Faculty Guidance on external RITA assessors

Guidance for external assessors

  1. The Education and Faculty Advisers Committee (EdFAC) recommends that an external RITA assessor should attend each penultimate RITA assessment.
  2. The training administrator has produced a schedule of pairs of deaneries for this purpose. The faculty advisers hosting a RITA panel should contact the faculty adviser with whom they are paired to obtain an external assessor. The pairing is not rigid. faculty advisers may call upon any neighbouring deanery if necessary.
  3. Deaneries are not expected to pay expenses of external RITA assessors, since they will receive them as well as send them. The EdFAC agrees that the simplest way to administer this process is for each deanery to cover the expenses of the assessors they send to other deaneries.
  4. Every effort will be made to have an external assessor present at each penultimate RITA, but if circumstances prevent that, the assessment will nevertheless take place.
  5. The PMETB hopes that every RITA will involve an external assessor, and deaneries should be moving in that direction.

Person specification for external assessors

Essential Criteria

  1. Be committed to achieving high standards of training in public health.
  2. Have passed MFPH examination, MRCPath, or equivalent and be on the Specialist Register.
  3. Be a consultant of at least 3 years standing, have broad experience of public health practice and be an accredited trainer.
  4. Must have participated in the RITA review process within their own deanery.
  5. Have had experience as an educational supervisor and attended an educational supervisor development module or update within the past 3 years.
  6. Be up-to-date with their CPD commitment and take an active part in audit, including clinical governance.

Desirable:

  1. Have attended a training session on the RITA process and be familiar with the documentation and purpose of the review.

Responsibilities

  1. To act as the external assessor for the RITA review process for trainees in training in public health.
  2. To provide independent advice and support to the review panel on the standards achieved by the trainee and contribute to the formulation of advice and recommendations for training planned/required in the remainder of training.
  3. To monitor the process of the RITA review ensuring that the review is objective and fair.
  4. To provide support to the review panel in following up recommendations made at the RITA review.
  5. Report to the director of training via host faculty adviser if there are problems.

Accountability

  1. Represents the Faculty of Public Health on the RITA panel, the conduct of which is the responsibility of the postgraduate dean.
  2. The Faculty Advisers nominate individuals meeting the criteria, for 3 years, with possible extension of 2 years.
  3. Indemnified by host postgraduate dean

 

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