Integrated Training Posts & Community Placements
Because the best GPs know the consulting room isn't the only place where medicine happens.
Innovative Training Posts (ITPs) are one of the most exciting opportunities in GP training — a split post where you work simultaneously in both general practice and a hospital or community specialty. This page also covers Community Placements, where you step outside the surgery to understand the social and community fabric of the populations you serve.
Last updated: April 2026
📥 Downloads
Handouts, summaries, and teaching extras — ready when you are.
Web Resources
A hand-picked mix of official guidance and real-world GP training resources — because sometimes the best pearls aren't hiding in the official documents.
⚡ Quick Summary — If You Only Read One Section
- ITP = Innovative (or Integrated) Training Post. A 6-month post where you split your working week between GP practice and a hospital or community specialty — simultaneously, not sequentially.
- Typically ST1 or ST2. Most ITPs fall in the first two years of training. ST3 is almost always pure GP.
- Split is roughly 50/50. About 4 sessions in GP and 4 sessions in the specialty each week, plus half-day release and self-directed study.
- You need TWO Clinical Supervisor's Reports (CSRs) — one from your GP clinical supervisor and one from your specialty supervisor.
- ITP time counts towards your minimum 18 months in GP. It is treated as a GP post for programme construction purposes.
- WPBA requirements continue. You still need CBDs, COTs/mini-CEXs, and PSQs across your ITP period — plan where these will come from early.
- Community Placements are different. These are 2 half-day voluntary sector visits for ST1s (or first-GP-post ST2s), focused on understanding the community and social determinants of health.
- Community Placements are arranged by the trainee — speak to your social prescribing link worker and your trainer first.
- Both ITPs and Community Placements link to RCGP community orientation capabilities — they generate valuable ePortfolio evidence.
- The best ITPs are ones where you deliberately apply your specialty learning in GP — ask yourself daily: "How does what I'm seeing here change how I manage this in my GP surgery?"
What Is an Integrated Training Post?
These used to be called Innovative Training Posts — because it took a while for anyone to think of it, and when they did, they thought it was quite 'innovative'.
An Innovative Training Post (ITP) — officially also called an Integrated Training Post by the RCGP — is a post that combines experience in general practice with experience in one or more other relevant areas in the same post. The trainee splits their working week between a GP practice and a specialty setting. Which is great until Monday morning, when you are briefly not sure which car park you need.
This is fundamentally different from a pure hospital post, where you leave GP behind entirely. In an ITP, you hold both worlds at once — which is exactly what makes it so valuable.
| Standard Training | ITP (Innovative Training Post) |
|---|---|
| GP and hospital posts done in separate sequential blocks | GP and specialty experienced simultaneously, same week |
| Knowledge stays siloed — specialty learning rarely feeds directly back to GP | Knowledge applied in real-time — you immediately test specialty learning in your GP consultations |
| Referral threshold understanding comes later, often through trial and error | You see from both sides what a good referral looks like — and when one isn't needed |
| Risk tolerance in GP developed slowly | Risk stratification skills built earlier and more deliberately |
| Specialty and GP reasoning stay separate | Direct application to GP patients — bridging happens continuously |
Important — What an ITP Is NOT
An ITP is not a community orientation exercise, a sociology placement, or a social prescribing activity. Those are valuable — but they are different things. An ITP is clinical decision-making training inside a GP context. Its biggest practical benefit: knowing when not to refer — safely, confidently, and with a clear safety-net.
The RCGP Programme Construction Guidance states that GP training now runs on a 24/12 model: 24 months in primary care (including ITPs) and 12 months in specialty. ITPs sit within the 24 months of primary care time, so they count as GP time — not hospital time — for programme construction purposes.
The specialty element of an ITP should focus on learning needed to demonstrate the required GP curriculum capabilities, and must allow relevant experiential learning.
Both ITPs and community placements sit within Capability E of the RCGP curriculum: "Caring for the whole person, the wider community, and the environment." Evidence from both posts should be mapped to this capability in your ePortfolio.
