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The Future of Vocational Education for General PracticeExecutive Summary1. The case for changeCurrently vocational training for general practice does not reliably equip learners with the necessary competencies and confidence to enter independent practice as soon as they have completed vocational training. Present arrangements are educationally flawed because they place greater emphasis on meeting the immediate demands of the service at the expense of the longer terms needs of the learner and therefore of the NHS. They do not adequately address the requirement for GPs to be effective, reflective, competent and efficient and fully able to engage in a co-ordinated, multi-professional team based approach to patient care. 2. PurposeTo stimulate further discussion on how the arrangements for vocational education for general practice should change to meet the challenge of the modernising NHS and to inform planning for the Postgraduate Medical Education and Training Board. The proposed changes seek to improve the quality of care provided for patients by improving the quality of education and training, and by confirmation of trainees’ competence and performance in practice. 3. PrinciplesThe educational programme should be based on the key features of learner-centred, adult professional education and so be flexible in terms of content and length. The programme should focus of the provision, by appropriately trained GPs working with other health care disciplines in a general practice setting, of the best quality of clinical care for patients and the NHS. The programme should be based in general practice, supervised throughout by an educational facilitator (GP trainer) with carefully planned attachments in secondary and community care. The importance of the relationship between learner and educational facilitator is accepted but the paper recognises the need to explore and consider other models to address, among other issues, the problem of educational capacity. Regular relevant assessment is important not only to confirm educational progress but to assure patients of the competence of doctors at the point of certification (entitlement to enter independent practice). 4. RecommendationsAdoption for wider consultation with other bodies with an interest in vocational education for general practice. |
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