ARCP derogation guidance for 2021

The General Medical Council and Health Education England (on behalf of all Statutory Education Bodies) have approved the RCPath ARCP derogation guidance for 2021 and it is now available on the College website: COVID-19: information for trainees (rcpath.org)

Please note that for histopathology and chemical pathology, the College also has approval from the GMC that passing the Stage A examination is no longer a requirement for trainees who were in Stage A last year or those currently in Stage A. Information about this is included in the ARCP derogation guidance and there is additional guidance for histopathology.

Please read the guidance linked above carefully. Some highlights include the following:

Stage A

Trainees in the following categories, must also refer to the ARCP guidance:

Stage A examination:

• all trainees who entered ST1 histopathology training from August 2019.

• all current ST1 histopathology trainees (beginning August 2020).

• any trainees who entered histopathology training prior to August 2019 who have not passed the Stage A examination.

Trainees in the above categories must submit a completed Assessment of Performance (AoP) form as part of their ARCP evidence. Trainees currently in ST1 must submit a minimum of one AoP and trainees in ST2 must submit a minimum of two AoPs(one for each year of training). The AoPs replace the Stage A examination which has been cancelled due to Covid-19.

Critical progression points

• The critical progression points are for trainees moving from stages B to C and stages C to D as well as any trainees in Stage D who have sufficient evidence to demonstrate that they have completed their training.

• Trainees in Stages B and C who have sufficient evidence to present to the ARCP panel of the curriculum defined competences and who are in possession of the FRCPath Part 1 (for progression to Stage C) and FRCPath Part 2 (for progression to Stage D) may proceed to the appropriate stage of training may be awarded an outcome 1 and progress to the next stage of training.

• Trainees in Stages B and C who are not in possession of the FRCPath Part 1 (for progression to Stage C) and FRCPath Part 2 (for progression to Stage D) should be awarded an outcome 10.2 where the delay has been caused by COVID-19 disruption, or an outcome 3 where it has not (e.g. related to repeated examination failure).

• Trainees in stage D who have sufficient evidence to present to the ARCP panel of the curriculum defined competencies may be awarded an outcome 6 and apply for CCT if they are within 6 months of their projected CCT date.

The minimum data set for each year of training

For the 2021 ARCPs, it is expected that the Educational Supervisors Structured Report (ESSR) will be a key part of the evidence. It may include indicative assessment of the trainee, mindful of the impact of COVID-19. The portfolio of evidence provided by the trainee for the period under review can include:

• any workplace-based assessments completed. The number of workplace-based assessments required for each year or stage of training is indicative (see curriculum). These can include any undertaken during redeployment which demonstrate evidence of generic or other relevant skills;

• any indicative cases undertaken;

• an MSF (although trainees who have not completed a required MSF but are otherwise satisfactory must undertake their MSF in the following year);

• suitable and appropriate alternative evidence (see ‘Learning Experiences’ listed in the curriculum for guidance - pages 18-19);

• any College exams completed.

Where there is overall evidence that a trainee is generally achieving progress and competences at the expected rate but has not been able to provide the indicative number of workplace-based assessments, suitable and appropriate alternative evidence can be taken into consideration.

Where there is overall evidence that satisfactory progress is not being made and an indicative number of workplace-based assessments has not been provided, trainees will generally be required to complete additional workplace-based assessments in the following year, as determined by the ARCP Panel.

The ARCP Panel are encouraged to be very clear with all trainees about any additional training, competencies, assessments or other requirements that must be achieved in the following year and document these accordingly.

There is clear guidance in each curricula and/or in additional guidance about the requirements for each stage or year of training. ARCP Panels are encouraged to refer to these, and existing ARCP guidance, and make an overall judgement about progression for each trainee, taking into account impact of COVID-19.

Further information including how the ARCP will be conducted, criteria for non-progression, and detailed ARCP outcomes can be found here.

ARCP Guidance

Health Education England have issued guidance regarding the ARCP preparations. This communication, as well as general advice, can be found here (password-protected page).

PathSoc - Trainees’ Sub-Committee Elections

The Trainees’ Sub-committee of the Pathological Society normally comprises 10 pathology trainee members of the Society from all over the UK and Ireland with a wide range of experience in histopathology and research. Their aim is to focus on the needs of trainees with an interest in academic pathology; they would like to support any trainees who are either currently engaged in research or, perhaps more importantly, trainees with little or no research experience who would like to get involved in research/training.

PathSoc is seeking enthusiastic and dynamic pathology trainees to join the sub-committee. Interested parties must be a pathology trainee concessionary member and must be nominated and seconded by other pathology trainee concessionary members.

The deadline for nomination submission is Wednesday 21st April 2021.

You can find more information here.