Think of it this way: rather than spending 6 months entirely in Paediatrics (where your GP lens can feel irrelevant), an ITP in Community Paediatrics means you spend half your week in GP and immediately apply what you're learning to real patients at the practice.
The translation from specialty to primary care is built into the structure of the post — it doesn't rely on you remembering to do it later.
Published Evidence — What Research Says About ITPs
A 2024 letter in the British Journal of General Practice by two GP trainees completing a medical education ITP reported an "overwhelmingly positive experience" professionally and personally. Key findings: ITPs made trainees "better clinicians, teachers, and colleagues"; improved work–life balance and job satisfaction; and time outside the traditional medical environment "sparked creativity" — one trainee created a weekly walking group for over-65s after an ITP teaching session on physical activity. Previous research also shows ITPs increase clinical confidence and provide positive role modelling. Opportunities to undertake ITPs vary significantly nationally.
Insider Tip
Many trainees find ITP posts the most rewarding of their training. The immediate back-and-forth between specialty and GP stops you from going "full hospital doctor" during a rotation — you remain a GP trainee throughout. This keeps your MRCGP preparation on track and your consultation skills sharp.
Types of ITP Post
Not all ITPs look the same — here's what's out there across the UK.
ITPs vary by deanery and scheme. Not all schemes offer all types, and availability changes. Always check with your TPD about what's currently on offer in your area.
| ITP Specialty / Type | Setting | Why It's Useful in GP | Typical RCGP Curriculum Links |
|---|---|---|---|
| Community Paediatrics | Community | Child development, complex needs, safeguarding, ADHD/autism pathways | Child Health, Safeguarding, NDDs |
| Dermatology | Outpatient / Community | Skin conditions dominate GP appointments — see more variety and pattern-recognise faster | Skin Conditions |
| Community Mental Health / Psychiatry | Community | Mental health is the bread and butter of GP — understanding CMHT workflows, crisis pathways, and MDT working is invaluable | Mental Health, Care of People with Mental Health Conditions |
| Palliative Care / Hospice | Community / Hospice | Complex symptom management at home, MDT approach, end-of-life conversations — every GP needs this | End of Life, Complex Multi-Morbidity |
| ENT | Outpatient | Huge proportion of GP presentations — ear, nose, throat problems. Develop practical skills (e.g. auroscopy) and referral threshold confidence | ENT and Facial Problems |
| Rheumatology | Outpatient / Community | Musculoskeletal problems are the most common GP reason for attendance. Examine and think through MSK problems properly | MSK and Rheumatology |
| Obstetrics & Gynaecology | Outpatient / Ward | Women's health is a major GP domain — antenatal care, menstrual problems, contraception in context | Women's Health, Sexual Health, Antenatal Care |
| Sexual Health / GUM | Community / GUM Clinic | STI management, contraception, HIV, confidentiality — skills directly transferable to GP | Sexual Health, Public Health |
| Ophthalmology | Outpatient | Eye problems are common in GP and often under-examined — build confidence and refine referral thresholds | Eye Problems |
| Older People's Medicine / Geriatrics | Ward / Community | Complex multi-morbidity, frailty, falls, capacity — the future of GP is understanding this population deeply | Older Adults, Frailty, Multi-Morbidity |
| Drug & Alcohol Services | Community | Shared care prescribing (methadone, buprenorphine), motivational interviewing, harm reduction — regular GP work | Substance Use, Health Inequalities |
| Emergency Medicine / A&E | Hospital | Acute presentations, triage thinking, spot-the-sick-person skills — refreshes clinical acuity | Acute, Emergency and Urgent Care |
| Leadership / Medical Education / Research | Non-Clinical | Counts as non-specialty ITP element. Excellent for developing leadership and teaching capabilities | Leadership, Education, Research |
| Inclusion Health / Homelessness | Community | Trailblazer-type post (Yorkshire & Humber). Complex social needs, health inequalities, marginalised populations | Health Inequalities, Population Health |
Important — Availability Varies by Deanery
Not all schemes offer all ITP types, and some trainees are allocated ITPs rather than choosing them. Contact your TPD to find out what is available in your scheme. In some areas, ITP posts are pre-allocated; in others, trainees can apply for specific posts or even propose their own.
