Starting a Placement

Once appointed to a training programme, you will be required to undertake a series of training posts that will provide the opportunities for you to fulfil the requirements of the curriculum. These posts will vary according to your learning needs and may be sited in different Trusts. As a consequence it is important that you are appropriately inducted into the Trust, training unit and programme.

Induction

Each time you start a post or programme you must attend a departmental induction to ensure that you understand how the department works, your duties and reporting arrangements, and that you are aware of departmental policies and who are the key members of staff. Inductions should include a section on who you will be working with, the curriculum, and how this post fits within the programme. This must be undertaken within the first week of you taking up the post and must include documentary evidence of attendance and the provision of a handbook including departmental protocols and administrative information. This applies to all trainees, irrespective of start date. When you enter a new Trust, an induction to the Trust should occur to familiarise you with the hospital environment and to ensure that statutory employment requirements are met, such as health and safety and employment contracts.

At the start of every programme you should be aware who your Training Programme Director (TPD) is and how to contact them if need be.

At the start of every post within a programme you should meet with your Assigned Educational Supervisor (AES) to discuss:

• The educational framework and support systems in place
• The respective responsibilities of trainee and trainer
• The aims and objectives for the trainee to achieve in the post
• The learning agreement
• Personal development plans
• Schedule of assessors and assessments in line with the assessment framework
• Schedule of meetings