Information for trainees
Completion criteria
As some of you are heading towards the end of your programme we thought we would remind you of the completion deadline so you can plan accordingly.
Unless you have an approved extension via the School’s Exceptional Extenuating Circumstances policy or the University, you should be aiming to have achieved the following by 8 April 2024:
1. 100% completion of your e-portfolio – OneFile
- Module A-CS-S1 – Introduction to Clinical Echocardiography
- Module SPS121 – Ultrasound Imaging in Cardiac Disease
2. Pass in the PGCert in Clinical Echocardiography
3. Accreditation with the British Society of Echocardiography (BSE) – theory and practical examinations
- Level 2 Transthoracic Accreditation Process
Click here to view the ETP completion criteria
New learning module to support trainees to develop evidence for training activities
One of the most frequent requests that we receive at the School is for more guidance about how trainees can and should develop their evidence to demonstrate achievement of training activities / competencies. In response to this important need, we have recently published a new module in our catalogue of learning materials for trainers on the NHS Learning Hub, entitled ‘Developing evidence to demonstrate achievement of training activities’.
This module focuses on what makes good evidence for training activities in work-based training. The module addresses how different types of evidence can be generated in the course of work-based training and it offers guidance about the different types of evidence that can be generated for the different types of training activity (whether for an entrustable training activity, an observational training activity or a developmental training activity).
Although the module is written for trainers, trainees will find much that is of value in the module. We intend to develop a version of this guidance for trainees in the near future.
This new body of guidance is fully aligned with the new STP curricula and the NSHCS work-based assessment standards. It will provide trainers and trainees with concrete help to meet those standards.
To access the NHS Learning Hub you will need to have an account with the service. The details on how to do this can be found within the training standards pages on the School website.
Expectations for training time
We have had a number of queries from both trainees and training officers about the amount of time trainees are expected to be in Echo. NHS England funds all trainees on the programme (both direct entry and in-service) to allow them to be ‘supernumerary’. This means that they will be released from other duties for the entire time on the programme. Trainees should be under supervision at all times. This can be indirect or distance supervision as they become more experienced. They should not be pulled out of their training to provide routine services or to do on-call sessions.
Trainees should attend other services/diagnostics/clinics where it forms part of their training on the programme. In-service candidates can take part in occasional sessions in related areas (e.g. Catheter Laboratory sessions) to maintain competencies and to provide a broader training remit and understanding of context, but trainees should not be expected to provide service provision where it detracts from their training. The 18-month timeline to successful BSE Accreditation is ambitious but achievable, provided trainees have sufficient practical experience, workplace training and support.
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.
Information for training officers
Launch of the revised ETP Curriculum
We’re very pleased to start the new year with the launch of the revised ETP curriculum. The curriculum is now available in the Curriculum Library. The revised curriculum will be implemented for the next cohort of the ETP starting in September 2024.
This time last year we asked for your feedback on the curriculum and your feedback formed the basis of the review process. In May we appointed Lee Bancroft as the Lead Editor for the ETP and the Curriculum Review Group meet for the first time in June. After much hard work from the Curriculum Review Group the revised curriculum was approved at the end of last year. We’d like to take this opportunity to say a huge thank you to Lee and all members of the Curriculum Review Group for their hard work and dedication to the continuation of the ETP.
Comment from Lee Bancroft, Lead Editor for the Echocardiography Training Programme:
I am delighted to announce that the new ETP curriculum has now been finalised by the National School of Healthcare Science. The review process commenced with the assembly of a diverse curriculum review panel consisting of newly-qualified ETP students, academic leads and experienced echo training officers. The extensive review of the existing ETP modules was undertaken with specific focus on the recommendations of the ETP stakeholder feedback. New content was added to reflect these recommendations in order to ensure students have a broader base of core cardiology knowledge and to facilitate greater alignment with national standards that mirror current and future advances in clinical practice. The result is a scientifically-robust and fit-for-purpose curriculum to equip echocardiographers to meet the demands of the future. I would like to thank the National School for their support during this process.