Specialty-Specific Important Things to Know
Key clinical knowledge by ITP type — plus the two exam traps that catch trainees out, and the SCA advantage ITPs give you.
🏥 Specialty-Specific Important Things to Know
Paediatrics ITP
- Febrile child <3 months → always admit regardless of temperature
- Febrile child with red flags (poor feeding, altered consciousness, non-blanching rash, respiratory distress) → same-day emergency assessment
- Bronchiolitis → AKT tests knowing when not to treat (antibiotics not indicated; most managed at home)
- Asthma → SABA use >3×/week = step up; AKT tests stepwise management thresholds
- Safeguarding thresholds — real-world exposure from ITP builds this instinct
- AKT trap: answer is often "manage safely in GP" — ITP trainees are less likely to over-refer
Dermatology ITP
- Pattern recognition: eczema vs psoriasis vs tinea — AKT tests differentiation
- Referral thresholds: 2WW criteria for suspected skin cancer (NICE CKS)
- Topical steroid potency ladder — which to use where
- AKT trap: melanoma referral vs watch and wait — red flags trigger 2WW
Psychiatry / CMHT ITP
- Crisis pathway thresholds — when to refer urgently vs manage in primary care
- Section 136 / Mental Health Act — when police can detain; GP role in MHA assessments
- Risk assessment frameworks — suicide risk stratification in GP context
- AKT trap: antipsychotic monitoring requirements — metabolic screening frequency
Palliative Care ITP
- Anticipatory prescribing — what goes in the Just in Case box (diamorphine, midazolam, hyoscine)
- Gold Standards Framework (GSF) — recognising the last year of life
- DNAR / ReSPECT form — GP's role in completing and reviewing
- AKT trap: opioid prescribing in renal impairment — dose adjustment required
Your ITP Week — How It Actually Works
Half GP. Half specialty. All GP-focused learning. Welcome to the best of both worlds.
An ITP typically covers a full standard working week (40 hours for full-time trainees), structured as follows:
⚠️ This is an example only. Timetables vary by scheme, specialty, and individual arrangement. Discuss your specific timetable with your GP clinical supervisor and specialty supervisor early. Both of them. Not just the one you like more.
How ITPs Are Allocated
Allocation varies by deanery. Some use a ballot or first-come-first-served system; others ask for preference forms. Interest in specific ITPs (especially those without an equivalent substantive specialty post) must usually be stated explicitly on your preference form. ITPs typically occur in ST2, after some GP experience has been gained. In the Yorkshire Deanery area (including Bradford), available ITPs have included community obstetrics and gynaecology, women's health, musculoskeletal medicine, community paediatrics, palliative care, and emergency psychiatry. Check with your TPD for what is available on your scheme.
No Unsocial Hours in ITPs
ITP posts are not banded for out-of-hours work. Trainees do not work unsocial hours in ITPs — the specialty placement is structured around outpatient or community-based sessions, not on-call or overnight rotas. This is one reason ITPs are popular: you maintain GP training continuity and gain specialty experience without the on-call burden of a traditional hospital rotation.
- 4 sessions in GP per standard week (excluding HDR/VTS)
- 4 sessions in specialty per standard week
- 1 session — half-day release (HDR / VTS teaching)
- 1 session — self-directed study
- On VTS teaching weeks, one specialty or GP session is removed to accommodate teaching
- No on-call is expected in most ITP specialty settings (outpatient-focused)
- Ward cover may apply in some acute specialties — clarify in advance
- There must still be a pro-rata GP tutorial every week — this is a training requirement and should not be dropped or squeezed out by the specialty timetable
In an ITP you will have:
- GP Clinical Supervisor — your GP trainer at the practice. Responsible for day-to-day GP supervision, tutorials, and the GP element CSR.
- Specialty Clinical Supervisor — the hospital consultant or community specialist. Responsible for specialty supervision and the specialty element CSR.
