January 2024

Please see below for KSS January bulletin.

Highly Important

KSS Foundation School F2 Swaps 2024 opens very soon, please see below for the key dates.

Key Dates:

  • 29th January 2024: Whole programme swap registration opens.
  • 4th February 2024: Whole programme swap registration closes.
  • 7th February 2024: Whole programme and Local Swap application window opens. Whole programme swap – registrant details shared with other applicants via secure data sharing method.
  • 6th March 2024: Swap window closes – ALL swap applications (both Local and Whole programme) must be received by 11:59pm on this date.
  • 7th March – 28th March 2024: Applications reviewed by KSS Foundation team, Foundation School Director and Deputy Director.
  • 28th March 2024: Applicants notified of outcome (please do not chase us prior to this date).
  • 28th March 2024: Trusts notified of change.

For more information, including the full process, conditions, 2024 dates, forms and FAQs, please visit our F2 Swaps page.

Please contact england.kssfoundationyear2.se@nhs.net if you have any further questions.

New Updates

Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health – Foundation Doctor Prize 2024

Congratulations to the following KSS Foundation Doctors who were successful in securing the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health Foundation Doctor Prize 2024:

Dr Amy Haeffner (F1)

Dr Lara Hebdon (F2)

Dr Samar Al-Shamaa (F2)

Broadening Your Professional Capabilities

The annual conference for Doctors in Training in Kent, Surrey & Sussex Deanery is taking place on Tuesday 26th March 2024 from 0920 – 1630 at the Amex Stadium, Brighton.

We are very excited to invite you to the conference. The 2024 programme will focus on broadening professional capabilities relevant to all specialties.

The conference is open to all doctors in postgraduate training or fellowships in the Kent Surrey & Sussex Deanery – FY1 to ST7 from all healthcare settings (primary, secondary, community, public health), and KSS funded Fellows.

Sessions include:

  • Digital literacy and upskilling
  • Managing a Health Service: Leadership for Doctors
  • How to approach a coroner
  • Clinical Entrepreneurship
  • How to involve patients in safety and quality improvement
  • Innovative careers in academia and health sciences
  • The future of education and training in Kent Surrey & Sussex: a Q&A session with the Dean Prof Jo Szram

The agenda is on the website, and lunch and refreshments are included. There is free parking.

To book your place please see the KSS annual conference for Doctors in Training event on the KSS Deanery website.

The conference includes the KSS 2024 Poster Competition:

KSS Poster Competition 2024 are accepting posters on any of the following themes:

  • Doctor’s health and wellbeing
  • Improving communication between doctors and patients
  • Improving continuity of care
  • Medico-legal issues
  • Improving leadership & teamworking
  • Research ethics
  • Healthcare management
  • Improving patient safety
  • Health promotion and illness prevention
  • Initiatives and innovations in health education

Prizes will be awarded at the close of the day. Please send poster abstracts to england.ksspgme.se@nhs.net. Closing date for abstracts is 1st Feb 2024 and successful submissions will be notified by 16th Feb 2024.

Instructions for abstracts:

  • The maximum word limit for Abstract title is 20 words (excluding spaces)
  • The maximum word limit for Abstract text is 300 words
  • No images or tables allowed
  • There can be only 1 Presenting Author
  • The first author must be the Presenting Author
  • There is no limit to the number of co-authors

Foundation School Representatives

Thank you again to everyone who took the time to fill in the last Foundation Programme Feedback forms, which focused on the Eportfolio, Supervision, Feedback and Support, Teaching, Rota and Pay.

Feedback indicated that signposting to the following links may be useful:

  1. For ARCP checklist please click here.
  2. For Foundation programme curriculum resource, which highlights resources to help support the Higher Learning Outcomes – link will be added shortly.

Comments received via the Feedback Forms are being raised to the KSS team. 

We welcome all comments and suggestions about what is working and what isn’t, throughout the year. Below is a link to our new online suggestions box. Please feel free to leave suggestions, positive or negative feedback, or questions. There is an optional box where you can leave your email address if you would like us to get back to you:

https://forms.gle/hDNFsNDyE1EZHsi38

Important information

Provisionally registered doctors (foundation year one/F1) must not undertake formal locum posts or activities.

Provisionally registered doctors can undertake occasional ad hoc additional/overtime shifts on their current FY1 placement or previous FY1 placements that have formed part of their F1 rotation, where such work is undertaken only within the limits of their current competence and with the support of their educational supervisor. When undertaking such occasional ad hoc additional/overtime work, provisionally registered doctors should be clear with other members of their team about their current experience and level of competence.

Study Leave

The KSSFS Admin Team have received a number of queries on how KSS Foundation Doctors can apply for Discretionary Study Leave. For clarity, please see below.

Discretionary Study Leave should be applied for prospectively and not retrospectively.  

  1. Foundation Doctor (FD) seeks support from Educational Supervisor and trust (local) Foundation Training Programme Director (FTPD).
  2. Local FTPD seeks approval from the area Foundation School Director (FSD)
  3. Local FSD replies to trust TPD, including study leave team.
  4. Local TPD can then reply to FD with outcome. 
  5. If approved, on the guidance from the study leave team FD completes study leave form on the study leave portal. 