Jane Lynch, Cardiac Clinical Scientist and School Training Programme Director said:
I’m really pleased to see the release of the new Echocardiography Training programme curriculum. Thanks to the hard work of Chris Fisher, Lee Bancroft (Lead Editor) and the rest of the amazing group who have incorporated the feedback we received from training officers, trainees and others to produce a revised curriculum that will continue to provide appropriate underpinning academic and workplace training, rapidly increasing the number of BSE-accredited echocardiographers contributing to high standards of patient care within the specialism.
Click here to view the revised ETP curricula
NSHCS work-based assessment standards for the ETP
Alongside the revised curriculum, we’re also taking the opportunity to introduce the NSHCS work-based assessment standards to the ETP from September 2024. Work-based assessments include training activities (known in previous curricula as competencies), DOPS, OCEs and CBDs. The standards define how work-based assessments should be conducted and the responsibilities of trainees, trainers and assessors.
For each work-based assessment type the standards provide clear definitions and expectations about:
- the purpose of the assessment
- how the assessment should be conducted
- the responsibilities of every participant in the assessment life cycle
- who can assess
- how feedback should be provided
We would strongly advise that you familiarise yourself with the standards early on so that you have a good grasp of how each of the work-based assessments should be conducted.
Click here to view the NSHCS work-based assessment standards
We recently concluded a series of short ‘explainer’ webinars about the work-based assessment standards for the STP which will also be helpful for ETP trainers and assessors.
View the ‘explainer’ webinar on the WBA standard for observed assessment
View the ‘explainer’ webinar on the WBA standard for case-based discussions
View the ‘explainer’ webinar on the WBA standard for training activities
New learning module to support trainees to develop evidence for training activities
One of the most frequent requests that we receive at the School is for more guidance about how trainees can and should develop their evidence to demonstrate achievement of training activities / competencies. In response to this important need, we have recently published a new module in our catalogue of learning materials on the NHS Learning Hub, entitled ‘Developing evidence to demonstrate achievement of training activities’.
This module focuses on what makes good evidence for training activities in work-based training. The module addresses how different types of evidence can be generated in the course of work-based training and it offers guidance about the different types of evidence that can be generated for the different types of training activity (whether for an entrustable training activity, an observational training activity or a developmental training activity).
This new body of guidance is fully aligned with the new STP curricula and the NSHCS work-based assessment standards. It will provide trainers and trainees with concrete help to meet those standards. The module is also fully aligned with the recently-published NSHCS training standards and expectations. It is part of a set of learning modules associated with training standard 1: Plan, design and assess learning and training opportunities.
To access the NHS Learning Hub you will need to have an account with the service. The details on how to do this can be found within the training standards pages on the School website.
Express an interest in sharing your good training practice
In many areas of our work, we receive requests to support trainers in the workplace by connecting them with each other and, in particular, by helping them learn from centres and colleagues that have developed good training practice.
This year the School is hoping to launch a new initiative in which we run regular webinars featuring trainers or trainer networks sharing their practice.
We are keen to share and promote good practice in many different areas. We are particularly keen to share practice that is concerned with training planning, work-based training methods, working with the new STP curricula, supporting reflective practice, generating evidence for training activities, supporting trainees and preparing trainees for their final assessment. We will not limit the scope of the webinars to these topics and are hoping to promote good practice very broadly.
If you or your network have developed practice that you feel could be valuable to share with your peers, please express an interest in sharing your practice via the form linked to below.
Click here to express an interest in contributing to our sharing good practice webinar series
ETP trainer drop-in sessions
This year we’ve expanded our trainers’ drop-in sessions to include the ETP.
At the drop-in sessions you will have the opportunity to talk to Training Programme Director Jane Lynch and School staff about any aspect of the programme. The next session will be on 23 January. Drop-in any time between 12:30 and 1:30pm.
Click here to find out more about the new STP trainer drop-in sessions
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.