- Your Educational Supervisor oversees your overall training progress as usual.
- Both CSRs must be completed at the end of the post.
Insider Tip — The First Week Matters
Set up a proper induction meeting with both supervisors in week one. Agree your timetable, identify your learning objectives, and discuss how the specialty experience will feed back into your GP work. Many trainees neglect the specialty side — and equally, some forget they're still in a GP post. Make both count from day one.
WPBA in an ITP — Assessments & ePortfolio
Two worlds, one portfolio. Here's how to make the assessments work for you.
Your WPBA (Workplace-Based Assessment) requirements don't pause during an ITP (nothing pauses, ever, that's just training) — but the split nature of the post creates useful flexibility about where assessments come from. Here's the picture:
| Assessment Type | Which Part of ITP? | Key Points |
|---|---|---|
| CBD (Case-Based Discussion) | GP Specialty | Can be completed in both settings. Use specialty cases to explore GP-relevant decision-making. In your ST1/ST2 GP post, target 4 CBDs across the 6 months. |
| COT (Consultation Observation Tool) | GP only | COTs require a GP consultation setting. These come from your GP sessions within the ITP. Aim for 2 COTs across ST1/ST2 GP time. |
| mini-CEX | Specialty | Mini-CEXs are for hospital/specialty settings. The specialty part of your ITP is an ideal place to complete them. Aim for 2 across ST1/ST2. |
| PSQ (Patient Satisfaction Questionnaire) | GP only | Needs a minimum number of GP consultations to distribute. Plan this in your GP sessions. |
| MSF (Multi-Source Feedback) | GP Specialty | Collect from both settings — raters from the specialty team give a different and valuable perspective. |
| CSR — GP element | GP only | Completed by your GP Clinical Supervisor at the end of the post. |
| CSR — Specialty element | Specialty only | Completed by your specialty Clinical Supervisor at the end of the post. Both CSRs are required on the ePortfolio. |
| PDP (Personal Development Plan) | Both | Write objectives covering both your GP and specialty learning. Review with both supervisors at placement planning meetings. |
| Learning Log entries | GP Specialty | Log learning from both sides of the post. Reflect on how specialty experience changes your GP thinking — this is premium portfolio evidence. |
Watch Out — Common WPBA Pitfall in ITPs
Trainees in ITPs sometimes get to the end of the post and realise they've done all their assessments in one setting and neglected the other. Plan your assessments across both settings from week one. Don't save them all for a desperate end-of-post rush (in either direction). The specialty CSR is the one people forget. Every time. It has never once reminded anyone itself.
ITP — Assessment Requirements
Plan these from day one — don't leave them to the last few weeks.
- Personal Development Plan (PDP) — write objectives covering both GP and specialty learning. Write this in week one and review at your placement planning meetings.
- Two Clinical Supervisor's Reports (CSRs) — one from your GP CS, one from your specialty CS. Both required on ePortfolio at end of post.
- WPBA assessments — CBDs, COTs (GP side), mini-CEXs (specialty side), PSQ, MSF as per your training year requirements.
- Learning log entries — log learning from both sides. Reflections on "bridge learning" (how specialty experience changes GP thinking) are particularly powerful ePortfolio evidence.
- Placement planning meetings — formal mid-point meetings with both supervisors.
Getting the Most from Your ITP
The difference between a good ITP and an outstanding one comes down to one word: intention.
An ITP is only as good as what you put into it. Here is a practical framework for getting the most from the experience:
- 1
Set Up Early — Both Supervisors, Week One
Meet your GP CS and specialty CS in your first week. Agree your timetable, learning objectives (PDP), and how you'll communicate between the two settings. Don't let the setup drift — it won't sort itself.
- 2
Ask "The Bridge Question" Every Day
Each day in the specialty, ask yourself: "What have I seen today that will change how I manage patients in my GP surgery next week?" Write a brief log entry. This one habit transforms the educational value of an ITP.