We are not able to reply to direct emails about Study Leave, but if you have any questions please do contact the school at: england.kssfoundationenquiries.se@nhs.net.

KSS Contact details have changed

Following the merger of HEE and NHS England, our contact email addresses have changed. Please see new emails below (emails sent previously to former email address will automatically be forwarded on):

For Foundation Year 1 queries please email england.kssfoundationyear1.se@nhs.net

For Foundation Year 2 queries please email england.kssfoundationyear2.se@nhs.net

For any other queries please email england.kssfoundationenquiries.se@nhs.net

Team Assessment of Behaviour (TAB)

The recommended dates for TAB are detailed below but these dates are not mandatory. Additional information on the TAB process can be found on the Horus Website.

Placement 1

Opens: Friday 6th October 2023

Closes: Monday 4th December 2023

Placement 2

Opens: Friday 9th February 2024

Closes: Monday 1st April 2024

Placement 3

Opens: Friday 19th April 2024

Closes: Monday 20th May 2024

PSA Sittings 2023/2024

Please note the dates for all PSA sittings:

12th March 2024 at 13.00

23rd April 2024 at 13.00

All F1 doctors that have not yet passed the PSA assessment will be automatically registered for the next sitting in March, further details to follow in January 2024.

Reminders and Guidance

F2 Responsible Officer Details

F2’s are responsible for ensuring they are connected to the correct Responsible Officer. For doctors in training, this is your Postgraduate Dean. For more information please see: https://kss.hee.nhs.uk/kss-foundation/current-doctors-in-training/gmc-full-registration/

TIS Checks

Please can we use this opportunity to remind Medical Education colleagues in Trusts to work with their Medical Staffing teams to regularly check Foundation Doctors’ posts on TIS, against internal records. Early recognition of any discrepancies can help us all to resolve issues quickly.

Also, if you have not already informed us of any F1s that have withdrawn from training, please do so, as we aren’t always made aware by trainees themselves.

F2- Higher training

For those in F2 wanting to move straight into higher training, the application windows for specialty training will soon be open and details of person specifications for application can be found on the specialty training website: https://specialtytraining.hee.nhs.uk/Recruitment/Person-specifications

Foundation Doctors taking Parental Leave

Please can all foundation doctors who will be taking a period of Parental Leave complete the following training interruption form:  https://kss.hee.nhs.uk/kss-foundation/useful-links-and-documents/ and return to england.kssfoundationenquiries.se@nhs.net. This is in addition to informing your employing Trust.

Please also see the NHS employers Maternity guidance using the link below:

NHS Employers Maternity Guidance (rotational doctors and dentists)

Less Than Full Time (LTFT) Training for London and KSS

Please click the link below for guidance regarding Less Than Full Time (LTFT) training.
https://kss.hee.nhs.uk/kss-foundation/current-doctors-in-training/less-than-full-training/

Foundation doctors in GP and psychiatry placements contributing to acute services               

Please see below link for guidance regarding Foundation doctors in community placements contributing to acute services: https://kss.hee.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2023/09/KSSFS-Foundation-doctors-in-GP-and-psychiatry-placements-contributing-to-acute-services_2.pdf

NHS employers’ guidance on induction for international medical graduates

Please see below link to guidance from NHS employers:

https://www.e-lfh.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Welcoming-and-Valuing-International-Medical-Graduates-A-guide-to-induction-for-IMGs-WEB.pdf

Foundation Doctor Role and Responsibilities

Foundation Doctor Role and Responsibilities within the Local Education Provider and Minimum Requirements for Clinical Supervision of Foundation Doctors: see document.

Foundation ARCP requirements

The ARCP checklist can be found here: https://kss.hee.nhs.uk/kss-foundation/current-doctors-in-training/arcp/

Useful Websites and Contacts

UKFPO Bulletin

To read the latest UKFPO Bulletin, click here.

Courses and events

CPD Oxford Virtual Exam course: Head and Neck Anatomy for the MRCS Part A

Aimed at surgeons and trainees preparing for the MRCS exam part A, this is a virtual one-day course to cover applied anatomy of the head and neck relevant to MRCS part A, with emphasis on exam questions. Expert consultant faculty based at Oxford Hospital. Cost £35.

Programme includes:

  • Applied surgical anatomy of the neck
  • Major blood vessels of the head and neck
  • Applied surgical anatomy of the face and scalp
  • Thyroid, parathyroid and major salivary glands
  • TMJ, orbit, mouth, tongue, paranasal air
  • Sinuses
  • Surface and imaging anatomy of the head and neck
  • Neuroanatomy
  • Mock Exam (Part A MCQs on H&N anatomy)
  • Panel discussion
  • Mock exam and answer discussion

Book now: www.cpdoxford.com/booking

Enquiries: henry@oxfordcpd.com

Great Ormond Street Hospital Winter School 2024

Friday 16th February 2024.

Join us for our first ever GOSH Winter School! This promises to be an exciting and interactive virtual event, offering an insight into innovations in Paediatrics and the work done at GOSH.

Only £10 a ticket! To sign up or for more information please click here: https://courses.gosh.org/event/449184#init.