Information for trainees
For third years – STP Completion 2024
Now that most of you have sat your IACC and completed your MSc we hope that you are focusing on completing the final tasks for your OneFile e-portfolio so that you can successfully exit the STP and progress forward in your careers.
Read the detailed guidance about STP Completion 2024
For first years – Are you ready for your first progression review by the School?
Earlier this year the School launched a new process to review the progress of STP trainees commencing on programme in 2023. Full details are available on the School website at the link below.
By end of September 2024 you should have:
- completed of all phase/year 1 rotations on the e-portfolio
- completed of an end of year review meeting between trainee and Training Officer that is recorded using the review meeting tool on the e-portfolio
Hopefully all is going well and you have enjoyed your first year of training. However, if you do have any issues affecting your progress you will be able to let us know by exception via the raising a concern process which will be released to you in early September via email.
Drop-in sessions
We are offering a series of drop-in sessions for first year trainees and/or their training officers to discuss any queries with the School regarding the first year review of progress. This is an open session and entirely voluntary in order to offer further support and guidance if needed. There will be no new or additional information presented at the sessions but we will be happy to answer any questions you may have.
Read the guidance about the new review of progression process
View the details of our drop-in sessions
Opportunity to support STP Induction Day 2024
We are looking for trainee volunteers to represent the STP during our online induction. The event will take place on Microsoft Teams over two half days on Tuesday 10 September and Wednesday 11 September 2024.
Thank you to those who have already been in contact. We still require people for the following roles on day 2, Wednesday 11 September.
University trainee representatives
We are looking for a trainee to represent the following universities at the networking section of day 2.
- Aston University
- Liverpool University
As a university trainee representative, you will be available to answer questions about studying at the university and share any advice or tips for the new trainees that will be attending this year.
Trainee network representatives
We are still looking for a trainee or two to represent the following regional trainee networks at the networking section of day 2.
- Northwest
- Yorkshire and Humber
- Wessex
- Wales
This is a fantastic opportunity for trainees to develop their public speaking skills and support the new intake starting in September. It is also a valuable opportunity for the regional trainee networks to engage with the new intake and get them involved.
If you would like to volunteer for a role at induction this year please email us at england.nshcs.events@nhs.net with the role title you’d like to volunteer for and why you are well suited to the role.
Information for all trainees and training officers
Final year STP trainees and their training officers – completion 2024 drop-in sessions
We are offering a series of drop-in sessions for trainees due to complete in September 2024 and their Training Officers, should you have any questions or issues with regard to completing the programme. This is an open session where an STP Training Programme Director and the Head of Programme Support will be available to answer any questions you may have or provide any advice as needed. We won’t be presenting any new information in these sessions. They are simply available to you if you need to speak to someone in the School regarding completion of the programme.
If you have issues affecting your ability to complete the programme that fall within the scope of the Exceptional Extenuating Circumstances policy you can submit an application with evidence to the School no later than 21st August 2024 to england.nshcs@nhs.net.
If the dates offered don’t suit and you do have a question please drop us an email at england.nshcs@nhs.net to outline your query and someone will respond to advise you.
Read our guidance about STP completion 2024
View the details of our drop-in sessions
Looking for advice and guidance from the School?
If so, please take the time to look at the School website, which is a comprehensive source of the information and guidance you might need.
We have conducted an analysis of the email queries we receive from trainees and training departments and we discovered that in a large proportion of cases our reply is simply to point trainees to the relevant pages of information on the School website.
Following our merger into NHS England the School is currently and temporarily very understaffed. Our ability to respond to email queries is therefore very compromised.
If you would like swift access to the information and guidance you need, please take a look at the School website first. We’ve upgraded and will continue to upgrade the internal search on the website. Please use it and you will find what you need.
- Visit the STP trainees section for key programme information for trainees.
- Visit the training support section for information about sources of support for trainees.
- Visit the STP trainers section for key information and guidance for trainers.
Sign up for our Sharing Good Practice webinar on neuroinclusive communication
Wednesday 16 October 2024 – 10am to 11am
In this Sharing Good Practice webinar Rachel Lennon will be talking about neurodiversity inclusion, with a particular focus on communication and information processing. Based on her own experience as a neurodivergent STP trainee, Rachel hopes to provide a new perspective on the neurodivergent experience and suggest practical ways for trainees and Training Officers to promote neuroinclusivity on the STP.
Find out more and sign up for this webinar
We need new members for our Quality Standards Committee
The School will soon be recruiting new members to support the work of its Quality and Standards Committee (QSC).
QSC meets quarterly and holds an important governance role providing oversight and external scrutiny to ensure the quality of the STP, enabling those successfully completing the programme to fulfil the requirements of the HCPC to register as a Clinical Scientist.
Your commitment would involve attending a 3 hour long quarterly meeting as well as reviewing relevant documentation ahead of the meetings, and your membership of the committee would be for a period of up to 3 years. Members are made up of the independent Chair, Clinical Scientist representatives, Academic representatives, Trainee representatives, and lay representatives. Click this link for details of the committee and its current membership.
These roles offer a great opportunity to make a positive contribution to the overall governance of the Scientist Training Programme. More information about these opportunities, including detailed role descriptors and how to express an interest will follow in next month’s STP Monthly Memo.
Information for training officers
How to be ready to complete a review of progress in the e-portfolio
One of the mandatory requirements of the new progression review process for trainees commencing the STP from 2023 onwards is the completion of an end of year review meeting between trainee and Training Officer that is recorded using the review meeting tool on the e-portfolio between 1 to 30 September each year.
How can you be ready for this before September? We have two tips:
1. Watch the guidance video
Watch the short video on the page linked to below for guidance on how to use the review meeting tool.
2. Use the review meeting tool before September
There’s nothing to stop you trying out the tool before September. We know that many Training Officers already use the tool regularly. If you haven’t used it before, do a dummy run before September so that you know how this simple tool works.
Find out how to complete a review of progress in the e-portfolio
STP Induction for New Trainers
The next ‘STP Induction for New Trainers’ will be held on Wednesday 18 September 2024.
Find out more and register for the STP Induction for New Trainers
Sign up for our Sharing Good Practice webinar on delivering training in the workplace
The ‘Delivering training in the workplace’ webinar will take place on Tuesday 13 August 2024 at 10am.
Find out more and sign up for this webinar (expired link)
View a recording of our Sharing Good Practice webinar on supporting trainees in the workplace
Our Sharing Good Practice webinar on supporting trainees in the workplace took place on Thursday 18 July 2024.
View a recording of this webinar
Make your suggestions for the November Education and Training Collaborative
The School is currently thinking about the NSHCS Education and Training Collaborative in November and would welcome any suggestions for areas of discussion or specific agenda items.
If you have or haven’t attended the collaborative previously, we would appreciate any thoughts you may have on pertinent areas for the Collaborative programme to incorporate. Please let us know your thoughts by completing the survey linked to below.
Share your suggestions for agenda items for the NSHCS Education and Training Collaborative
Missed a previous edition of the STP Monthly Memo?
We’ve published copies of the Monthly Memo for STP trainees and training officers on our website.
Click here to view previous editions of the STP Monthly Memo.