The Programme hopes to offer every GPR an integrated training post (ITP) relevant to their learning needs. These posts integrate learning within a hospital or community environment and learning in primary care. The GPR is based at a training practice, usually for about half the week, and is seconded to the hospital or community specialty for the rest of the week. GPRs continue to attend the half day release programme.

The learning needs and scope of the various ITP posts will be discussed individually with each GPR on successful appointment to the Programme although learning needs and preferences are revisited during the final allcoation process for ITPs which occurs 5-6 months prior to the commencement of the post.  Training practice placements will generally take into account the size and style of their 4m/8m practice placement, to provide variety of experince of primary care working environments.

GPRs will be given guidance by the Programme on how to arrange and organise the timetable for their ITP post at the appropriate time in their rotation. GPRs are encouraged to discuss with their trainer the opportunities for linking what they are learning in the community or hospital component of the post with their primary care placement.  You might also find it useful to have a look at these Top Tips for planning your ITP which have been put together by some of your colleagues.

The educational documentation for these posts provide further detail of the scope of the post:

• Public Health   
• Psychiatry
• Rheumatology 
• Palliative Care (Hospice and Community) 
• Medical Education (1 year, resulting in a 3½ year scheme) 
• Elderly Care 
• Pre-hospital Emergency Care  generally based at Birbeck Medical Practice, Penrith.
• Paediatrics  (available for a February start only)
• CBT, generally based at West St Practice, Aspatria 
• Primary Care Mental Health
• Ophthalmology
• ENT
• Women's Health
• Substance Misuse 
• Intermediate Care
  

Information on applying for academic research posts for GPStRs advertised by the deanery.

Each of these attachments will have specific educational objectives agreed between the GP registrar and the consultant or educator concerned. These objectives may include a specific project or research. The attachments may vary during the duration of the integrated training post. The GP Trainer retains overall educational supervision for the GP registrar and provides a base for further GP experience.

Induction will occur in all components of the ITP post. Induction to hospital posts will normally take precedence over the inducton into the GP practice for pragmatic reasons. The inital week in a new ITP post may therefore have a different balance to subsequent weeks.

OOH work is usually done within general practice (ie one OOH CHOC session per month), unless other specific arrangements have been made.

If you are keen to be involved in the development of an Integrated Post in a speciality that does not feature above please speak to Tim or Karen about your idea. We will always try to support the development of a new post, providing it is relevant to your education.  Please be aware that the development process takes on average about 12 months to complete (though has been quicker than this for some posts in the past).

Integrated posts currently being considered for development (ask Karen or Tim for more details) include:

• Soft tissue / sports medicine
• Child psychiatry
• Forensic medicine
• Primary care management (with Cumbria PCT)
• Public Health
• Academic post in research in association with UCLAN (1 year, resulting in a three and a half year scheme, with CATS points towards a further degree)

Proposal to seek approval for IP post 2010

Updated by TS 15/3/12