Training recovery support

Statements and guidance

Joint statement on temporary derogations in medical education and training - 17 September 2021

HEE statement on training recovery - 14 May 2021

Training recovery conversations

It has been a hugely challenging year, with the COVID-19 pandemic causing significant training disruption, anxiety and distress.

The training recovery conversation is an opportunity for trainees and educators to reflect on the past year, think about learning and wellbeing needs, and plan for training recovery. This is the initial step to getting post graduate medical education back on track.

All trainees should be offered a one-to-one training recovery discussion. 

Trainee: Prepare for your conversation by reflecting on the last year of training, identifying missed learning opportunities and thinking about training needs ahead of your next ARCP. The latest curriculum derogations can be accessed on the GMC website.

Trainer: Contact your faculty for the latest guidance and information on local training recovery plans.

Outline of recovery conversations:

• Outline of redeployments since the start of the pandemic. This should include actual redeployments (the movement of a trainee to a different clinical area to their planned placement) and functional redeployments (when a trainee’s placement setting is re-purposed by their employer for COVID care)
• Develop an understanding of lost training opportunities
• Wellbeing: signpost to appropriate support and resources, this may lead to development of a bespoke wellbeing plan. Signpost to support available locally and nationally from suite of resources 
• Agree escalation if appropriate - develop and understanding of capability-confidence gap areas that might be considered are: Out of programme-pause, Less than full-time training, additional support to TPD
• Develop a bespoke training recovery plan

​Recovery plan:

• Record discussion in the trainee’s portfolio.
• Develop individual training recovery plans
• Trainees in particular difficulty should be signposted to wellbeing resources and support, and referred as needed to additional support services.

Outcomes from the meeting:

For trainees:

• Better understanding of plans to support your training recovery.
• A clear understanding of where to seek any wellbeing supported needed.

For trainers:

• Better information for your local faculty on training needs within the specialty programme. 
• Make a note of the likely ARCP outcome and duration of any additional training times and be prepared to share this with the Training Programme Director.