The Foundation Programme Reference Guide - Academy of Medical ...

10. Progressing as a foundation doctor and completing the Foundation Programme10.22 There should be a similar arrangement for monitoring the progress of foundationdoctors training flexibly and in academic programmes. Foundation schools shouldalso review the academic foundation doctors’ progress and provide a record of theiracademic achievements in the programme.Approved Practice Settings (APSs) for doctors new to full registration10.23 UK graduates new to full registration, international medical graduates or thosereturning to the medical register after prolonged absence from UK practice, arerequired to work initially within an APSs in the UK for a period of 12 months. An APS isan organisation approved by the GMC as suitable for doctors new to full registration.10.24 Doctors who want the requirement to work within an APS need to provide the GMCwith evidence that they have completed a satisfactory pattern of experience.A satisfactory pattern will be:• 12 months satisfactory UK experience in F2 within the last three years;• one year’s satisfactory UK experience within the last three years in supervised postsin the health service (excluding posts undertaken under provisional registration),each of at least three months duration;• one year’s satisfactory UK experience in the last three years in certain postsaccepted by the GMC (for example posts undertaken under approved head ofdepartment sponsorship schemes).10.25 The evidence required to support such applications will be:• the FACD, for those who have undertaken F2 in the Foundation Programme in theUK; or• if they are not in the Foundation Programme, structured GMC reports completedby their supervising consultant(s) covering the full period of experience andconfirming that they have satisfactorily completed that experience.10.26 Foundation doctors who undertake F2 outside the UK will have to ensure that theirfirst year of practice as a fully registered doctor in the UK is undertaken in an APS.A FACD relating to F2 placements undertaken outside the UK will not be acceptedfor release from the APS requirement. In order to be released from the requirementto work in an APS, they will have to provide evidence that they have satisfactorilycompleted an accepted pattern of experience as described above.Doctors in difficulty10.27 Foundation doctors require close supervision and should not be expected to exceedtheir level of clinical competence. Occasionally foundation doctors fall below thestandards expected of them. This could be for a number of reasons including problemswith their health, attitudes, knowledge or skills. Often these factors are interrelated, soeducational supervisors and other members of the foundation school team should bevigilant for co-existent health problems when considering concerns about attitudes orskills.The UK Foundation Programme: Reference Guide50