Major shake-up in medical training

For the first time ever, all junior doctors who are starting their first year after medical school previously known as the pre-registration house officer or PRHO year) will have to demonstrate explicitly that they are competent in a number of areas including communication and consultation skills, patient safety and teamworking, as well as the more traditional clinical skills. The two-year Foundation Programme replaces the existing PRHO year and first year of senior house officer (SHO) training and will give trainees exposure to a range of career placements across a broad spectrum of specialties. All trainees will also have access to an educational supervisor, as well as a clinical supervisor for each placement. The programme has as its focus patient safety: progression through the programme is based on the achievement of competence, rather than time served. Deputy Chief Medical Officer Bill Kirkup said: “At the heart of this new training programme is quality of medical care. By making the continuous development of skills and knowledge central to training, and by making explicit the standards of competence that doctors reach before they progress, the Foundation Programme will improve patient safety as well as medical careers. Because these changes have been introduced systematically across the health service, patients can be assured that doctors at each stage of their career have demonstrated their ability to practise safely and effectively at that level.”