Visit Report on University of Leicester Medical School
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East Midlands regional review 2016 Visit Report on University of Leicester Medical School This visit is part of the East Midlands review. Our visits check that organisations are complying with the standards and requirements as set out in Promoting Excellence: Standards for medical education and training. Summary Education provider University of Leicester Medical School Sites visited Centre for Medicine Programmes MBChB programme Date of visit 09 & 10 November 2016 We visited the University of Leicester Medical School (which we will refer to as the school) as part of the regional review of the East Midlands. The regional review also included visits to University of Nottingham medical school, Health Education England working across East Midlands (HEE EM) and five local education providers (LEPs). The school is located in the centre of Leicester and has 1090 students. At the end of the medical course, students are awarded an MBChB degree. Overview The Medical School was recently built with brand new facilities. The school have also revised their curriculum with the aim of making it more patient-focussed where students gain hands on clinical experience from the beginning of their course. The new curriculum began in September 2016. During the visit only students in year one had started the new curriculum. The school have also secured funding to start a new integrated foundation year (which will work like a Pre-med course) in September 2017 to widen participation in their medical courses. Successful completion of the integrated foundation year at the required level enables students to progress on to the first year of the MBChB degree course. In recent years, the school has seen changes in their senior management team; this includes a new vice chancellor and a new head of the College of Medicine, Biological Sciences and Psychology. At the school, the degree course is five years. The course is divided into four phases. Phase one lasts two years. In phase one, students learn: . How to communicate with patients and examine them . About the structure and function of the human body and how this relates to illness and health . About the psychological and social context of health and illness. Phases two - four last three years. They are the clinical years, as students spend the vast majority of their time on placements in primary and secondary care providers within Leicester and the surrounding areas in the East Midlands. Phase two involves longer apprentice style placements. Phase three enables learners to experience specialty blocks such as obstetrics and gynaecology, and phase four involves final examinations and an extended foundation apprenticeship. This apprenticeship prepares learners for work as a foundation doctor. Students at the school have the opportunity to take an intercalated degree in either the second or third year of their medical degree course. This extends their degree course to six years overall. A graduate entry four year medical degree course was discontinued in 2015.* * Disclaimer: This report reflects findings and conclusions based on evidence collected prior and during the visit. 2 Areas of good practice We note good practice where we have found exceptional or innovative examples of work or problem-solving related to our standards. These should be shared with others and/or developed further. Number Theme Good practice 1 Theme two (R2.1, R2.8) The quality management framework in place at the school is very strong. The school is highly effective in the way it shares and reports information about quality management with other bodies to set key performance indicators, identify risk and share good practice. See paragraph 14 2 Theme two (R2.5) We commend the school’s collection, analysis and evaluation of data to assess learner’s performance and progress. Patient feedback is collated by students and is used as a component to assess their clinical and communication skills. See paragraph 19 Areas that are working well We note areas where we have found that not only our standards are met, but they are well embedded in the organisation. Number Theme Areas that are working well 1 Theme one (R1.19) The school has given their students access to technology enhanced learning opportunities through the distribution and use of iPads by all students within their school and clinical settings. See paragraph 9 2 Theme one (R1.20) The staff and students we met praised the clinical skills unit which provides all learners with good simulation based learning opportunities. Learners were particularly complimentary about nurse specialists who 3 help deliver aspects of the curriculum and assessment. See paragraph 12 3 Theme two (R2.20) The students we met were very enthusiastic about the school’s recruitment, interview and selection process; they felt it was open and fair. See paragraph 35 & 36 4 Theme three (R3.2) The pastoral team are highly effective in supporting students’ health and wellbeing and this includes good occupational health services. See paragraph 46 5 Theme four (R4.1, R4.5) The school has effective selection and appraisal processes for educators and the school is committed to supporting teachers’ continued professional development. Assessors are well trained and supported with effective calibration amongst the assessment team. See paragraph 65 6 Theme five (R5.3) The new curriculum has been well designed and meets GMC criteria. It is creative and innovative in the way it teaches students about mindfulness and professionalism through units such as health enhancement and its Compassionate, Holistic, Diagnostic Detective course (CHDD). See paragraph 75 Requirements We set requirements where we have found that our standards are not being met. Each requirement is: targeted outlines which part of the standard is not being met 4 mapped to evidence gathered during the visit. We will monitor each organisation’s response and will expect evidence that progress is being made. Number Theme Requirements 1 Theme one (R1.5); Theme The school must implement an effective three (R3.7); Theme five communication strategy to ensure students are (R5.2) consistently consulted in a timely manner and are informed about the curriculum particularly the changes, their progression and assessments. See paragraph 4, 72 & 82 2 Theme three (R3.3) The school must consider how inappropriate comments and behaviour in clinical settings is reported, collated and dealt with as part of their quality management framework. See paragraph 47 3 Theme three (R3.13) The school must ensure that students receive adequate and timely feedback on their formal assessments including written work. See paragraph 57-60 5 Findings The findings below reflect evidence gathered in advance of and during our visit, mapped to our standards. Please note that not every requirement within Promoting Excellence is addressed. We report on ‘exceptions’, e.g. where things are working particularly well or where there is a risk that standards may not be met. Theme 1: Learning environment and culture Standards S1.1 The learning environment is safe for patients and supportive for learners and educators. The culture is caring, compassionate and provides a good standard of care and experience for patients, carers and families. S1.2 The learning environment and organisational culture value and support education and training so that learners are able to demonstrate what is expected in Good medical practice and to achieve the learning outcomes required by their curriculum. Raising concerns (R1.1) 1 Senior managers told us that during phase one and phase two of the course, students have an induction. In this induction, students are introduced to the importance of patient safety and are encouraged to raise concerns especially when on their placements. Each block also has an induction and here students are advised to approach block leads if they have any concerns. Senior managers told us that the data they have collated shows most students feel comfortable raising concerns with the school. Dealing with concerns (R1.2) 2 The senior management team informed us that they are very keen to promote patient safety in their curriculum. If a student reports a concern to them, they ensure the relevant LEP fully investigates and deals with it appropriately. Where required, senior managers told us that they will work with the LEP to ensure a suitable resolution for the concern. The school also produce an annual report which is sent to all LEPs to share good practice in regard to raising concerns and patient safety. Seeking and responding to feedback (R1.5) 3 During the visit, we heard about numerous times the school gets feedback from their students. The school used to collect feedback annually. However, they felt this was not frequent enough and now they get feedback after every second block. Any feedback they receive is shared with LEPs. Senior managers told us that when a student provides feedback, they use this internally to make changes and 6 improvements to their systems or curriculum delivery. They also respond to students by posting their responses on blackboard, their intranet system which is accessible to all students. 4 The students we met felt the school’s response to their feedback was variable. The students in year one were happy with the frequency in which they were asked for feedback and felt confident that their feedback was listened to and acted upon. Second year students disagreed. They felt that even though they provided feedback to the school and raised concerns, the response to this feedback was inconsistent. Students felt that the senior management team was focusing all of their attention on the new curriculum and hence year one. During the visit, it became apparent that senior managers failed to explain what they had done in response to the feedback they had received. As a result, students were generally unaware of the work the school may have done in response to their feedback.