1. Welcome to the South Thames Foundation School
Information for F2 Trainees
August 2013

2. STFS – contacts reminder
1 school, 3 offices
1 advice e mail –
Enquiries checked daily
Policies on STFS website

3. The role of STFS Brighton – quality
London Bridge – policy and communications
Tooting – F1 and F2 allocation and sign-off
Doctors needing to meet STFS staff can attend local office
Offices based in / linked to each medical school

4. New website – easier to navigate and with lots of information
New website – easier to navigate and with lots of information. Feedback welcome.

5. e mail addresses
STFS currently recommends Doctors.net.uk as available in all trusts – if you use another inform STFS and ensure functioning (avoid hotmail etc as spam filters block STFS mails)
Important to separate social and professional e mails and identity – eg if you use facebook link it to an e mail address to which patients do not have access

6. STFS communications
You must maintain e mail address and check it weekly – do not auto-forward as original e mail service may close
Enables information about GMC registration, careers etc to be sent out - to help you
STFS bulletins sent weekly – also available on website
All new information also on stfs website
Please do check the information sent regularly so you don’t miss anything

7. An example of one of the bulletins

8. e-LFH e-lfh.org.uk e learning modules for foundation
useful to support your experiential learning, eg Safe Prescribing
to catch up if you miss a teaching session
User names and passwords should have been supplied for all of your foundation doctors

9. gmc-uk.org
Guidance on good practice
Education outcomes

10. E-portfolio – an educational tool
Important that you use this effectively to benefit your training
Educational planning
Reinforce your learning
Record of achievements
Not just a tick box exercise

11. National information www.foundationprogramme.nhs.uk
Curriculum
Reference guide (national policies)
Other information

12. Who will supervise you*?
Educational supervisor*
supervises you for full year
will meet you formally at start and end of placements and other times as necessary
Clinical supervisor*
supervises you for one placement
meets you at beginning and end of placement and other times as necessary
Placement Supervision Group
Led by consultant / GP and including senior colleagues in your team
Liaises with clinical supervisor

13. PATIENT SAFETY AND YOUR SUPERVISION
As a Foundation Doctor you should know:
Who is supervising your clinical practice at all times (usually a consultant or experienced middle grade doctor)
The clinician supervising you must be sufficiently competent to do so
You should be able to contact your supervisor if you are concerned about a patient
You should never be forced to work beyond your competence
IF YOU ARE CONCERNED THAT YOUR FIRM IS REGULARLY NOT ADHERING TO THESE PRINCIPLES, PLEASE CONTACT YOUR EDUCATIONAL SUPERVISOR OR FOUNDATION TRAINING PROGRAMME DIRECTOR
THE WORD REGULARLY IS THERE SO THAT FDS DO NOT REPORT ANY ISOLATED EVENT IE A REGISTRAR PHONING IN SICK

14. Your trust should provide you with:
Appropriate learning experience
3 hours+/ week education eg teaching sessions, teaching ward rounds, clinics etc
Training compliant with European working time regulations (EWTR)
Access to careers advice / guidance
Representation at local faculty group via elected F2 representative

15. Raising concerns / ‘whistle-blowing’ – GMC guidance
You must protect patients from risk of harm posed by another colleague's conduct, performance or health. The safety of patients must come first at all times
If you have concerns that a colleague may not be fit to practise, you must take appropriate steps without delay, so that the concerns are investigated and patients protected where necessary
More information on STFS website / local trust policy

16. Protecting patients (and you) F2 doctors must NOT
Site mark (except under direct supervision by the operator)
Inject contrast unless trained to do so
Detailed document on roles and responsibilities of foundation doctors on the STFS website

17. Protecting patients (2)
F2 doctors must NOT:
initiate or administer cytotoxic or immunosuppressant drugs (except corticosteroids)
F2 doctors should ONLY:
prescribe the above drugs following training and when assessed as competent to do so

18. Protecting yourself (and patients)
Flu vaccine
Reduces sick leave (and pressure on colleagues)
Will be available via Occupational Health
Is much less unpleasant than genuine influenza

19. Consent
Taking consent is the responsibility of the doctor performing the procedure
If a FD is not capable of carrying out a procedure, s/he may only obtain consent for it when trained to do so, directly supervised, and under delegation from the experienced doctor carrying out that procedure
This refers to procedures which the F2 doctor is NOT competent to undertake

20. F2 sign-off (1) in order to achieve your FACD you must:
Have no more than 4 weeks sick leave in the year (if more is likely, contact STFS)
Attend at least 70% of your F2 teaching sessions
Provide evidence of involvement in audit
It is also strongly recommended that you carry out a leadership project – documentation on e-portfolio (eg implementing changes following an audit)

21. F2 sign-off (2) Supervised learning events (SLEs)
Purpose of SLEs is to:
Provide immediate feedback and suggest areas of further development
Highlight achievements
Only approved assessors can assess you. F2s cannot assess F1s or F2s
SLEs should be spread throughout the year, with 4+ in each 4/12 rotation and 7 to be done by January
6+ mini-CEX
6+ CBDs
1-3 DOPS
1-2 developing the clinical teacher
Plus team assessment of behaviour (TAB degree feedback)
STFS videos about these are on
FY1 doctors may not be able to take part in the F2 swap shop unless they have completed 7 assessments by January
Assessments/SLEs must be completed by doctors more senior than F2.

