Advancement of CCT dates

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 three months (WTE) within Stages 2 or 3, providing all areas of the curriculum have been completed for the stage being undertaken. 

The process for advancement of CCT is a separate and distinct process from the recognition of prior learning.  Thus, any advancement of CCT may be awarded in addition to recognition of prior learning and may bring forward the completion of either Stage 2 or Stage 3 of the training programme, but not both.

To gain advancement in training and bring a CCT date forward, an anaesthetist in training (LTFT or full time) should demonstrate via their LLP the following:

• all mandatory components of the curriculum for the corresponding stage of training are completed/on course to be completed within the proposed timeframe
• evidence on the LLP of Supervised Learning Events (SLEs) and logbook cases which demonstrate the anaesthetist in training has sufficient breadth and depth of experience and has achieved and sustained the capabilities required for completion of the stage in question.

We would therefore ask anaesthetists in training who wish to pursue the advancement of their CCT date to be proactive in evidencing their LLP, and to discuss their plans with their educational supervisor, college tutor and TPD at the earliest opportunity. This should be evidenced by their ESSR and their ARCP outcome forms.

Anaesthetists in training and TPDs may wish to request an earlier CCT date for a variety of reasons but any decision to bring forward a CCT must be based on sound educational principles and not predicated, for example, on upcoming consultant vacancies. 

Advancement of CCT dates in Stage 2 should be exceptional. There are still two years of training remaining and it is unknown how the anaesthetist in training will progress during that time, so any advancement at that stage may be premature. Schools also have a responsibility to deliver fair training to all doctors on their training programmes, and it may not be possible or practical to advance one doctor’s training when considering others on the rotation. With this in mind, approval of requests for advancement of CCT dates are at the discretion of the TPD and/or head of school. If advancement is not granted at Stage 2 it could be requested again in Stage 3, providing the above conditions are met. 

Process for approval of advancement of CCT date

It is anticipated that an anaesthetist in training and their educational supervisor should have discussed advancement of CCT at an educational meeting before it is raised more formally during an ARCP. For an advancement of CCT to be recommended, the following conditions would need to be met:

• There should have been a successful outcome at the previous ARCP
• Local support should be provided by the educational supervisor and college tutor
• There must be specific discussion with the relevant TPD who may then provide their support
• Applications should be made to the RCoA Training department (training@rcoa.ac.uk) who will arrange for a review
• Once College approval has been obtained, the final approval should take place via the ARCP process

Less than full-time training

The Gold Guide now states that any doctor in training may work less than full time. This change has meant that working at 80% LTFT has become a much more common choice at all stages of training. The College has the following guidance for schools.

• The College welcomes the change in policy which enables anyone to work in a LTFT capacity
• For the reasons stated in this document the expectation, in all cases, is that anaesthetists in training will complete an equivalent time in training to their counterparts who are working in a full-time capacity
• This principle applies to all stages of the training programme and also for specific time-defined areas of the training programme, such as ICM attachments and special interest areas.
• Placements should be continuous for LTFT anaesthetists in training wherever possible to ensure that they are not required to move around more frequently. As an example, for those working at 80%, a six-month attachment should be adjusted to a single 7.5- or 8-month block rather than separate attachments of six and two months
• The definition of what constitutes full-time or LTFT in any given post will be in comparison with colleagues in the same attachment or on the same on-call rotas
• The same principles for recognition of prior learning and advancement of CCT dates apply
• Time allowed for recognition of prior learning will remain at 12 months WTE and the process will be the same for all applications
• Time allowed for advancement of CCT will remain at three months WTE and the process will be the same for all applications.

The above guidance is intended to support schools in providing a fair and equitable way for managing those within their training programmes. The College will be happy to provide guidance on an individualised basis whenever requested.

All queries should be addressed to the Training department at training@rcoa.ac.uk.