The work of the Academy

Education
Medical Royal Colleges and Faculties devise the specialist curricula and help shape postgraduate medical education and training in the four countries across the UK. The Academy supports that role in relation to cross cutting educational issues. Over the past year the Academy has contributed towards developments in the way in which the UK educates and trains our future doctors.

Examples of our work in this area include:
 

• Work on the overall “Shape of training” for doctors – including Colleges beginning an exercise to map the extent of generic components to their curricula.
• Foundation Programme Curriculum and Resources –  the professional development of doctors for the first 2 years after graduation from medical school, including a major revision for 2016, placing new emphasis on the whole patient, community care and long term conditions.
• Standard setting for examinations
• Improving the assessment process for doctors in training
• Action on differential attainment in medical education
• Creating a charter to support doctors in training (adopted as part of Shape of Training)
• Creating new guidance on safer prescription of cytotoxic and immunosuppressant medicines by foundation doctors
• Medical Training Initiative – the Academy acts as a sponsor to enable international medical graduates to enter the UK for training and development and work in UK hospitals

Revalidation

The work of the Academy is not just about educating and training an NHS workforce to have the right skills for the future. It is also about ensuring that today’s doctors remain up to date with the latest practice and thinking and are able to provide the service that patients need now.

Examples of our work in this area include:
Producing core speciality guidance to help doctors provide supporting information on their work for appraisal and revalidation

Guidance for Retired Doctors who wish to continue some element of their work

Input into an Evaluation Study of Revalidation

Holding workshops on Peer Coaching and Assessment Tools

Clinical Quality, Standards and Service Delivery

Advice on specific clinical issues and standards is the responsibility of individual Colleges and Faculties.  However, the Academy is involved in a range of cross-cutting clinical and health policy issues.
Examples of our work in this area include:

• Informatics – the Academy sees the development of effective informatics and information systems (including electronic patient records) as a priority, and are key participants in the Informatics Strategic Clinical Reference Group which provides clinical input to informatics decisions at national level.
• The Academy produced guidance on child sexual exploitation specifically with guidance for Colleges in relation to curriculum development, information sharing and multi-agency working  on safeguarding children
• Mental Capacity Act – the Academy has set up a group to pro actively identify barriers to implementing the Act by medical professionals
• Reducing mortality – the Academy produced a report on priority areas to improve survival for hospital patients with acute illness
• Co-ordinating Care – the Academy produced “Guidance for Taking Responsibility: Accountable Clinicians and Informed Patients”
   

Health Policy and Representation

The Academy plays an important role in providing a representative voice for the Medical Royal Colleges and Faculties. Academy members expect the organisation to respond on their behalf to relevant policy initiatives or consultation documents from the UK health departments, GMC or other organisations.

The Academy is increasingly seen by Government as the body to consult on matters of generic concern across the medical profession. We meet regularly with the Department of Health and ministers, the GMC, BMA and other national healthcare organisations. We work closely with the Medical Director for the NHS in England, Sir Bruce Keogh and other senior medical figures.

Details of our work and the organisation can be found on our website at www.aomrc. org.uk  There is a full summary of our recent work up to 2015 in our “Annual Review” which can be found in the “Reports and Guidance” section of our website. 

Examples of our work in this area include:

• Producing guidance for doctors on reducing waste in the NHS to protect resources.
• Producing Manifestos – a compilation of College Manifestos was produced ahead of the General Election to highlight the medical profession’s views and priorities to politicians
• Choosing Wisely – this will be a key element of our work in the coming year –  work to embed a culture in which clinicians and patients regularly discuss the clinical value and effectiveness of treatments in order to reduce inappropriate and/or unnecessary activity

Five Year Forward View – the Academy supported the principles in proposals for the future direction of the NHS in England and endorsed a statement on principles for models of integrated care, produced jointly by the Royal College of General Practitioners and the Royal College of Physicians of London.