SUITABLY trained non-medics can act as clinical supervisors in public health placements, it has been confirmed.
Official rules state that educational and clinical supervisors must be “registered and licensed medical practitioners”.
However, a number of foundation schools have contacted the UK Foundation Programme Office (UKFPO) after struggling to find licensed doctors to take up the posts.
The UKFPO and General Medical Council have acknowledged it “may not always be possible” to appoint a registered and licensed doctor and have moved to relax the rules in a bid to tackle the problem.
In a joint statement, they said “non-medics, with suitable training and experience, are permitted to act as clinical supervisors for the duration of the public health placement only.”
They emphasised that all other educational supervisors will be expected to meet the requirements set out in the FP Reference Guide 2012 framework, which states: “An educational supervisor is a registered and licensed medical practitioner who is selected and appropriately trained to be responsible for the overall supervision and management of a specified foundation doctor’s educational progress during a training placement or series of placements.”
This clarification will be incorporated into the next edition of the FP Reference Guide in 2016.
This page was correct at the time of publication. Any guidance is intended as general guidance for members only. If you are a member and need specific advice relating to your own circumstances, please contact one of our advisers.
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