💡 Daily shortcut: For every patient you see in the specialty, ask: "Would I refer this patient if they'd presented to my GP surgery first? And if yes — what specifically prompted that decision?" This single question builds your referral threshold intelligence faster than almost anything else.
- 3
Bring Specialty Cases Back to GP Tutorials
Don't keep the two sides of your post separate in your head. Discuss interesting specialty cases in your GP tutorials. Ask your GP trainer: "Would you have managed this differently in primary care?" This cross-fertilisation is exactly what ITPs are designed for.
- 4
Develop Your Referral Intelligence
One of the biggest benefits of an ITP is seeing what the other side actually wants in a referral letter. Watch what good referrals look like from the specialty's perspective. This improves your GP referral writing immediately. It turns out "please see and advise" is not the full picture they were hoping for.
- 5
Plan Your WPBAs from Day One
COTs come from your GP sessions. Mini-CEXs come from your specialty sessions. CBDs and MSFs can come from both. Map this out in week one and you won't be scrambling at the end.
- 6
Use the Specialty to Understand Your SCA Topics
If you're doing a Psychiatry ITP, your MRCGP SCA knowledge of mental health is significantly enhanced. Deliberately pick up consulting experience with patients in the specialty who mirror common GP presentations — and observe how specialists communicate complex information.
- 7
Arrange a Joint Debrief Once a Month
Set up a monthly meeting (even 20 minutes) where both supervisors — or at minimum, where you present to your GP supervisor what you've learned in the specialty that month. This keeps the integration real rather than theoretical.
They don't mentally separate the two halves of their week. When they're in the specialty, they're thinking like a GP. When they're back in practice, they're using what they just learned in clinic. The trainee who truly integrates the two worlds during an ITP leaves the post as a measurably better GP — not just a doctor with a tick in a box.
The Real Truth
The honest picture — what trainees actually experience in ITP posts.
⚠️ Are There Any Difficulties Trainees Mention About ITPs?
Yes — and it's worth being honest about this.
An ITP is a six-month post — longer if you are less than full-time. In that time, you need to learn a great deal. Unlike your GP colleagues who are in a standard six-month GP post, you are not just learning everything they are learning in the GP surgery. You are also learning a whole new specialty at the same time. Some trainees describe it as doing two jobs and trying to become good at both simultaneously. That is a fair description. To their credit, most of them pull it off. Some of them even enjoy it. A few become suspiciously good at parking in two different car parks.
Bradford VTS believes that Training Programme Directors would be wise to think carefully about which trainees are placed in ITP posts. Trainees who are already finding GP training challenging, or who feel they need more time and space to consolidate their GP skills, may benefit more from a straightforward GP post — one that lets them focus without the added pressure of a parallel specialty.
That said, many trainees absolutely love ITP posts. They find the variety energising, the clinical confidence it builds invaluable, and the breadth of learning deeply rewarding. The key is honest self-awareness — and a conversation with your Educational Supervisor about what is right for you.
What Trainees Actually Say About ITPs
The most consistent feedback from trainees who have completed ITPs centres on three themes: reduced clinical anxiety, better referral judgment, and a clearer understanding of what secondary care actually does with their patients. The shift from "I'll refer to be safe" to "I know how to manage this safely in primary care" is one of the most valuable transformations in GP training — and ITP accelerates it.
- "ITP made me far less anxious about managing risk in GP."
- "I stopped over-referring — I finally understood what secondary care actually does with these patients."
- "I could see my referral letters getting better week by week because I now understood what the specialist actually needed to know."
- "The thing that changed most was knowing when NOT to refer — and being able to explain to the patient clearly why that was the right decision."
Use this framework daily in your ITP — and in the SCA — to structure your thinking when deciding whether to manage in primary care or escalate.
- S — Serious pathology ruled out: Have I excluded red flags? Checked for the things I must not miss?
- A — Appropriate for GP: Is this genuinely within what primary care can safely manage? Would a GP trainer agree?
- F — Follow-up clear: Have I defined a specific timeframe and clear criteria for review?
