Publication

ETP Monthly Memo (January 2023)

The ETP Monthly Memo includes the latest programme updates, events and key resources for ETP trainees and training officers.

Filed under
ETP Monthly Memo 2023
Published
2023
Publication type
Newsletter
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Message from your Training Programme Director

Jane Lynch

As we near the completion date for the 2021 cohort, please see the important information regarding this below.

January can be a gloomy time of year, when the excitement of the holiday season is over and the days are still short. The start to 2023 is likely to be challenging, particularly for those working in an extremely busy healthcare environment. Monday 16th January has sometimes been dubbed ‘Blue Monday’. I much prefer the term used by the Samaritans ‘Brew Monday’, making it a positive day for people to reach out to friends, family and colleagues over a cup of tea, to check they are feeling OK. Low mood and poor mental health are of course not restricted to a single day so it’s important to do this throughout the year.

My Top Tips to improve health and wellbeing:

  • Get outdoors – as sunlight is likely to be in short supply, make sure you get outside when possible. Being in nature can be particularly helpful. I love to get out for a walk when I can – preferably in the mountains or beside the coast but just walking around my local park can calm my mind and raise my mood.
  • Exercise – walking, running, cycling, playing sports – whatever makes you happy!
  • Eat healthily – balancing cravings for carbohydrates with plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables.
  • Get enough sleep – mindfulness techniques can help you relax.
  • Talk to friends and family – talking to others can help you cope with feeling low.
  • Look forward – I always try and have a few events planned in my diary – catching up with friends, days out or a treat following submitting an assignment can really help to keep motivated.
  • Seek help when needed – remember to check out our support pages on the website, which include advice, blogs by previous trainees and links to support services.

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Completion for the 2021 cohort

For those of you in the 2021 cohort the end of the programme is in sight. The completion date is 11th April 2023 and you must complete the following by that date:

  • PG Cert in Clinical Echocardiography
  • OneFile portfolio (signed off by your training officer)
  • BSE Theory exam passed and first attempt at the Practical Assessment taken

Please ensure that you are ready for completion by April 11th 2023.

If anyone has not yet registered for the March 2023 Practical Assessment please contact the BSE promptly. This is currently fully-booked but there may be cancellations so please make sure they are aware you require a place.

If you are unable to complete any of these elements by this date you must contact the School as soon as possible so we can support you with next steps. Email us at nshcs@hee.nhs.uk. There is a policy for Exceptional Extenuating Circumstances which can be found here.

Failure to complete these elements in time will mean you cannot pass the programme.


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Protecting sensitive information in OneFile

We have published some new guidance about how trainees should protect and exclude patient identifiable information in their submissions on OneFile. This includes guidance about anonymisation, patient consent and fully removing and redacting (rather than just hiding) sensitive information from files uploaded.

Click here to read the guidance about protecting sensitive information in OneFile.


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Training frequently asked questions

We are in the process of updating our ETP website and have included the following new FAQs.

nhs/expander
How much study leave will I receive? Is this allowance valid just until the academic component is complete or until the end of the programme?

For study leave, we recommend that trainees are allocated 1 day per week throughout the programme to concentrate on their academic work. This can be flexible, so that when there are deadlines for academic work such as examinations or assignments, trainees and training officers might want to allocate extra days, with less need for these at other times so that trainees can concentrate on their work-based learning. It is likely that trainees will concentrate on their academic learning in the first year. The last 6 months is likely to be focussed on finishing their OneFile competencies and collecting logbook and digital cases for the BSE Practical exam. Please see the advice here.

nhs/expander
When I have completed the programme, can I apply for statutory registration?

Whilst completion of the ETP does not confer eligibility to register as a Clinical Scientist with the HCPC (Healthcare Professions Council) and more experience will be required, it can be used as valuable evidence as part of a portfolio of evidence towards STP equivalence via the Academy for Healthcare Science’s Equivalence process. Many completing trainees will have already joined or be eligible for the AHCS voluntary register accredited by the Professional Standards Authority. Please see the AHCS to for further information and support towards registration. If you have any queries, please contact registration@ahcs.ac.uk.

nhs/expander
I have a candidate with a 2:2 Honours degree in a suitable scientific discipline who has worked in my Cardiac department for 5 years, can they apply to the programme?

Acceptance on to the programme with a 2:2 honours degree may be possible with adequate experience. You will need to fill in a template included in the recruitment pack with information about this for consideration by the School and University.

nhs/expander
Can I apply for an extension if I have Extenuating Circumstances?

Yes, there is a policy for Exceptional Extenuating Circumstances which can be found here.

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BSE regional webinars

The Society’s annual programme of events and educational meetings offers ongoing learning, professional development and  opportunities to network and collaborate with others in the echocardiography field.

Current events listings include:

  1. The first regional meeting of 2023 will be held on 9th February via Zoom, and will focus on the athlete’s heart, organised by the Regional Representatives Network in conjunction with Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.
  2. Accreditation clinics: The accreditation clinic is a great opportunity to meet with the accreditation team to discuss anything from written exams to practical exams and even departmental accreditation.

Click here to view the current events.


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Review of the ETP Curriculum

We’re embracing the new year with a new start and beginning a review of the ETP curriculum.

The ETP began in 2020 and we were thrilled to see the first trainees complete the programme last summer and enter practice, applying their skills to benefit patients. With the third cohort under way, now is the time to learn from all your experiences both delivering and following the programme to make sure the curriculum is fit for purpose.

The first step of the review process is to gather feedback from everyone involved in the programme. We want to hear your thoughts on the curriculum. Is it meeting your needs? Where it could be improved? We’ll then appoint a Lead Editor who will provide the scientific leadership for the review. The Lead Editor will work with us at the School to navigate the review process and establish a Curriculum Review Group. The group will then review your feedback and make decisions on the future direction for the curriculum. We’ll keep in touch to let you know how we’re getting on.

There are a number of ways you can get involved:

1. Express your interest.

Let us know you’d like to be involved and how, from driving the process as Lead Editor to sitting on the Curriculum Review Group and providing your feedback. Expressions of interest are open until the end of January.

Click here to express your interest.

2. Provide feedback on the curriculum.

The information you provide will be used by the Curriculum Review Group to review and redevelop the curriculum. We’d be particularly pleased to hear views from graduates of the programme. Please do share the survey with anyone you think would want to give feedback. The survey is available until the end of February.

Click here to complete the survey and provide feedback on the curriculum.


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Missed a previous edition of the ETP Monthly Memo?

We’ve published copies of the Monthly Memo for ETP trainees and training officers on our website.

Click here to view previous editions of the ETP Monthly Memo.

Last updated on 12th February 2024

This publication is part of ETP Monthly Memo (2023)