Joint Statement on General Paediatric Surgery provision in District General Hospitals on behalf of the Association of Paediatric Anaesthetists, the Association of Surgeons for Great Britain and Ireland, the British Association of Paediatric Surgeons, the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health and the Senate of Surgery for Great Britain and Ireland. Download this pdf file.

25-26 January 2007
St. George’s and Royal Marsden Hospitals
UKCCSG / BAPS Paediatric Surgery Oncology course

Conveners: Keith Holmes and Bruce Okoye

Programme will include:
.Update lectures on major childhood tumour types
.Interactive MDT discussion of ‘real’ patients with Surgeons,
Oncologists, Radiologists, Pathologists and Radiotherapists
.Special dinner with faculty
.End of course quiz with prizes
.Details of Programme and Registration will be posted on BAPS website

13th December 2006
 
This is a one day seminar aimed at both paediatric surgery trainees, and consultant general surgeons and trainees with an interest in paediatric surgery.  It is a lecture and discussion based course, with a wide range of topics, including:
·              Constipation and rectal bleeding
·              Vomiting infants/Intussusceptions, congenital pyloric stenosis
·              Umbilicus and abdominal wall
·              Groin and scrotal swelling
·              Appendicitis
The course is ideal as an update for paediatric surgical treatment, or as an introduction for emergency paediatric referrals to the DGH. 
Aimed at:  all trainees in paediatric surgery and consultants and trainees in general surgery (with an interest in paediatric surgery)
Convener: Mr Harry Ward, the Royal London Hospital.
Fee: £295
 
If you are interested in attending this course, please call 020 7869 6343 or E-mail generalsurgery@rcseng.ac.uk.  Alternatively, please visit this link for the application form:
http://www.rcseng.ac.uk/education/courses/common_acute.html

The second pilot exam of this kind is to be held on December the 2nd at Leeds this year. For application and further details contact Mr.Subramaniam.

19th International Symposium of Paediatric Surgical Research, Florence. October 26th – 28th, 2006

Download the final programme.

Contact:
Professor Prem Puri
Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children,Diblin 12, Ireland
Children's Research Centre
work 01 4096420
prem.puri@ucd.ie

   
Monday, 13 November, 2006
Royal Horticultural Halls, London
 The four UK health departments are collaborating to run a major UK conference on the changes to medical training on 13 November 2006 at the Royal Horticultural Halls in London. In order to accommodate as many people as possible to what we believe will be a very popular event, we are running two identical ½ day sessions – one in the morning and one in the afternoon.
MMC is issuing an open invitation for this half-day conference to all those with an interest in the changes to specialty and GP training; including doctors at all levels, SHA & Trust directors, medical managers, clinical & specialty tutors, royal college representatives and medical staffing personnel. Please pass this invitation on to anyone else you think may be interested.
Go to http://www.mmc.nhs.uk/pages/events  for more information and to register. The conference is free of charge, but will be available strictly on a first come, first served basis and delegates must be registered prior to attending. We will not accept unregistered attendees at the conference.
We look forward to seeing you there.
 
Regards
The MMC Team

Published: 4 September 2006
The recrutiment selection process for specialty training programmes has been confirmed. Please click here for further details.

1. Following discussion in the UK Strategy Group, the four UK Health Departments have agreed a joint statement setting out the principles of recruitment to the specialty registrar programme. A timeline is attached at Annex A.
2. The principle of run-through specialist training to follow the Post Graduate Medical Education and Training Board approved curricula has already been agreed.
3. It has also been agreed that the Medical Training Application Service (MTAS) will be used by all four UK countries for recruitment into specialist training programmes and Fixed Term Specialist Training Appointments (FTSTAs). MTAS will have significant benefits to both doctors and recruiters – doctors will only need to submit one application, which will mean that recruiters will no longer have to deal with multiple applications.
4. These principles refer to the selection into specialist and general practice training programmes and into FTSTAs. They do not refer to selection into foundation programmes or locum posts. National documentation
5. There will be nationally agreed person specifications for each specialty or specialty group (where there are core years), and for each entry level to each specialty (For example: ST1, ST2, ST3, etc)
6. There will be a nationally agreed generic application form, together with nationally agreed specialty-specific sections.
7. There will be nationally agreed structured reference forms for each specialty or specialty group. Recruitment & selection rounds
8. For each level of recruitment (For example: ST1, ST2, ST3, etc) there will be an agreed number of national recruitment rounds, each having two stages. The two stages will maximise the chance of a doctor securing a post.
9. Doctors will be able to apply to training programmes and FTSTAs as part of the same process.
10. There will be nationally agreed dates (see attached timeline) for:

• advertising vacancies accepting applications
• starting and completing stage 1 recruitment
• communicating stage 1 short-listing and selection results
• starting and completing stage 2 recruitment
• communicating stage 2 short-listing and selection results

Advertising vacancies
11. All vacancies will be advertised on the MTAS website, with more detailed information available on Deanery websites.
Applications
12. All applications will be submitted electronically via MTAS.
13. Applicants will be invited to apply to two specialties or specialty groups, and two units of application (UoA) for each specialty or group. If one of the specialties selected is general practice, they need only apply to one UoA, but will be considered for posts in other UoAs if they remain unplaced after the first stage of selection.
14. Applicants will be asked to submit an application for vacancies at only the most appropriate level of training for them within a specialty (ST1 or ST2 or ST3) as defined by the person specifications.
References
15. Applicants will be required to submit the names of two referees, both of whom must have supervised the applicant in the past 2 years.
16. Structured references will be requested for short-listed candidates only.
Short-listing
17. Short-listing will be undertaken locally by selection panels which include trained assessors in the specialty against national, specialty specific criteria.
18. Short-listing results will be communicated to applicants via MTAS
19. Applicants will have a minimum specified period to confirm attendance at any selection events they are invited to attend.
Selection
20. As an absolute minimum, selection will consist of a structured interview.
21. Selection will be undertaken locally by a selection panel which includes trained assessors in the specialty, against national, specialty specific criteria.
22. Selection results will be communicated to applicants via MTAS in accordance with the agreed national timetable.
23. Candidates will have a minimum specified period to confirm acceptance or rejection of any offers made to them.
Employment
24. Pre-employment checks such as criminal record or enhanced disclosure checks will be carried out by the employing organisation or lead NHS employer after selection but prior to the offer of any posts.
25. Contracts of employment will remain the responsibility of the employing organisation or lead NHS employer as is now the case for Specialist Registrars.
ANNEX A
Selection into Specialty Registrar Training Programmes commencing August 2007
 
November  2006 Articles explaining the new process published in medical press and on relevant websites

December 2006 Details of specialty registrar training programmes, posts and job descriptions available on deanery websites

22 January 2007  - 4 February 2007 Applications to specialty training programmes submitted

February 2007 Outcome of short-listing communicated to applicants

March-April 2007 Local selection activities take place (Example: structured interviews)

End April 2007 Offers made to successful applicants

End April 2007 Unfilled vacancies identified and re-advertised

May 2007 Stage 2 recruitment commences

End May 2007 Outcome of stage 2 short-listing communicated to applicants

June 2007 Local, stage 2 selection activites take place(For example: structured interviews)

End June 2007 Offers made to successful applicant

August 2007 Specialty training and FTSTA posts commence

Please note this timeline will be updated with precise dates as soon as they become available.