Quality Visits
The London Deanery is committed to the delivery of the highest quality of postgraduate medical and dental education in all of its Local Education Providers with its Quality Management processes being a key component of driving up standards to improve patient care.
Introduction
As part of the Deanery’s quality management (QM) process, the Deanery visits LEPs to gather and review evidence to demonstrate whether Standards and Requirements set by the regulators are being met. In addition it monitors the effective delivery of the contract between the LEP and NHS London in relation to postgraduate medical education.
Regulatory
Deaneries are now required to work within the GMC’s Quality Improvement Framework to demonstrate that its Quality Management (QM) processes meet the standards and requirements for education and training. The Trainee Doctor details the regulatory Standards for Deaneries (5 Standards) and Standards for Postgraduate Training (9 Domains). Details are listed below:
Standards for Deaneries
- Standard 1 Adhere to, and comply with, GMC standards and requirements
- Standard 2 Articulate clearly the rights and responsibilities of the trainees
- Standard 3 Structures and processes that enable the GMC standards to be demonstrated
- Standard 4 A system for the use of external advisers
- Standard 5 Work effectively with others
Standards for Postgraduate Training
- Domain 1* Patient Safety
- Domain 2* Quality management, review and evaluation
- Domain 3* Equality, diversity and opportunity
- Domain 4 Recruitment, selection and appointment
- Domain 5* Delivery of approved curriculum including assessment
- Domain 6* Support and development of trainees, trainers and local faculty
- Domain 7 Management of education and training
- Domain 8* Educational resources and capacity
- Domain 9 Outcomes
The GMC suggests that evidence to support six of the nine Domains listed above (*) can be obtained from visiting LEPs.
Process
For Secondary Care the Deanery conducts two styles of visit:
- Annual Quality Visits (AQVs): to review an LEP against the GMC Standards and Requirements and review action plans and progress and provide support where required, collecting and sharing good practice where appropriate.
- Specialty Focused Visits (SFVs): or ‘conversations of concern’ (CoC) are adhoc visits undertaken by Schools to address urgent issues raised outside of the annual timetable.
The Deanery undertakes specialty visits alongside its AQV in the style of parallel panels to minimise the impact and disruption to LEPs. It is also working towards integrating both GP and Foundation visits within AQVs for 2012-13 to further streamline the number of visits to a LEP.
Below is a table outlining the roles and responsibilities of panel members attending an AQV:
|
Role |
Responsibility |
|
Lead Visitor |
A senior clinician who is independent of the LEP and specialties involved. Their role is to chair the day, gather all the evidence and make recommendations following the outcome of the visit. |
|
Trust Liaison Dean |
Has patch responsibilities for a sector. Works closely with the SMT of the LEP. Can provide the visit team with background information/issues that may arise at the visit. Ensures that processes are in line with the GMC’s and the Deanery’s Quality Improvement Frameworks (QIF). |
|
Lay Advisor |
Provides independent and impartial advice and evaluation of the process. Verification that standards are being attained by the trainees. |
|
Specialty Lead (Head of School / LP) |
Quality management of the curriculum delivery. Responsible for training across the specialty/sector. Will lead on the specialty review, make recommendations and develop action plans. |
|
External Clinician |
Appropriately qualified with expertise in the specialty, provides independent and impartial advice and review of the process. Verification that standards are being met. |
|
Trainee Representative |
Independent representation of the trainees across the relevant specialty; is independent of the LEP. Will provide an external point of view to training. |
|
Visit Secretary |
Ensures that processes are in line with the GMC requirements, Deanery policies as set out in the QIF. Minutes findings, discussions and produces report. |
|
Quality Visit scribes |
Attend to minute specialty findings from the parallel panels and produces report. |
Foundation
For Foundation the Deanery conducts 2 styles of visits: