• Introduction
• Purpose of the Foundation Programme
• Progression through Foundation Training
• How to use the Curriculum in the Workplace
• Resources: foundation doctors
• Resources: trainers, supervisors and placement supervision group
• The educational framework and recognising learning styles
• Educational framework
• Educational culture and practice
• How to use the Syllabus
• Learning and teaching
• Supervised learning events (SLEs)
• Assessment
• Syllabus
• Bibliography
• Download

Progression through foundation training

Foundation curriculum professional capabilities

The 20 'foundation professional capabilities' in the syllabus reflect key generic aspects of professional and clinical medical practice. These 'foundation professional capabilities' are the educational outcomes of foundation programme training.

Satisfactory sign off at the end of F1 and F2 requires demonstration that, for each of the foundation professional capabilities, the foundation doctor's performance (knowledge, skills and behaviours) meets or exceeds the minimum expected level of performance for that year of training.

The syllabus includes 'descriptors' associated with each of the foundation professional capabilities. These are general expectations and examples of clinical and professional accomplishments related to that 'foundation professional capability'. 'Descriptors' are intended to help trainees and trainers recognise some of the knowledge, skills and behaviours which might be demonstrated by F1 and F2 doctors. Foundation doctors may use these accomplishments to provide evidence of how their performance meets or exceeds the minimum expected level of performance for their year of training. The 'descriptors' are not a comprehensive list and many more examples exist which would provide equally valid evidence of performance.

 

Minimum expected level of performance in F1

Assessment is at the level of the 20 foundation professional capabilities. In order to be signed off at the end of F1 the F1 doctor's knowledge, skills and behaviours must have met or exceeded the minimum expected level of performance set out below.

Each of the 20 foundation professional capabilities has been mapped onto the single most relevant statement along with the expected minimum level of performance. In practice, evidence of achievements for many of the foundation professional capabilities may also be relevant to a few areas of practice.

•  Has worked effectively to establish him or herself in clinical practice in his or her role as a doctor in training including:
  • recognises, assesses and initiates management of the acutely ill patient (FPC9)
  • recognises, assesses and manages patients with long term conditions (FPC10)
  • obtains history, performs clinical examination, formulates differential diagnosis and management plan (FPC11)
  • requests relevant investigations and acts upon results (FPC12)
  • prescribes safely (FPC 13)
  • is trained and initiates management of cardiac and respiratory arrest (FPC 15)
  • demonstrates understanding of the principles of health promotion and illness prevention (FPC 16)
  • mmanages palliative and end of life care under supervision (FPC 17)
• Has established him or herself as a member of the healthcare team including:
  • works effectively as a team member (FPC 7)
  • ddemonstrates leadership skills (FPC 8).
• Has been able to adapt practice to suit the clinical setting in each placement including:
  • communicates clearly in a variety of settings (FPC 6)
  • rrecognises and works within limits of personal competence (FPC18).
• Has demonstrated the ability to learn in the workplace
  • keeps practice up to date through learning and teaching (FPC 4)
  • & demonstrates engagement in career planning (FPC 5)
• Has demonstrated the knowledge, skills and behaviours necessary to apply the professional duties, principles and responsibilities set out in Good Medical Practice, Generic Professional Capabilities Framework, other professional guidance and statutory legal requirements.
  • acts professionally (FPC 1)
  • delivers patient centred care and maintains trust (FPC 2)
  • behaves in accordance with ethical and legal requirements (FPC 3)
  • makes patient safety a priority in clinical practice (FPC 19)
  • ccontributes to quality improvement (FPC (20)
• Is competent to perform the core procedures mandated by the General Medical Council (GMC)
  • performs procedures safely (FPC 14).

Satisfactory completion of F1 will lead to the award of a Foundation Year 1 Certificate of Completion (F1CC) which allows the relevant university (or their designated representative in a postgraduate deanery or foundation school) to recommend to the GMC that the foundation doctor be granted full registration and become eligible for progression into F2 training.

 

Foundation year 2 (F2)

During foundation year 2 (F2), doctors remain under clinical supervision (as do all doctors in training) but take on increasing responsibility for patient care. They will be exposed to more clinical environments e.g. outpatients and emergency departments where there will be new challenges and greater time constraints. In particular, they begin to make more complex management decisions as part of maturing professional responsibility. F2 doctors will further develop their core generic skills and contribute more to the supervision, education and training of the wider healthcare workforce e.g. nurses, medical students and less experienced doctors. At the end of F2, they will have begun to demonstrate clinical effectiveness, leadership and decision-making responsibilities that are essential for general practice, core or specialty training.

 

Minimum expected level of performance in F2

Assessment is at the level of the 20 foundation professional capabilities. Sign off at the end of F2 will indicate that, in addition to the performance expected in F1, the F2 doctor's knowledge, skills and behaviours must have met or exceeded the minimum level of performance set out below:

Each of the 20 foundation professional capabilities has been mapped onto the single most relevant statement along with the expected minimum level of performance. In practice, evidence of achievements for many of the foundation professional capabilities may also be relevant to a few areas of practice.

• Has taken additional responsibility for decision making in clinical practice including:
  • recognises, assesses and manages the acutely ill patient until senior help is required or available (FPC 9)
  • recognises, assesses and manages patients with long term conditions (FPC 10)
  • obtains history, performs clinical examination, formulates differential diagnosis and management plan in increasingly complex situations (FPC 11)
  • requests relevant investigations and acts upon results (FPC 12)
  • is trained and manages cardiac and respiratory arrest ((FPC 15)
  • demonstrates and teaches an understanding of the principles of health promotion and illness prevention (FPC 16)
  • mmanages palliative and end of life care with guidance (FPC 17)
• Has started to develop a leadership role within the healthcare team
  • Works effectively as a team member in differing roles (FPC 7)
  • DDemonstrates increasing leadership skills (FPC 8)
• Has been able to adapt practice to new clinical settings with new challenges e.g. outpatient clinics
  • communicates clearly in a variety of settings (FPC 6)
  • prescribes safely in differing environments (FPC 13)
  • rrecognises and works within limits of personal competence in areas where support is less readily available (FPC 18)
• Has demonstrated the ability to teach as well as learn in the workplace
  • keeps practice up to date through learning and teaching (FPC 4)
  • ddemonstrates engagement in career planning (FPC 5)
• Has demonstrated (and taught to others) a progressive increase in knowledge, skills and behaviours applied across the professional duties, principles and responsibilities set in accordance with Good Medical Practice, Generic Professional Capabilities Framework, other professional guidance and statutory legal requirements.
  • acts professionally (FPC 1)
  • delivers patient centred care and maintains trust (FPC 2)
  • behaves in accordance with ethical and legal requirements (FPC 3)
  • makes patient safety a priority in clinical practice (FPC 19)
  • ccontributes to quality improvement (FPC 20)
• Has increased their ability to perform the core procedures mandated by the General Medical Council (GMC) e.g. can perform them in more challenging circumstances and has increased the scope of procedures they are able to perform.
  • performs an increasing range of procedures safely (FPC 14).

Satisfactory completion of F2 will lead to the award of a Foundation Programme Certificate of Completion (FPCC) which indicates that the foundation doctor is ready to enter a core, specialty or general practice training programme.