Consultant Histopathologist Post - Princess Royal University Hospital

Consultant Histopathologist

Job Reference: 213-PRUH-0122

Click here to find out more

Employer: King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Department: Histopathology
Location: Princess Royal University Hospital, Orpington
Salary: £84,258 - £112,845 per annum, inc London Weighting

Closing Date: 11/04/2021
Interview Date: 06/05/2021

King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is one of the UK’s largest and busiest teaching Trusts with a turnover of c£1 billion, 1.5 million patient contacts a year and more than 13,500 staff based across 5 main sites in South East London. The Trust provides a full range of local hospital services across its different sites, and specialist services from King’s College Hospital (KCH) sites at Denmark Hill in Camberwell and at the Princess Royal University Hospital (PRUH) site in the London Borough of Bromley.

King’s is a key partner in one of London's foremost Academic Health Science Centres, King's Health Partners (KHP). KHP is one of only six Department of Health-designated AHSCs in England. It brings together a world-leading research-led university – King’s College London – and three successful NHS Foundation Trusts: King’s College Hospital, Guy’s and St Thomas’, and South London and Maudsley.

This is an exciting opportunity to be a part of our dedicated workforce and join one of the largest and most successful Foundation Trusts in the UK with an international reputation for innovation and the desire to make a difference.

Applications are invited for a Consultant post in the Department of Histopathology based at the Princess Royal University Hospital. This is a new post created in response to the increased workload. The post is for 10 PA per week, and the applicant must be fully registered with the GMC, hold Licence to Practice and be on the Specialist Register or within six months of attaining CCT or equivalent at interview stage.

The post holder will be required to play an active role in the general workload of the department, whilst the opportunity is available to develop specialist interests. The post is based on the Princess Royal University site, but opportunities may be available for cross site working. The successful candidate will join an impressive team dedicated to providing a first-class patient-centred service.

The Princess Royal University Hospital Cellular Pathology Department undertakes histopathology (including frozen sections), cytopathology, immunohistochemistry and autopsy pathology. Consultants share the work in each of the following main specialties: breast pathology, dermatopathology, gastrointestinal pathology, gynaecological pathology, uropathology, and diagnostic cytopathology.

The Trust has a strong and committed leadership team which is driving the organisation’s turnaround and has been recognised as one of the fastest in the country. Committed to delivering the highest quality of patient care, investment in pathology services in the form of talented professionals is coupled with continued strong growth and service development both as a stand-alone service and through collaborative partnership with the Denmark Hill site and via the Kings Health Partnership. We are proud of the high-quality patient care we deliver in which our community has confidence and are committed to valuing all of our staff as individuals and helping each to realise their full potential.

The Princess Royal University Hospital serves the London Borough of Bromley in South East London which is the largest of the London boroughs with large green belt. Bromley has an increasingly diverse and affluent population. The area benefits from affordable housing, excellent local schools (including state, grammar and independent options) and has quick and easy access to both Central London and the Kent countryside.

For further details / informal visits contact:

Name: Dr Anitha G Nayar (Clinical Lead). Email: anitha.nayar@nhs.net

HistoLaSE Constitution

The HistoLaSE Constitution has been ratified on 22nd February 2021 and can be found here (password-protected page).

UCL Cancer Institute: Clinical PhD Fellow

Letter from Associate Professor Marnix Jansen (UCL):

My group at UCL Cancer Institute is looking for a self-motivated trainee histopathologist to join our research team as a Clinical PhD Fellow. My team examines the clonal evolution and competitive dynamics of gastrointestinal cancer. We have a particular focus on early cancer of the upper gastrointestinal tract and immune escape in microsatellite instable colorectal cancer. We will jointly write an application with the Jean Shanks foundation for a Clinical PhD Fellowship which will fund your salary and support the research.

Please get in touch to discuss if you are interested.

m.jansen@ucl.ac.uk / @jansen_marnix

Marnix Jansen, MD PhD MSc

CRUK Clinician Scientist and Honorary Consultant Histopathology

Associate Professor UCL

PPE: Pathologist and the Pandemic Evolution

PPE: Pathologist and the Pandemic Evolution

The London and South East School of Pathology 12th Annual and 1st Virtual Trainee Conference  

SAVE THE DATE 

30TH March 2021   

9:30 –13:00  

Venue –  MS Teams 

On behalf of the organising committee, we are pleased to announce the upcoming trainee conference, the first to be held virtually. We hope as many of you attend as possible. Much has changed globally since the last conference in February 2020, and the theme for this year’s conference draws from events over the past year. We would greatly welcome trainees who are interested in taking part in marking submitted abstracts.

Click here for more information (password-protected page).

