CCT date calculator

Guidance on how to use the CCT date calculator

The College’s calculator spreadsheet is available below for use of TPDs and anaesthetists in training to calculate a prospective CCT date. Please watch the short video and read the guidance below before using it for the first time. 

Although this spreadsheet calculator can be used to record time in training from CT1 onwards, this calculator is not intended to be an exhaustive record of a trainee’s progress. A confirmed CCT date will only be calculated from entry to ST4. Where possible, please combine training dates / experience, as users cannot add additional rows or columns.

The sheet is protected and only cells highlighted in yellow or orange can be edited. 

 1   Anaesthetist in training’s details

Start by filling in the anaesthetist in training’s details: 

• Name
• GMC number
• College Reference Number (if known)
• CCT type 
  Options could be: anaesthetics (only), dual anaesthetics and ICM, or anaesthetics and PHEM
• FRCA date 
  Date the anaesthetist in training passed the full FRCA

2   Training dates

2.1   Start date and Finish date

• Dates should be input as dd/mm/yyyy

• Dates should not overlap

• When entering the Start date, ensure that it is the immediate date after the Finish date in the previous row

• In the row ST4 (cell B29), enter the exact date of entry to ST4 

• The final Finish date should be recorded as “END”

Please note that it is not necessary to add each individual rotation on a separate line. Training dates should be combined where possible.

2.2   Category

Select the most appropriate category from the list. This is also visible on the right-hand side of the spreadsheet.

Time that counts towards training includes:

• Accrued annual leave
  Accrued annual leave taken as a part of a period of maternity / parental leave. This should be recorded at the same LTFT rate as the anaesthetist in training was at before maternity leave. 
  For eg, if a trainee was 80% LTFT before going on maternity leave and they return to training at 60% LTFT, their accrued annual leave is taken at 80% LTFT. 
• OOPP (Out of Programme Pause)
  Prospective approval is required, in line with the exceptions outlined above
• OOPR (Out of Programme Research)
  This only applies to posts not approved by the GMC for training towards a CCT. Prospective approval is required, as above
• OOPT (Out of Programme Training)
  This only applies to posts not approved by the GMC for training towards a CCT. Prospective approval is required, as above
• In training
  Time spent in an approved training programme.

Time that does not count towards training includes:

• Maternity leave
  This only includes the period(s) of maternity leave taken. This does not include the accrued annual leave, which should be recorded using the category above. Shared parental leave can be recorded under this category.
• OOPC (Out of Programme Career break)
• OOPE (Out of Programme Experience)
• Paternity leave
• Shared parental leave can be recorded under this category.
• Phased return
• Shielding
• Sick leave
  This only applies to sick leave of two weeks or more, taken consecutively. 
• Unpaid leave
   

2.3    LTFT

Record the Less Than Full-time Training percentage for that period. 

For eg, input “80” and the cell will automatically show “80%”. 
 

2.4    Months to be counted towards training

This field is to be used in special circumstances, where for an indicated period there is a fixed number of months that have been approved to count towards training. Some examples of this could be:

• an OOPR from 03/08/2022 to 02/08/2023, where six months has been approved to count towards training
• an OOPT from 03/08/2023 to 02/02/2024, where no experience has been approved to count, on the anaesthetist in training’s return.

This field overrides any calculated training time and should be used for periods where a panel or College decision has been made about how much time can count towards training. 

2.5    Training time and Calendar months

The Training time and Calendar months are automatically calculated based on the information you have input in the date, category and LTFT fields. These are non-editable fields. 

If the category does not count towards training, the calendar months between the start date and end date is populated in the Calendar months column. 

If the category input counts towards training, the whole time equivalent (WTE) months between the start date and finish date are populated in the Training time column. If there is any information in the Months to be counted to training column, this will overwrite the value in the Training time column. 

2.6    Hospital / notes

This is a free text box to input and can be used to note down the hospital or add any additional information. 

2.7    Registration forms and Certificates

Anaesthetists in training are required to register with the College when they enter Stage 1 training, and re-register as a Specialty Registrar when they enter Stage 2 training. 

Please ensure that you have registered with the College before ticking the box. 

Please ensure that the relevant stage or equivalence certificate has been achieved on LLP before ticking the box. 

2.8    Counting time from outside the training programme

Anaesthetists in training can request to count experience from outside their training programme. Please see Counting experience prior to entry into a CCT training programme in Anaesthetics for the full guidance. 

Once approved by the Training, Curriculum and Assessment Committee, the number of months should be entered in this cell (B25). This is restricted to a maximum of 12 months (whole time equivalent).

2.9    Advancement time

The College recognises that not all anaesthetists in training will progress at the same rate.  To reflect this there is a process whereby a CCT date may be advanced by up to 3 months (whole time equivalent) within the higher training programme providing all areas of the curriculum have been completed for the stage being undertaken. Please see Training time and calculation of CCT dates for the full guidance. 

Once approved by the Training, Curriculum and Assessment Committee, the number of months (whole time equivalent) should be entered in this cell (B26). 

2.10    Additional time

Any additional time or training extensions, eg an Outcome 3 awarded at an ARCP, should be recorded here. 

2.11    Prospective completion date

The prospective completion date will automatically be calculated when the date of entry to ST4 is populated. 

Please ensure that the final Finish date is “END” to allow the formulas to calculate correctly.