PROPOSALS to approve trainers for postgraduate medical training from 2013 in a bid to improve standards have been put out for consultation by the General Medical Council.
The consultation paper Recognising and Approving Trainers will clarify the roles and responsibilities of doctors who deliver training and will ensure trainers are supported and undergo regular appraisal.
GMC chief executive Niall Dickson said: “Doctors who train other doctors are absolutely critical to developing and improving standards of care – they help to shape the next generation of doctors and are important role models for medical students and trainee doctors.
“We want to give this formal recognition by identifying and recognising the contribution they make to improving standards and protecting patients.”
GP trainers are already approved by the GMC and the regulator says this is the reason why satisfaction scores among GP trainees are so high – at an average of 87 per cent – compared to medical trainees (75 per cent to 84 per cent depending on specialty).
Under the new plans to approve medical trainers, education providers such as hospitals and general practices will be asked to demonstrate how they identify, train and appraise trainers by comparing their system against the model set by the Academy of Medical Educators.
New legal powers are needed if the GMC is to approve medical trainers but the consultation paper sets out interim measures to improve recognition of trainers in the meantime.
The consultation will be open until March 30 at https://gmc.e-consultation.net/econsult/default.aspx
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