Message from your ETP Training Programme Director
Jane Lynch
Welcome to the August ETP memo. I hope you are all well.
In this month’s memo we have some information about Train the Trainer and the Expressions of Interest survey which is now open for the 2023 cohort. Autumn 2023 seems a long way ahead, but the quality processes necessary to ensure recruitment take a significant amount of time and by starting early the processes should flow smoothly to ensure we can fill all the places. For anyone also involved in the PTP, we have been reviewing the curriculum and have proposed some significant changes to the way this is run. This is now open for wider consultation. Please have a look at this and let us know your thoughts.
We also have a link to a conversation with one of our trainees who successfully completed the pilot cohort of the programme. This includes some helpful tips for trainees and recognises the support and enthusiasm offered him by the training centre. We thank all of our training officers/mentors and recognise the huge amount of work that goes into training.
Finally, remember that we are here to support both trainees and training officers. Please get in touch if you have any concerns.
Plagiarism and similarity detection in the e-portfolio
At the end of September, we intend to introduce a new plagiarism and similarity detection feature within OneFile. This is an integration of OneFile and Turnitin, which many of you will be familiar with from your work at universities. The feature will simply allow you to see a ‘similarity score’ for any document you upload into OneFile. Turnitin will compare your documents to every other document uploaded by trainees to OneFile and to huge datasets of academic and scientific literature. We will introduce this feature as a tool to support you to produce good quality, professional work and not as a heavy or over-simplistic monitoring of your work. In practice, you will simply be encouraged to check your work’s similarities with other work before you submit it. We will provide clear guidance about the best ways to use this feature before it goes live.
Experience on the ETP from an alumni
We spoke to Malcolm MacAllister about his experience on the Echocardiography Training Programme.
He talks about his experience on the ETP and tips he would give trainees.
Click here to read the full article
Changes in your training – please make sure the School is aware
It is important the School be made aware of any changes to your training which may impact on your ongoing progression, participation in or completion of the programme. The School will co-ordinate with commissioning teams and universities to make sure all organisations involved in your training are aware of the latest position to ensure you receive appropriate advice and support so that your training programme can be managed effectively.
Examples of circumstances in which you or your training officer must notify the School:
- Statutory leave – we will need to know the dates of intended leave (maternity, paternity, parental, adoption leave) and any flexible arrangements requested on return so that your programme and training plan can be reviewed and your revised completion timeline confirmed.
- Long-term sickness absence – any period of sickness over 6 weeks or more should be confirmed with the School or if there are multiple short-term absences that trigger local employer policies. It is an opportunity to seek advice about processes that can support your training, such as the Exceptional Extenuating Circumstances policy, and to seek support from the training support team in the School to discuss matters with you and your supervisor in more detail. Click here to find the Exceptional Extenuating Circumstances policy.
- Changes to your training officer/supervisor – this needs to be updated in OneFile but the School also needs to know for accreditation purposes and to ensure that we are communicating with the right people at the right time about your training. Click here to find the change notification form.
- Decision to leave the programme – it is important that you get in touch with the School if you are considering leaving the programme, particularly if this is as a result of issues with your training. Try to speak to us early to get advice and support so that you can determine if leaving is the right choice for you. We will always support your decision to leave but if we can help with any issues that are influencing that decision then we would like to know to see if we can resolve them with you.
- Transfer of training or early employment – there is a policy for this so please review and submit an application as soon as you receive the offer, or earlier if possible, so the School can review and confirm if your training can continue to be supported in your new department. Click here to find the transfer of training policy.
Any changes of the above nature should be communicated to nshcs@hee.nhs.uk and the relevant team in the School will advise you.
Train the Trainer
If you are new to the role of training officer and will be taking responsibility for an ETP trainee, this training session is essential to your training and is part of the ETP endorsement process.
The training session will help you:
- explain the aims and structure of the ETP
- explain and examine the role of the training officer
- outline training plans with examples
- describe and evaluate the types of assessment and evidence
- reinforce the purpose of reflective practice
- reflect upon what makes effective feedback
- understand how to use OneFile
- identify training support available and our commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI)
Our next session will be on Thursday, 22nd September 2022 @ 1.00pm – 4.00pm.
Expressions of interest for 2023 cohort now open
We are pleased to announce that the portal for Expressions of Interest for the 2023 Echocardiography Training Programme cohort opened on the 1st July and will close on the 15th September 2022.
In previous years we have had additional requests for more EOIs to meet the demand. However, we do not anticipate there being further rounds of requests. Once the portal closes, panels will review the expressions and submit supported requests for funding. The process will allow recruitment to begin in a timely manner, with confirmation of support and funding arriving sooner, allowing your organisations to prepare for the intake of trainees.
We encourage you to submit your EOIs whilst the portal is open.
Click here for the ETP Expression of Interest portal (expired link)
PTP Curriculum Review Consultation
The School has been working with the feedback from the PTP Improvement Review which concluded in 2020. We have considered all the feedback and developed a new set of principles which would guide the shape of the Practitioner Training Programme (PTP) moving forward.
We now need your thoughts to ensure these principles meet the needs of the PTP. We are seeking feedback from all stakeholders in the PTP, and we are particularly keen to hear views from PTP graduates.
Click here to complete the short survey on the introduction of new principles to guide the PTP
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