Supervisors
Training is based partly on an apprenticeship model of learning and teaching - with delegation of routine work, and partly on an academic model, including the study of particular problems under supervision.
Since the learning of skills is by experience, supervisors play a key role, and the ultimate success of the programme rests on their ability to delegate appropriate work and give suitable guidance.
It is the role of the Faculty of Public Health (FPH) to set minimum standards for public health doctors to be placed and maintained on the GMC register as supervisors. It is the role of HEE/LETBs to ensure the delivery of these standards. It has further been determined that non-medical public health educational and clinical supervisors will need to meet equivalent standards to doctors. Its proposals cover all areas of the UK.
Types of supervisor
The GMC has issued guidance and will set up a register for educational and clinical supervisors in July 2016.
The roles of educational and clinical supervisors have been set out by the GMC and require demonstration of explicit competence in 5 and 7 criteria respectively.
Whilst the GMC will only require registration for educational and clinical supervisors, FPH recognises four supervision roles and expects minimum standards to be met and maintained in each of these four categories. The definitions for clinical and educational supervisors are consistent with the GMC definition. One person can fulfill more than one role.
The definitions for Educational, Named Clinical, Activity Supervisors and Academic Supervisor are set out in Appendix 1- FPH Public Health Trainer definitions document.
Criteria and Standards for Educational Supervisors
FPH expects that the general requirements set out in FPH guidance “Criteria and Standards for Educational Supervisors” are followed. The minimum standards to achieve and maintain competence in each of the 7 areas are set out in draft form, adapted from the PHE guidance -“DRAFT STANDARDS Supporting Information for Educational and Named Clinical Supervisor roles”- Appendix 2.
Those wishing to be maintained on the register as a supervisor will need to demonstrate for appraisal purposes that they meet the full requirement of the relevant training criteria (5 or 7 criteria depending on category). The local process will be determined by HEE and LETBs. It is expected that Educational and Named Clinical Supervisors will produce plans in their PDPs to maintain competence and strive to achieve excellence in accord with FPH guidance on standards. Any actions to maintain minimum standards or to achieve excellence should be suitably documented.
