Stage 1 Training

Stage 1 Training

The latest information and guidance on the 2021 curriculum and assessments can be accessed on the RCoA Training Hub. Please see below some useful documents for stage 1 trainees.

Stage 1 trainee tips and tricks to help you in the first few months of training.

Novice discussion topics; a collection of discussion topics for trainees embarking on EPA 1&2 to gain then IAC.

Stage 1 Equivalence

Trainees who have been unable to secure a higher specialist training programme are encouraged to follow the RCoA guidance on how to achieve Stage 1 capabilities and a Stage 1 training certificate in a CT3 equivalent 'top-up' post by following advice on this RCoA link

The Welsh School of Anaesthesia has provided additional information in the form of 2 checklists below on how the additional capabilities can be successfully achieved. Completion of the required evidence for all 14 HALO domains will be recognised by your College Tutor to sign off Stage 1 training. Additional School checklists have been designed to recognise equivalence in Stage 1 ICM and Obstetric Anaesthesia.

The new Welsh School of Anaesthesia educational supervisor paperwork for the 2021 curriculum stage 1 trainees can be downloaded below.

Generic Professional Domains

The non clinical domains that demonstrate the Generic Professional capabilities of all Doctors are part of the RCOA 2021 anaesthesia curriculum. The 7 Generic Professional Domains are found across stages 1, 2 and 3. To support trainees across all stages of training we have developed a series of short lectures which are the basics and building blocks for these modules. Trainees across all 3 stages should complete these online lectures and complete a reflection. This reflection should be uploaded to the Lifelong learning platform as evidence of completion of the lecture series and should be thoroughly discussed with the Educational supervisor. The ES will be asked to make specific comments on the trainees reflections as part of the ESSR. These lectures are the core principles and trainees will be expected to demonstrate progression in these modules by adding reflection on other activities as well as the relevant supervised learning events (SLEs) eg QI project, audit cycle, guideline development etc.

An Overview of the Generic Professional Domains by Dr Caroline Evans

Professional behaviours and communication

Management and Professional and Regulatory Requirements

Safety

Quality Improvement

Safeguarding

Education and Training

Research and Managing Data

Team Working
No presentations have been created for this domain because you should easily be able to reflect and evidence how you work as part of a team in your day to day practice.

HEIW Generic Professional Curriculum Resources

HEIW has a range of very useful resources and free study days aimed at fulfilling the requirements of the generic professional curriculum. They can be accessed here. Study days and resources include:

  • Communication
  • Fair training
  • Leadership and team working
  • Medical law and ethics
  • Patient safety
  • Preparing to be a consultant
  • QIST
  • Research skills
  • Sustainable healthcare
  • Successfully negotiating life as a new consultant
  • Teaching skills course

Stage 1 Professional "Sim" Day

A novel & interactive day; highlighting some of the clinical scenarios faced by anaesthetists in training and focussing on the RCoA 2021 Curriculum requirements for Domain 1 of the Generic Professional Capabilities (Professional Behaviours and Communication). This will enable all Stage 1 trainees to evidence this domain in their portfolios, and is designed for CT1, CT2, CT3s (& ST3s to evidence their Stage 1 Equivalence).

The next professionalism sim day will be held at the Grange University Hospital on Friday 13th January 2023, please click on this Eventbrite link to book your place.

Stage 1 Regional Anaesthesia Training Days

The UGRA (Ultrasound Guided Regional Anaesthesia) course aims to help trainees achieve the Regional Anaesthesia curriculum requirements for Stage 1.

What to expect:
• Pre-course learning resources and quiz
• Focus on establishing skills for UGRA- getting the right picture, seeing your needle
• Lots of hands-on practice with scanning and needling
• Experience using augmented reality and Artificial Intelligence (AI) assistance (NeedleTrainer, and ScanNav Anatomy Peripheral Nerve Block; Intelligent Ultrasound)
• Personalised feedback from facilitators throughout
• DOPS for Fascia Iliaca block

The course is free for CT1s (Anaesthetics) who have completed their IAC and who have done 6 months of anaesthetics. The course will be held in the following locations and dates and you can sign up via the associated eventbrite links.

The Grange University Hospital (lead Dr James Lloyd)

  • Future dates TBC

University Hospital of Wales (lead Dr Paul Carter)

Morriston Hopsital (lead Dr Simon Ford)

  • Future dates TBC

The number of attendees for each day limited in order to maximise hands-on practice. Places will be allocated on a first come, first served basis (but there will be a reserve list). If you have registered and then can no longer attend, please email the course organiser as soon as possible so that your place can be offered to someone on the reserve list.

Educational Development Time

In order to support trainees achieving the GPC domain capabilities, the RCoA have produced guidance on the provision of specific time in the working week i.e. Educational Development Time (EDT) for developing and assessing skills to support learning and assessment in professional practice. The RCoA has a suggested time required for each stage of training, recommending trainees in anaesthetic posts in Stages 1 and 2 of the curriculum on both Core Anaesthetic Training and ACCS pathways should be allocated up to 2 hours of EDT per week. Those in Stage 3 should be allocated up to 4 hours per week, reflecting the requirement for greater involvement in some of these areas in the later stages of the training programme.

EDT should be allocated pro rata for less than full time trainees. The RCoA guidance suggests that allocation of time may be managed flexibly by departments and can be averaged over a period of time if desired.

The School established a working group from the WSoA STC membership and Health Boards to provide a standardised approach for allocation and agreed content of EDT in each departmental site. The following principles were agreed.

  • EDT is time allocated in addition to study leave, departmental and/or regional teaching.
  • EDT should be allocated on the electronic rota and, if possible, the trainee should be present in the hospital to complete this activity if the facilities allow.
  • It is the responsibility of the ES to ensure EDT is allocated on the weekly rota and to direct and monitor content within a clearly defined personal development plan. Use of EDT will be specifically recorded by the ES on the ESSR for ARCP.
  • EDT is not accrued during annual leave and study leave.
  • EDT must be given the same protected status as departmental teaching time.

Allocation of Educational Development Time

In Anaesthesia, EDT is better facilitated by a sessional (4.5 hours) allocation rather than weekly hours. To ensure appropriate and regular allocation of EDT throughout the training year, departments are encouraged to annualise the sessions to a total of 16 sessions/year for Stage 1&2 trainees (4 sessions every 3 month module) and 32 sessions/year for Stage 3 trainees (8 sessions every 3 month module). This is based on a 39/40 week calculation, after all annual and study leave allocation has been taken into consideration.
Departments are encouraged to prospectively rota EDT on their electronic weekly rota in the same way as teaching time is allocated. At times a balance will need to be found between effective rota management and meeting trainee EDT needs. A degree of flexibility in the rota may be needed for specific project work or to accommodate attendance at relevant teaching lists - this can be agreed with the ES on a case-by-case basis.

Examples of EDT activity include the following:

1. Simulation based teaching. During the IAC or IAOC, EDT should support simulation training or tailored educational novice training sessions
2. Development/maintenance of significant and specific procedural skills for all stages of training e.g. TOE/FICE, regional blocks
3. Quality improvement/Audit project work
4. Attendance at Quality & Safety/Clinical Governance meetings
5. Development of leadership/management portfolio, e.g. complaints, serious incident investigations, departmental meetings, training meetings, CD/MD observation work
6. Teaching and development as an educator
7. Research activity
8. COVID related training recovery