PMETB Approval of LTFT (less than full time) Posts
PMETB approval of Flexible Training (also know as Less Than Full
Time, Ad Personam, Supernumary or Part-time Training) for the
Specialist or General Practitioner Register.
From 1 December 2007 the following PMETB requirements regarding
flexible training apply.
Any applications made for approval of flexible training from 1
August 2006 up to and including 30 November 2007 will be processed
under the existing approval requirements (see paragraph 15).
Special guidance applies to those flexible training
programmes/posts which took place between 30 September 2005 and 31
July 2006 ONLY – please see paragraphs 12 and 13 below.
The new approval process for flexible training described below
(see paragraph 6) replaces all previous guidance in relation
to flexible programmes and posts. The requirement to complete Form B
or Form B (GP) for every new flexible training placement/slot/course
is discontinued from 1 December 2007.
The approval requirements apply to all training of any kind that
can contribute to a Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT)
programme. In order to contribute to a CCT, training has to have
prospective PMETB approval.
Approval of flexible training from 1 December 2007 onwards
Deaneries, in conjunction with Royal Colleges/Faculties, will
take responsibility for ensuring that all flexible training of any
kind is undertaken in prospectively approved posts and programmes
and that it meets the statutory requirements of the General and
Specialist Medical Practice (Education, Training and Qualifications)
Order 2003.
The Deanery, in conjunction with specialty advice and agreement,
will incorporate all training in their approval applications to
PMETB (detailed in paragraph 9). Therefore PMETB will not require a
separate set of individual approval applications for flexible
training if this is within the approved maximum capacity of the
specialty training programme. It is up to the deanery and trainee,
in conjunction with the relevant Royal College or Faculty, to plan
and record the agreed training programme.
If new training opportunities in excess of the approved maximum
training capacity arise for any form of training then the Deanery
must apply for additional PMETB approval detailed in paragraph 9.
Specifically, the Deanery will send an updated Form A (signed
off by the Training Programme Director and Dean and clearly stating
the original PMETB approval reference code) to PMETB, together with
a covering letter from the Dean outlining the reasons for their
request to increase the maximum training capacity. This letter
should contain confirmation that there is specialty support for this
increase (i.e. from the relevant Royal College/Faculty) and that the
programmes/posts will be subject to the same quality management
systems and processes in place within the deanery. A Form B will not
be necessary.
Whatever the approval status of the post or programme,
individual Colleges/Faculties may have their own processes for
ensuring that flexible training meets the required standards. All
flexible trainees should contact their College/Faculty for more
information. The College/Faculty have to set the amended CCT date
and will require prospective evidence of flexible training in order
to recommend the award of the CCT to PMETB.
PMETB remains the only body that can approve such training and
cannot delegate this authority, but PMETB rests responsibility for
quality management at the deanery level, in conjunction with
Colleges/Faculties. Through the PMETB Quality Framework activity,
including visits to deaneries and through the annual reports
submitted by deaneries to PMETB, PMETB will test and verify that
flexible training meets the requirements laid down in the Order.
Approval of flexible training 30 September 2005 to 31 July 2006
Where a trainee has formal documentary recognition of the
flexible (of any kind) training by the deanery and the relevant
Royal College or Faculty (directly or via a representative), PMETB
will accept that recognition and consider the training approved.
This approval will not require further documentation to be sent to
PMETB or acknowledgement by PMETB. This training CAN therefore
contribute to a CCT.
Any existing training that occurred before PMETB assumed its
statutory responsibilities (30 September 2005) and had previous
College or Faculty approval is recognised and deemed approved by
PMETB.
Approval of flexible training 1 August 2006 to 30 November 2007
Legally, PMETB is unable to grant retrospective approval of
training, PMETB published guidance in April 2006 and again in
November 2006 outlining the requirements for approval of flexible
training (as detailed in paragraph 15). All deaneries, trainees and
Colleges are expected to have followed those requirements up to 30th
November 2007.
These requirements are that applications come from the deanery
with a covering letter of support from the deanery, and should
comprise a completed PMETB Form B or Form B (GP) which can be found
here on the PMETB website:
http://www.pmetb.org.uk/index.php?id=704 . The completed form
must be accompanied by a description of learning objectives of the
flexible training, a timetable and the trainee’s CV. Applications
should be received prospectively.
Therefore, if any flexible training took place between 1 August
2006 and 30 November 2007 which did not have prospective PMETB
approval, then this training CANNOT contribute to a CCT.
Instead, trainees may apply to have this training counted
towards a Certificate confirming Eligibility for Specialist
Registration (CESR) or Certificate confirming Eligibility for
General Practice Registration (CEGPR). Further information on this
may be found here on the PMETB website:
http://www.pmetb.org.uk/index.php?id=317.
