Getting on the specialist register

Are SAS Doctors Ready for PMETB?

BAPIO looks forward to the Postgraduate Medical Education Training Board (PMETB) going live with the expectation that this should allow a significant number of SAS doctors to enter the specialist register. Dr Finlay Scott, Chief Executive of the GMC gave a talk on ‘How to get on to the Specialist Register’at the BAPIO symposium in Barnsley. Asummary based on his talk is presented below.

The Postgraduate Medical Education and Training Board (PMETB) was established by the General and Specialist Medical Practice (Education Training and Qualifications) Order approved by parliament in April 2003. It was formed to act independently of government as a professional UK competent authority to supervise postgraduate medical education and training.

When it takes up its full statutory responsibilities PMETB will replace the Specialist Training Authority (STA) and the Joint Committee on Postgraduate Training for General Practice (JCPTGP). Articles 11 and 14 of the Order establishing PMETB, also give the Board responsibility to assess the post graduate training of doctors with both part and full training undertaken elsewhere and who do not satisfy EEA requirements for mutual recognition of qualifications.

In a significant departure from the past, the order allows any combination of qualifications, training and experience gained anywhere in the world to be evaluated as part of an application for entry to the GMC Specialist Register. The Board will be able to permit these doctors access to the Specialist or General Practitioners Register (the GPs Register is a new register established by the PMETB Order and to be set up by the GMC in the next few years) if their training, qualifications or experience meet UK standards or, if not, to require them to undertake additional training and assessment either in the UK or elsewhere.

This will mean that experienced doctors who have all the skills to work at consultant level but are stuck in non-consultant career grade jobs can expect to get onto the register provided they can prove to the PMETB that they perform at the standard of a consultant in the NHS. Doctors who want to take advantage of this change will have to produce documentation to support their claim and it is expected that the PMETB will produce robust and transparent mechanisms to review the evidence and make decisions about the suitability of the applicant to enter the register. Documentation such as annual appraisals, log of experience, complimentary letters from patients and evidence of continuing medical education are all likely to be of importance. It is possible that tests of knowledge and skills will also be part of the assessment in some cases.

Useful Links: -

www.publications.doh.gov.uk/medicaltrainingintheuk/msebconsultation/index.htm

www.doh.gov.uk/policyandguidance/humanresourcesandtraining/mo dernisingprofessionalregulation/Postgraduatemedicaltrainingboard

http://www.bma.org.uk/ap.nsf/content/pmetb+faqs