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Introduction

Responsibility for formal approval of specialty training rests with the GMC Postgraduate Board. However, the GMC wishes the Colleges to continue to play a key role in quality assuring postgraduate medical training and to work locally with Regional Advisers and Deaneries to identify and rectify problems. The Colleges therefore have a role in establishing standards for quality assurance of training. They are also responsible for reviewing and updating the curriculum and ensuring that appropriate assessment methods are in place to assess trainees' progress through their training.

The Faculty of Clinical Oncology's Specialty Training Board has delegated responsibility for this work to the Specialty Training Advisory Committee (STAC). It is, however, a sub-committee of the Specialty Training Board and, as such, is answerable to, and reports to, the Specialty Training Board.

Membership of the Specialty Training Advisory Committee

  1. Chairman - appointed for a four year period by the Warden of the Faculty of Clinical Oncology, subject to approval by the Specialty Training Board.
  2. 12 members drawn from consultant Clinical Oncologists, practising in the NHS, in good standing with the RCR, who have experience of postgraduate training and an interest in quality assurance and assessment, curriculum development and the development and establishment of workplace based assessment tools. These members may also be Regional Specialty Advisers
  3. The Warden of the Faculty of Clinical Oncology is an ex officio member of the Specialty Training Advisory Committee.
  4. One co-opted representative of the Oncology Registrars' Forum (ORF) 
  5. The Chairman of each of the First and Final FRCR Examining are co-opted members.
  6. One co-opted lay representative (appointed by the Patient Liaison Group).
  7. A co-opted academic clinical oncologist who is actively involved in supervising academic clinical oncology trainees.


Term of Office

The term of office will normally be four years. Members may stand for a second term of office. The inaugural members who were appointed in 2009 will be asked to serve for 2, 3 or 4 years in order to ensure a regular turnover of membership in future years.

Terms of reference for the Specialty Training Advisory Committee

The role of the Committee is:

  1. To review, maintain and update the Clinical Oncology specialty training curriculum in line with the standards required by the GMC 
  2. To review and develop methods of assessment, and in particular workplace based performance assessment, to ensure compliance of Clinical Oncology training with the published curriculum and the standards of assessment required by the GMC 
  3.  To support the Regional Specialty Advisers, who share responsibility with the Deaneries for local quality control of the delivery of clinical oncology specialty training
  4. To receive the GMC reports regarding training in clinical oncology and provide feedback
  5. To monitor the implementation of action plans relating to clinical oncology specialty training produced in response to Deanery reports to GMC, GMC surveys or visits.
  6. To support and advise Training Programme Directors in delivering the clinical oncology specialty training curriculum.
  7. To provide advice and assistance to Postgraduate Deans regarding the quality assurance of clinical oncology training
  8. To provide advice and assistance to the GMC and other stakeholders, regarding the quality assurance of training in clinical oncology 
  9. To report to and advise the Faculty of Clinical Oncology Specialty Training Board on all matters pertaining to the quality assurance of training in clinical oncology, curriculum and workplace based assessment development and modification.
  10. To undertake other activities relevant to the remit of the STAC as required by the Warden of the Faculty of Clinical Oncology.

Meetings

  1. Meetings will take place 3 times per year, approximately 4-6 weeks prior to meetings of the Specialty Training Board
  2. The Chairman and three other STAC members will be appointed members of the Specialty Training Board.
  3. Appointed members will be assigned to one of the subgroups of the STAC, which meet as required.

March 2010