- E — Escalation explained: Has the patient been told exactly what symptoms or changes should prompt them to seek urgent help?
- G — Genuine uncertainty acknowledged: Have I been honest if I'm not completely certain — and made a plan for that uncertainty?
- P — Patient agrees and understands the plan: Has the patient understood, accepted, and engaged with what we've agreed?
If all six are "yes" — you can manage safely in primary care. If any is uncertain — that's your decision point.
Insider Pearls — Real-World Wisdom
Things nobody tells you at first — but experienced trainees wish someone had.
Insider Tip — ITPs Are Worth Choosing Wisely
Where you have a choice of ITP specialty, pick one that genuinely fills a gap in your GP knowledge rather than a specialty you've already done well. Dermatology, community psychiatry, and palliative care are among the most cited as transformative for GP practice — because they cover areas that pure hospital rotations rarely do justice to.
Insider Tip — The "Bridge Consultation" Trick
Some trainees in ITPs deliberately take a specialty case back to their GP tutorial and ask: "How would I have managed this if it had presented in my GP surgery?" Running the consultation backwards from specialty to primary care is one of the most powerful learning tools available in an ITP — and it makes for outstanding ePortfolio reflections.
Insider Tip — Community Placements Change How You Consult
Trainees who complete community placements with genuine curiosity consistently report that it changes how they see their patients — particularly those facing social adversity. They stop wondering why patients "don't just" do the obvious thing, and start understanding the structural barriers that make the obvious impossible. That shift in perspective is permanent and makes for better GPs.
Insider Tip — The Referral Letter You'll Write Differently
After an ITP, most trainees write dramatically better referral letters in that specialty — because they now know what the specialist actually needs to triage appropriately, what urgency categories mean in real practice, and what a genuinely useful referral looks like from the other side. That knowledge is hard to get any other way.
Insider Tip — Link Workers Are an Untapped Resource
Many trainees don't use their practice's social prescribing link worker nearly enough. Your community placement may be your best opportunity to properly understand what link workers do, who they can help, and how to make a good referral. Ask to shadow them, not just as a community placement, but as a regular part of understanding your practice's resources.
Insider Tip — ITPs and the SCA
Trainees in Palliative Care ITPs tend to score consistently well on the SCA's explanation and empathy domains — because they spend months having difficult conversations with very real consequences. If you're doing a Palliative Care or Psychiatry ITP, use every consultation as deliberate SCA practice. The consultation skills are directly transferable.
Common Pitfalls
What trainees consistently get wrong — so you don't have to.
🏥 Pitfalls in ITPs
- "Going full hospital doctor" during the specialty sessions. Some trainees mentally disconnect from GP during their specialty days. The whole point of an ITP is that you remain a GP trainee throughout (you are visiting the hospital, not moving back in) — every patient you see in the specialty should prompt the question: "What happens to this patient in primary care?"
- Neglecting one side of the post completely. Some trainees spend all their time in the specialty (because it's more novel) and neglect their GP sessions. Others bury themselves in GP and treat the specialty as an irritating interruption. Both are wasted opportunities.
- Not setting up both supervisors properly. If you don't arrange proper induction meetings with both supervisors in week one, the post will drift. Get both PDPs, both timetables, and both tutorial arrangements confirmed early.
- Forgetting to get both CSRs. Many trainees remember the GP CSR and forget the specialty CSR — or vice versa. Both are required. Both must be on your ePortfolio. Your ARCP will flag this.
- Not planning WPBA across both settings. COTs come from GP. Mini-CEXs come from the specialty. CBDs can come from both. If you don't plan this early, you'll reach the end of the post with a gap.
- Not applying specialty learning back to GP tutorials. If you never discuss your specialty experience in your GP tutorials, the integration never happens. Bring cases from the specialty into your GP tutorial discussions — your trainer will appreciate it and it's excellent portfolio evidence.
- Failing to arrange the post in time. In some schemes, ITPs need to be arranged months in advance. Missing the window means losing the opportunity. Find out your scheme's timeline early.
