Welcome to NCGPTP

We look forward to meeting you and feel sure you will enjoy training with us.
We are an innovative and flexible training programme, offering each trainee a tailor-made three year rotation. Clinical experience is offered across a wide range of GP training practices and hospital specialities, including some exciting integrated training posts. Our close knit GP Training Programme team and our excellent GP Trainers offer comprehensive educational and pastoral support throughout the 3 years of training and beyond. We are proud of our philosophy of making this support individual to each Trainee’s needs.

Introductory session

We invite all those allocated a training place with the North Cumbria programme to come and meet us at an Introductory Session which is planned for each new intake. (This is in addition to a one to one telephone discussion to plan your rotation).

You will meet the rest of the group who are starting training with you as well as the training programme team and GP Trainees who are currently on the programme. You will have the opportunity to participate in a group teaching session. A tour of the hospital is offered to all who have not worked here before. A tour of the practice to which you have been allocated may be arranged with prior notification.

We are happy to provide a complimentary lunch but unfortunately, travel and subsistence cannot be reimbursed.

Being a trainee

Contract of employment

During your training you are employed by a Lead Employer Trust (LET). The LET will be the employer for GP trainees for the duration of their GP training and any queries relating to salaries, holiday, study leave, terms and conditions of service should be discussed with them. You will receive a Welcome Pack including your formal employment contract directly from the LET.

Salary

The salary will be based on the Trainee Practitioner scale with variations for those GP Trainees entering the Programme with additional relevant experience. Details of the current scale can be obtained from the LET.

Accommodation

You are responsible for organising and managing your own accommodation during GP Training. The Programme may be able to signpost options for new trainees, unfamiliar with the area, looking for inspiration. We suggest that you bear in mind travel-to-work time when choosing accommodation.

Claiming expenses

The LET will advise you of any expenses that can be claimed and how you go about it.

Driving License

On starting their first appointment to General Practice, all GP Trainees must have a full current driving license or have other arrangements in place. Doctors in training are expected to provide equivalent transport for themselves if they do not hold a valid driving licence - e.g. a chauffeured service while 'on call'.

Here are links to programme outline, allocations, training practices, integrated posts, hospital posts and special opportunities.

The ‘buddy/new postgraduate doctor in training’ mentorship scheme of the North Cumbria GP Training Programme

The mentorship scheme is set-up by the North Cumbria GP training programme as a peer support system for ST1 postgraduate doctors in training who are either new to the NHS or new to Cumbria. This involves pairing an existing postgraduate doctor with experience in being new to the NHS or to the region when they started GP training themselves with the new ST1s.

Why?

Postgraduate training can look and initially feel like a daunting task. More so if you have had to move from another region or from another country. This mentorship/buddy scheme is set-up to make the process easier and foster a sense of belonging.

Benefits

• The presence of an informal support system. New doctors in training find the concept of support beyond educational needs (for example help with house hunting, discussion on schools for the kids) and someone to informally guide and answer questions without unfair judgements very useful.
•  You get a buddy who is knowledgeable about the system and training requirements, willing to help, candid in sharing experiences, available and relatively accessible.
•  Help with settling into the region, a feeling of being looked after and you gain an extra valuable friend!
•  Network facilitation. You get introduced to other colleagues or persons who are important to your role as a doctor in training or who could be beneficial to your integration to the area.

What happens

Pairing is done as early as possible, so the new postgraduate doctor in training can enjoy the benefits of the extra support early on. An informal meeting happens which could be a face-to-face meeting, a telephone conversation, via WhatsApp or even facetime! Whatever is easy and comfortable for both parties. The pair continue to communicate regularly.

 Our evaluation if this programme found that new and existing postgraduate doctors in training found it very beneficial, which is why it continues and indeed the model has been adopted by other training programmes in the Northeast region.

North Cumbria welcomes you!