22. F2 sign-off (3) you must:
Maintain your e-learning portfolio, and include evidence:
that you have maintained and improved your skills in core procedures required by the GMC (part of e portfolio)
end of placement reports from clinical & educational supervisors
end of year report from educational supervisor
meet other curriculum and statutory requirements

23. F2 sign-off (4) you must:
Include evidence in your learning portfolio that you meet other curriculum and statutory requirements such as:
ALS or equivalent
child protection training
Child protection training is a national and SHA imperative. The level gained should be appropriate to the posts carried out by the foundation doctor
A “Safe Guarding Children and Young People – Level 1” module is vailable on the e-Learning for Healthcare system –

24. F2 sign-off (5)
You must:
Do the mandatory national online trainee survey, which assesses the quality of your training
Do any other surveys required by STFS, eg the destination survey* before you leave
Feedback is essential to monitor and improve medical training
*Destinations for your predecessors on STFS website
Attendance at simulation training is strongly recommended
It doesn’t take long Less long than writing e mails disputing the fact that it’s mandatory
All trusts will be required to provide simulation sessions and trusts will be required to provide details of why any F2s do not complete a session.

25. Core procedures required by the GMC for F1 sign-off
IV infusions inc. fluids, blood and blood products
Perform and interpret ECG, spirometry and peak flow
Urethral catheterisation (male and female)
Airway care
NG tube insertion
Venepuncture /IV cannulation
Use of local anaesthetics
Arterial puncture (adult)
Blood cultures
Injections (SC/ID/IM/IV)
Prepare and give IV meds
The F2 presentation contains a slide that refers to “Core procedures required by the GMC for F1 Sign-off”.  Please note that this is not a mistake.  The Foundation Programme Curriculum (2012) requires F2 doctors to maintain and improve skills in the core procedures e.g.
be reliably able to perform venous cannulation in the majority of patients in more challenging circumstances such as during resuscitation
demonstrate extension of the range of procedures they can perform
We should be grateful if you would remind them of this during the presentation.

26. ARCP Annual Review of Competence Progression
Process to ensure that you have met foundation requirements (similar applies in specialty training)
All requirements must be met and e portfolio ready for review by May (date to be advised)
Meet your ES in April to review
Also complete Form R in e Portfolio – self declaration of fitness to practise required for revalidation
Further details will be sent to you by STFS nearer the time

27. Revalidation
Every doctor who is fully registered with a licence to practise will need to revalidate.
STFS will provide all relevant information during the course of the year.
For all STFS trainees (inc those in south London trusts)
Designated body = KSS Deanery
Responsible officer = Professor David Black
For further information see -
Any queries please contact –

28. Leaving early
If you wish to leave before the official end date of your F1 programme in order to take other employment opportunities (eg in N America) you will not be signed off as having met foundation training requirements (as the FP is time limited)
If you leave early you will be required to complete a withdrawal form

29. Asking for advice about your training
Usually ask locally first, eg your educational supervisor or FTPD
STFS must know if it may affect your training programme:
You have been or need to be away, for example for illness for > 2 weeks or maternity leave
You wish to work abroad / take time out / work less than full time
Special circumstances which may affect your placement
You are having problems with your training
Raising concerns which you feel have been inadequately dealt with locally
If so please check the policy and deadlines on and contact

30. Support available Local in trust Educational / clinical supervisors
Postgraduate Team
Occupational Health
Medical Staffing
Outside trust
kssdeanery.org/trainee-support

31. Feedback to STFS
Foundation programme trainee representative at all trusts – can raise issues locally
Trainee representatives at STFS committees – inform and influence future directions
Online (via e-portfolio) questionnaires – please contribute as your views are valued!

32. Careers Careers support and resources available in your trust
ROADS book and shorter e-book – and four stage approach to career management
Informal short one-2-one career sessions
Group teaching introducing specialty applications & selection
Selection centres for specialty training DVD
Up to 5 days of study leave can be taken as a ‘taster’ to explore career options – good to arrange early before specialty recruitment this winter
for further ideas
is the national careers website. Please mention what is available locally for your foundation doctors.

34. Enjoy your foundation training – and good luck with your specialty application