Length of Placement

Further information on the length of placements.

Duration

The duration of the placement is guided by your learning needs assessment interview, background and experience and any assessments that have been undertaken.

Standard placements are usually between 1-6 months for full time GPs.

The clinical problem solving part of the MCQ is particularly helpful in informing the duration depending on the band outcomes. For example, if the candidate has achieved a band 5 result, only a short one-month WTE placement will usually be required.

There is usually the option of undertaking the placement less than full time (LTFT) over a longer period. Any particular educational needs that have been identified will be drawn to the attention of the Education Supervisor (ES) and/or Clinical Supervisor (CS) by the local scheme lead. These should be discussed with the doctor when they start at the practice, and will form part of the educational plan for their placement.

Timetable, full time (FT), and less than full time (LTFT) placements

With the agreement of the practice, placements can be undertaken full time (FT) or LTFT. FT is considered to be 37.5 hours per week, usually worked over four or five days. The minimum recommended LTFT is usually 50% but where there are good reasons why less than this is needed, this should be discussed and agreed with your local lead as part of your learning needs assessment interview.

For doctors working FT, there should be a weekly in-practice education session, tutorial, and one session for external or private study, with these allocations pro-rata for LTFT.

Starting at the practice

The doctor’s first few days at the practice will take the form of an induction during which they will need to familiarise themselves with how the practice operates, computer systems, and medical geography, amongst other aspects.

It would also be appropriate to do some “sitting in”, observing other doctors and practice nurses in consultations, and attend practice meetings. The purpose of all this is to help the doctor understand the practice ethos, the role, and responsibility of other NHS team members in the practice.

Extending or shortening the placement

It may well be that after a few weeks of the placement, the ES and/or CS agrees with the doctor that either the evidence collection for the final report has nearly been completed and the placement can be shortened, or that the evidence collection is going to take longer than was anticipated, and the placement needs to be extended. In these circumstances, the situation should be discussed with the local scheme lead to seek their agreement.