Josh Wall is a stage 3 anaesthetic trainee in North West London, currently undertaking the National Medical Director's Clinical Fellow Scheme 2021/22.

Having been a trainee representative for the last 3 years, Josh is passionate about improving the experience of anaesthetists in training. Together with his colleague Elly Warwick, they act as the pan-London trainee representatives for the London School of Anaesthesia. Josh represents the trainees in North London and Elly represents those in South London. They work closely with the regional trainee representatives to ensure trainees have a voice and are heard by the School and key stakeholders. They attend School board meetings and make sure unresolved trainee issues raised at Regional Educational Meetings and Speciality Training Committees are discussed. They are also actively involved in local reviews of anaesthetic training where they work hard to provide trainee input and help shape the future of training. Additionally, Josh represents anaesthetic trainees nationally as a member of the Anaesthetists in Training Representative Group at the Royal College of Anaesthetists.

Josh is highly aware of the challenging training environment as a result of the recent changes to the training programme combined with the COVID-19 pandemic. Josh encourages trainees to speak to local representatives who are in an excellent position to help, support, and campaign for change where needed. Alternatively, if you would like to speak to Josh directly,  he is happy to be contacted via email.

Melissa Addy

Sittiga Hassan Reshat

If you are eligible to apply for entry to the Specialist Register with a CCT or a CESR(CP) the College will notify the General Medical Council (GMC) of your completion of training date during your final year of training. The GMC will then invite you to make an application roughly about four months before your completion of training date.

The award of a CCT and inclusion on the Specialist Register are not automatic procedures; you (the trainee) are required to apply for your CCT or CESR(CP) Certificate. It is a legal requirement for you to be on the Specialist Register before taking up a substantive or honorary NHS consultant post.

Visit the RCOA website for more information.

The 5 steps to certification:

Step 1
When a trainee is within six months of their completion date, trainees should complete the College notification of completion of training form (on the College website) and ask their TPD to sign this off. You need to demonstrate appropriate amounts of higher (2 years) and advanced training (1 year) on the 2010 curriculum. Periods out of training for maternity leave should be recorded with dates and any accrued leave counted for training. It is helpful to convert LTFT % into WTE time to calculate the CCT. The TPD will send the signed form with an agreed CCT date to the Training Department at the College. If for some reason there is a change in your training after submission, the TPD will email the College to revise their recommendation and a new NOCOT form will need to be submitted.

Step 2

Towards the end of the CCT training programme trainees will undergo a final ARCP and, if successful, will be issued with an ARCP Recommendation for completion of training (Outcome 6) by the Postgraduate Dean. If you are a dual ICM trainee, you will undergo 2 final ARCPs, one for Anaesthetics and one for ICM and an outcome 6 will be awarded to you by both programmes.

Step 3
Once the Notification form and the ARCP Outcome 6 have been received, the College will formally make a recommendation to the GMC for the award of a CCT or CESR(CP). The trainee will also receive a letter from the Training Department, advising them of the recommendation for the CCT/CESR(CP).

Step 4
At this point the trainee will already have received an email from the GMC inviting them to complete the GMC online application. The Certification applications are now done on the secure web portal, GMC Online, which has made it easier to enter your information and pay the relevant fees.

Step 5
Once the College has made the recommendation to the GMC, there is no further involvement by the College in the process and it becomes a trainee/GMC relationship. GMC add the trainee’s name on to the Specialist Register; the trainee must have indicated this on their certification application. Failure to do this by the trainee will delay specialist registration and being able to take up a consultant post. You need to apply to join the specialist register within 12 months of your CCT date. Failure to do so may mean you have to apply via the CESR route.

Other Useful Information:

You can apply to act up as a Consultant for a maximum of 3/12 in your last year of training. This can count for training. Although this is not in a HEE numbered post there is still a requirement for a nominated supervisor. Information on acting up is available here. Applications should normally reach the relevant HEE local office a minimum of sixteen weeks prior to the proposed start date of the ‘Acting Up’ arrangement (in line with contractual notice periods) to meet Code of Practice requirements, however this notice period may be waived in exceptional circumstances and in agreement with the relevant Trust(s) and Postgraduate Dean. Trainees and Trusts are encouraged to have discussions as early as possible to facilitate the approval process, upon identification of acting up opportunities

You can interview for a Consultant post so long as the interview date is within 6/12 of your CCT date. CCTs will not be brought forward to allow application for a Consultant post.

You do not need to resign your HEE number. This will happen automatically on your CCT date. If this is part way through a placement and you intend to finish on your CCT date, you will need to give appropriate notice to the Trust (usually 3/12, but check with the Trust) of your last day of work.

You are entitled to 6/12 of grace period (HEE placement) after your CCT. You retain your CCT number but you will be in the post for service and are not entitled to OOP or IDT or an SIA. If you wish to take up your grace period you will need to notify your TPD at least 6/12 before your CCT date. Trainees in-programme will be prioritised for placement according to their training needs. You will be offered choice once all the in-programme trainees have been placed. Should you wish to leave your scheduled grace period early you will need to notify your TPD and give the Trust appropriate notice period (3/12 usually).

We are committed to providing increased flexibility in postgraduate education and welcome applications from Anaesthesia and ICM trainees wishing to apply for less than full time (LTFT) training.  There are a number of different categories of eligibility (some of which are automatic) with differing notification/application periods, further information can be found here. 

Please discuss your intentions with your TPD (both specialities if you are dual training) in the first instance.

LTFT applications will be reviewed within windows to aid decision making. If a trainee applies well in advance of the intended LTFT category 2 start date, their application will be added to next window.

For example:

Further information can be found here.