inform workforce data, by documenting, within specialties, how many doctors are in each specialty training programme at any time and providing indicative evidence as to when their training is likely to be completed.

 

A CCT can only be awarded to a doctor who has been allocated a NTN by competitive appointment to a training programme designed to lead to the award of a CCT and who has successfully completed that programme. Following appointment to a specialty training programme, a NTN will be allocated by KSS Deanery. This includes doctors in NHS and non NHS employment. The NTN is unique to the trainee for the period the trainee holds the number in that specialty training programme. The NTN may be changed for a given trainee if that trainee is subsequently appointed competitively to a different specialty or academic programme.

 

Where a NTN has been issued, it will be held so long as the trainee is in specialty training or is out of programme on statutory grounds or for out of programme activity which has been agreed with the Postgraduate Dean.

 

The Gold Guide Core Training Supplements give details about competitive appointment to core and higher specialty training programmes for those specialties that have "uncoupled". Entry to run-through training programmes is by competitive appointment directly into the specific specialty.