ETP Monthly Memo (February 2026)

Information for trainees

Managing ETP Completion – for the 2024 cohort

The completion deadline for the 2024 cohort is Tuesday 7 April 2026.

As you are heading towards the end of your programme, here are some reminders and hints about how to manage completion so that you can plan accordingly.

You can read the completion criteria on the school website

Unless you have an approved extension via the school’s Exceptional Extenuating Circumstances policy (EEC) or the University, you should be aiming to have achieved the following by Tuesday 7 April 2026 at 5pm:

1. 100% completion of your e-portfolio – One File

• Module A-CS-S1 – Introduction to Clinical Echocardiography
• Module SPS121 – Ultrasound Imaging in Cardiac Disease

2. A 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

Tips to help you complete your programme 

• The BSE will endeavour to offer places for people on the ETP at the appropriate practical assessment. Please ensure they are aware you are on the programme if you are unable to gain a place immediately.
• Make sure you have planned to complete both the theory and practical elements of the BSE accreditation before the completion deadline. If you fail the practical exam, you will be permitted up to 6 months to resit and pass it and still be able to complete the ETP. Any further time required will need to be discussed with the school.
• If you are having problems with collating sufficient cases for your BSE practical exam then speak to your Training Officer early and come and talk to the school on your options
• Trainees who do not achieve the requirements by the deadline and who have not previously notified the school of any barriers to completion may fail the ETP. If you do not plan effectively and communicate early we won’t be able to help you.
• Completion of your e-portfolio is a mandatory requirement. If you don’t achieve this without sufficient reason, this outcome will be reported to NHS England commissioners and quality teams which may impact on future funding for the programme.
• If you have exceptional circumstances impacting on the progress and completion of your programme you can seek more time or adjustments via the school’s Exceptional Extenuating Circumstances policy 

So, make sure you plan, review and act regularly and discuss your progress with your Training Officer. If you have concerns about meeting the requirements of the programme in the timeframe allowed come and talk to the school, we will be happy to advise you england.nshcs@nhs.net

Information for trainees and Training Officers

Please provide your feedback on the ETP curriculum

We’d like to remind you and encourage you that you can provide feedback on the ETP curriculum through the Curriculum Library ETP homepage or through the ‘Feedback’ option in the Curriculum Library toolbox on each module page. You can provide feedback at any time and as many times as you like. Let us know what you think of the programme.

The first cycle of the curriculum rolling review process is coming to a conclusion for the STP and we’ll use your feedback to apply this process to the ETP from next academic year.

View the ETP curriculum in the Curriculum Library

Find out more about the curriculum rolling review process

New animations to help you understand work-based assessments

The school has published a series of 3 animations about the various types of work-based assessment, to help trainees, their trainers and assessors to swiftly understand the purpose of each type of assessment and how they should be completed.

The series comprises animations about:

• training activities
• observed assessments
• case-based discussions

Watch the animations about work-based assessments

Sharing Good Practice webinar series

Developing professionalism in practice 
Wednesday 18 March 2026 – 11am to 12pm
View further details and register for this webinar

Are you interested in sharing your practice?

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. We are particularly interested in short talks on:

• Strategies for undertaking and assessing Direct Observation of Practical Skills (DOPS)
• Strategies for undertaking and assessing Observed Communication Events (OCEs)

Express an interest in sharing your practice

Information for Training Officers

Continuing to support your trainee with their training activities (DTAs & ETAs)

The following resources will support you in supporting your trainee with their training activities:

1. New: Supporting trainees with developing evidence for specialist training activities (NHS Learning Hub resource)
2. A guide to reflection for the DTAs using the four-dimensional approach (NHS Learning Hub resource)
3. A guide to reflection for ETAs using the four-dimensional approach (NHS Learning Hub resource)

In addition you should read the NSHCS work-based assessment standards, which outline the evidence requirements for different types of training activity.

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.