Recognition of previous experience towards a CCT in Anaesthetics

Doctors who have gained relevant anaesthetic experience before entering a core or higher anaesthetics training programme may want some of that experience to count towards their CCT.

Background

Before Brexit, doctors who joined an approved specialty training programme at a later point, having already gained relevant CCT curriculum competences in non‑approved posts, were awarded a Certificate of Eligibility for Specialist Registration via the Combined Programme (CESR(CP)) on completion of training.

Following the UK’s exit from the European Union, doctors entering a training programme with relevant previous experience from posts not approved by the GMC may now be eligible for a CCT. This is dependent on successful completion of the programme and receiving an outcome 6 at their final ARCP.

The Academy’s Guidance for flexibility in postgraduate training and changing specialties also provides guidance for doctors who wish to change specialty, experienced clinicians seeking to enter a training programme, and those wishing to have external training counted towards their training programme.

Who is this for?

  • Doctors entering core or higher anaesthetics training.
  • Doctors with relevant anaesthetic experience gained before appointment.
  • Experience gained in the UK or overseas.

it is not intended for experience gained after starting a UK training programme.

Out of programme (OOP) taken whilst within a training programme (OOP Experience, OOP Pause, OOP Training) should be managed as outlined in the Gold Guide https://www.copmed.org.uk/gold-guide/)

What experience can count?

Your experience may be considered if it:

  • was completed before appointment to core or higher training
  • demonstrates key capabilities and domains of learning of the current anaesthetics curriculum
  • is at the appropriate stage of training, for example doctors entering at ST4 may count experience towards Stage 2 but not Stage 3.

What cannot be counted?

  • Experience gained once you are in a UK training programme.
  • Experience that is not contemporaneous.
  • Experience that cannot be clearly mapped to the current curriculum.

How to record your experience

If you have learner access on the Lifelong Learning Platform (LLP):

  • record the placement as Out of Programme
  • upload evidence as:
    • Supervised Learning Events (SLEs) and/or
    • Personal Activities
  • do not submit Holistic Assessment of Learning Outcomes (HALOs) while outside of a training programme.

If you do not have learner access on the LLP:

  • keep evidence locally
  • upload it as Personal Activities once you start a training programme.

What happens when you start training

Within your first three months

  • Meet your Educational Supervisor (ES) and Training Programme Director (TPD).
  • Complete a notification and gap analysis form.
  • Educational Supervisor’s Structured Report (ESSR) form can be used to collate the evidence, with the TPD assigned to the College Tutor role. TPDs may need to contact the RCOA Lifelong Learning team to get their account adjusted to accommodate this.
  • Evidence reviewed via an ARCP‑style process.
  • Panel recommends how much time can count towards CCT, and summarises what domains of learning or key capabilities have been completed, as well as capabilities already achieved.

Approval and confirmation

  • Recommendation approved by:
    • TPD or Head of School, and
    • Regional Adviser (Anaesthetics).
  • Send completed notification and gap analysis form to RCoA Training department at training@rcoa.ac.uk
  • RCoA Training department confirms outcome and any revised CCT date in writing.

Key points to remember

  • Overseas experience can count if mapped to the curriculum.
  • This process does not replace OOP arrangements.
  • Counting experience is not automatic and must be approved.
  • Training programmes must remain fair to all trainees, so it may not be possible or practical to accelerate one doctor’s training at the expense of others on the rotation.
  • The final six months of training must normally be in the UK.
  • SLEs may be signed by any appropriate assessor.

Frequently asked questions

Can experience gained outside the UK be counted?
Yes. You can request to count relevant anaesthetic experience gained outside the UK, provided it demonstrates the domains of learning and key capabilities of the current anaesthetic curriculum.

Can I count experience from both before core training and between core and higher training?

No. Experience must be contemporaneous. Experience gained before core training can only count towards core training and cannot be used to reduce higher training time. 

Does this replace the OOP process?
No, the OOP process remains the correct route for gaining experience while already in a training programme and must continue to be managed in line with the Gold Guide. 

Does this change the requirement for the final six months of training to be in the UK?
No, the requirement for the final six months of training to be completed in the UK remains unchanged. 

How should I provide the evidence required?
All evidence should be recorded on the LLP wherever possible, as this allows it to be mapped to the appropriate stage of training. 

  • If you are currently in the post you wish to count, you may apply prospectively using standard SLEs mapped to the relevant curriculum stage.
  • If applying retrospectively, or if you did not have LLP access at the time, upload your evidence as Personal Activities once you are in a training programme.
  • You are encouraged to contact your TPD before starting your training programme if you intend to request counting previous experience. 

Who can approve SLEs for doctors who are not in numbered training posts?
SLEs may be signed off by any appropriate assessor, in the same way as for doctors in training posts.

How is my CCT date updated after ARCP?
Once the completed and signed notification form, along with supporting evidence, has been submitted to the RCoA, it will be processed in the usual way. A formal letter confirming any updated CCT date will then be issued.