Medical Education Fellows for Histopathology and Haematology

Dear Trainee Colleague,

As you know the School of Pathology has a long and successful record in running Medical Education Fellows for Histopathology and Haematology. We are trying to recruit to posts to be held from April 21 for six months as OOPE/R time in training. They offer an excellent opportunity for you to develop your generic skills in Medical Education as well as gaining discipline related expertise. The posts would both be based as secondments at GSTT. The closing date is soon (14 Feb 2021) and all you need to do is to draft a short statement explaining why you are interested and what you hope to gain from this time. Despite everything else that is going on with Covid please do consider taking up this excellent opportunity.

If you have any further queries please do not hesitate to contact myself, Deepti or Catherine.

Best wishes,

Martin

Martin Young

Head of School of Pathology for London and Southeast (LaSE)

Health Education England 

4th Floor, Stewart House | 32 Russell Square | London | WC1B 5DN

T. 020 7863 1395

M. 07931 452687

E. martin.young@hee.nhs.uk

Fellow in Medical Education based in Histopathology

HEE is currently advertising a position of Fellow in Medical Education - based in Histopathology. Please follow this link to find out more.

Applications are invited for the position of Fellow in Medical Education – based in Histopathology - within the London and Kent, Surrey and Sussex Specialty School of Pathology, to commence from February / March 2021.

This is a secondment opportunity which is available for six months. This post is open to histopathology trainees or biomedical/clinical scientists within the hospitals under the London and Kent, Surrey and Sussex School of Pathology training programmes and will commence around February / March 2021. The post holder will be seconded from their Trusts and training programmes. The post holder will have a basic salary with no requirement to do on calls as part of this secondment.

This is an exciting opportunity to develop Molecular Pathology and Genomics modules within the existing online learning platform and to add to the existing e-learning programme based on whole slide imaging.

The Fellow will be involved as follows;

• Be involved in liaising with Dr Wen Ng - Guys and St Thomas’, in order to review and develop Pathology e-learning modules as stated above to cover molecular pathology and genomics and digital pathology.

• Work across multiple organisational and multi-disciplinary boundaries in order to develop the e-learning modules.

• Post-orientation, undertake an initial scoping exercise to evaluate and curriculum map available virtual learning resources, in addition to modules being developed.

• To work on developing e-learning modules mapped to Pathology curricula.

• Evaluate modules developed.

• Opportunities will be provided to support educational theory and implementation for these projects.

The Fellow will be supervised by Dr Wen Ng Lead for the London and Kent, Surrey and Sussex School of Pathology. The post will be based at Guys and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust.

All applicants must discuss the possibility of a secondment with their Educational Supervisor and their Trust. If seriously considering applying they should also inform their Training Programme Director of their intentions at an early stage. Although the Secondee will continue to be formally based at their Trust or other employer, they will be funded by Health Education England and have access to HEE support and facilities. The time spent on this placement will be considered as an OOPE for the purpose of training and therefore your CCT will be adjusted accordingly.

Additionally, the post holders should develop an ‘educational portfolio’ including taking advantage of the broad range of educational experiences on offer within the work of the School and through wider networking opportunities, in particular with other trainees in Fellowship posts. This could offer the successful applicant the opportunity to submit an application for a professional recognition scheme such as those run through the Academy of Medical Educators or the Higher Education Academy. The posts could also be a starting point for Masters or Doctoral level further study in medical education.

For more detailed information on the Fellowship itself or to review the Person Specification, please see the attached Job Description. If you require any further information or wish to discuss the secondment informally, then contact pathologyschool.lase@hee.nhs.uk

To apply for this post, candidates should submit a 600 word paper entitled:

“Challenges in implementation of e-learning for histopathology and possible solutions”

This should be sent to pathologyschool.lase@hee.nhs.uk.

In addition to fully completing and submitting an application via NHS Jobs before the deadline given below. Candidates must quote their application reference number when they submit their statements.

Applications for this secondment must be made electronically. Hard copy applications will not be accepted.

Prior to applying, applicants must discuss their application with their current Education Supervisor, who must also be one of the referees stated in your application.

For further details / informal visits contact:

Dr Martin Young, Deputy Head of School, martin.young@hee.nhs.uk

Letter for Histopathology Trainees

A letter for the Histopathology Trainees regarding redeployment, general training, cervical cytology training, autopsies, specialist placements, examinations, rotations, wellbeing, and ARCPs, can be found here (password-protected page).

This was circulated on 22/01/2021, from Ian Proctor, Asma Faruqi, Rathi Ramakrishnan, Silvan Di Palma, Lutful Wahab, Priya Bhagwat, Catherine Horsfield and Martin Young.

RNOH Pathology Locum/Fellow Post

Notice from Prof Adrienne Flanagan:

I have, as of immediate effect, a two-year pathology Locum/pathology fellow post at the RNOH.

The post would involve the individual reporting pathology cases for approximately 50% of the time and the remainder of their time they would help us and be the lead in establishing a new laboratory information system and in implementing our digital pathology platform in RNOH and across the Sarcoma network in the United Kingdom (for which there is Innovate UK funding from the NPIC led by Darren Treanor with me as the sarcoma lead).

If the individual did not want to specialise in sarcoma they could undertake much of the non-sarcoma reporting if they chose, that is the non-neoplastic work and the metastatic carcinoma, lymphoma etc that we see. The job would be very flexible.

The individual would be given a great deal of support with the setting up of the LIMS and the digital pathology platforms. We have an IT software manager. They could use this experience, if they wished, to do a MD.

_____

Interested individuals should contact Prof Flanagan directly at a.flanagan@ucl.ac.uk

_____

Adrienne M Flanagan MB BCH BAO FRCPath PhD FMedSci, NIHR Senior Investigator

Clinical Pathology Lead for the London Sarcoma Service and the RNOH Histopathology Department

Academic Lead for Pathology, UCL Cancer Institute, Rockefeller Building, 21, University Street, London, WC1E 6JJ

Training Update from RCPath TAC Chair

To access the note from Dr Matthew Clarke, Chair of the RCPath Trainees Advisory Committee please click here (password-protected page).

Trainee Rep Winter/Autumn Update 2020

Please click here (password-protected).

UCLH - Uropathology Clinical Fellow Post

There is a vacancy for a Uropathology Clinical Fellow post for one year at UCLH. The deadline for applying is the 4th January 2021. For more information, please follow this link.

Neuropathology Virtual Secondment

In response to the present climate of social distancing, Dr Clara Limback-Stanic and Dr Rathi Ramakrishnan have been working together to create a virtual neuropathology secondment. This new virtual training will be achieved in four parts over a two week period and aims to deliver more than 85% coverage of the neuropathology learning agenda online via videos and questionnaires, remote MDT attendance and access to the brain bank provided by Prof Steven Gentleman, Head Imperial College Brain Bank. This new format will be piloted from January 2021 and priority will be given to trainees short on time to complete this secondment.

Click here for more information.

Trust Grade Doctor Network

The HistoLaSE Trainees Committee would like to get in touch with trust grade doctors* in Histopathology who work in our region**. If you are interested in being part of a mutual support network of trust grades in the region, would you please send a message to Toks todubanjo2002@yahoo.com using your preferred e-mail. Any further use of your email to add you to a trust grades mailing list for example will be on an opt-in basis. You can also forward Toks your WhatsApp contact details if you would like to join a WhatsApp group of trust grades in the region.

Do you know of a locum doctor in Histopathology in your Trust? Would you please assist by drawing his or her attention to this message?

*Note: You’re a trust grade doctor if you are not in a training program, you were employed directly by the Trust you work for and not by Health Education England. This includes all locum doctors- SAS, LAS, LEDs etc.

** London (North-West London, Central London, East London, South-East London & South-West London) or in the South-East of England (Kent and Medway, Sussex and East Surrey), as well as West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust

PhD - Artificial Intelligence for Endometrial Cancer Diagnostics

The Pathology Department of Leiden University Medical Center, Netherlands, is looking for an enthusiastic and dedicated colleague with some experience in programming and an affinity with machine learning and AI-driven computer models. You would be investigating how assessment of endometrial cancer by the pathologist can be improved with the help of artificial intelligence. Candidates are required to have a master's degree in (technical) medicine, artificial intelligence, computer science, data science or similar. Experience or affinity with oncology, gynecology, pathology or molecular biology is definitely an advantage. You must have a proactive and inventive mindset and want to use the next four years to improve future diagnostics and treatment of patients with endometrial cancer.

If you would like to find out more about the PhD opportunity, please click this link. The closing date is 13th December 2020.

Royal Free Hospital: Clinical Teaching Fellow

Royal Free Hospital is looking to appoint a Clinical Teaching Fellow within the Department of Histopathology to develop high-quality undergraduate teaching and learning resources for histopathology and cytology, aligned with UCL’s Connected Learning Baseline for online and socially distanced teaching. This is an excellent opportunity for you to develop your generic skills in medical education as well as your knowledge base in Histopathology. The post will run for up to 12 months and will be taken as an OOPE. It is an excellent chance to expand your CV.

If you would like to find out more, please click this link. The closing date is 9th December 2020.

Summer School

Summer School of Pathology will be taking place on 16 - 18th November 2020.

This will be held virtually this year and is compulsory for all ST2 and ST3s of London and KSS.

Please see the programme booklet for the course for more details.

Joining details can be found here.

Part 2 Teaching Sessions

Part 2 Teaching Sessions will be restarting as of next week. There will be a trial run at 5:30pm on Tuesday 25th August which will last about 60 minutes and will be delivered via Zoom (screen sharing live cases). These sessions are primarily for trainees taking the Part 2 exam, but all trainees are welcome to attend. 

Please contact Dr Ian Proctor by email (ian.proctor@nhs.net) if you are interested in attending online. 

The joining details will be posted here.