- ⚠️ Overconfidence from ITP experience. This is the trap nobody warns you about. After 3 months in Paediatrics, some trainees feel invincible about paeds presentations in GP. But remember: you're practising in a different environment with different resources, different safety nets, and often without examination equipment. ITP builds confidence — it should also build humility. Always work within GP scope. If something feels outside it, that instinct is usually right.
For Trainers — Teaching Pearls & Tutorial Ideas
Because helping your trainee get the most from their ITP or community placement is part of the art of training.
- Compartmentalising the ITP. Many trainees mentally separate their specialty days from their GP days. They don't spontaneously bring specialty cases into GP tutorials or apply GP thinking in the specialty. Gently prompt this integration from the start — it doesn't always happen naturally. A simple "so what happened in the specialty this week?" works well. It also lets them know you noticed they were gone.
- Underusing the specialty supervisor. Some trainees treat the specialty supervisor as a formality. Encourage your trainee to build a genuine educational relationship there — both supervisors should know the trainee's learning needs.
- Treating community placements as admin. Some trainees arrange the minimum, attend passively, and write a superficial reflection. Push them to identify a genuine interest, prepare questions, and write a reflection that changes something about how they practice.
- Missing the social determinants lens entirely. Many trainees understand social determinants intellectually but don't apply them in consultations. Ask: "What would your management have been if this patient also had housing insecurity? Or no social support?"
- "Tell me about a patient you saw in the specialty this week. How would their journey have looked different if they'd presented to GP first?"
- "What was the most surprising thing you've seen in the specialty — something that changed your understanding?"
- "What's one thing the specialist said or did that you're going to bring into your GP consultations?"
- "Tell me about a patient in your practice whose social circumstances are affecting their health. What options do we actually have beyond prescribing?"
- "When did you last refer someone to the social prescribing link worker? What happened?"
- "What did your community placement change about how you see the patients in this practice?"
- "If we could change one structural thing about how healthcare is delivered to the population our practice serves, what would it be?"
At the Start of the ITP
- Hold a joint placement planning meeting if possible (you, the trainee, and ideally contact with the specialty supervisor)
- Help the trainee write a PDP that covers both GP and specialty learning objectives
- Agree the timetable, tutorial schedule, and WPBA plan from week one
- Discuss how the specialty experience will be fed back into GP tutorials
- Clarify GP rota expectations on their non-specialty days — they're still a GP trainee
Throughout the ITP
- Regularly ask about the specialty experience in tutorials — don't let it become invisible
- Prompt "bridge thinking" — how does specialty learning change GP practice?
- Ensure WPBA targets are being met in both settings
- Support the trainee if there are difficulties in the specialty (communication issues, lack of learning opportunities) — they may need your advocacy
- Complete your GP element CSR at the appropriate time; ensure the specialty supervisor knows their CSR is required
Trainer Insight — The Value of a Well-Supported ITP
The trainees who gain the most from ITPs are those whose GP trainers actively engage with the specialty experience — not just the GP days. If you demonstrate genuine interest in what your trainee is learning in the specialty and help them translate it back to primary care, you transform a merely competent training experience into an exceptional one. The integration only happens if someone facilitates it.
Community Placements
Step outside the consulting room. The community has things to teach you that no textbook can.
A community placement is a short structured visit — minimum two half-days — where an ST1 GP trainee (or ST2 if it's their first GP post) spends time with a community or voluntary organisation of their choosing. This is not clinical work. It is an opportunity to observe, listen, and understand. You do not need your stethoscope. You probably don't even need a pen.
The purpose is simple: to step outside the medical model and see the full social, economic, and community context in which your patients live — the context that shapes their health, their choices, and their ability to follow the advice you give them.
RCGP Curriculum Basis
Community placements directly address the community orientation key competence of the RCGP curriculum, which states: "Your work as a family doctor is determined by the make-up of the community in which your practice is based… GPs may need to take additional steps to understand the issues and barriers affecting their communities."
- National charities — Age UK, Barnardo's, Mind, Shelter
- Local charities and community groups — art groups, dementia groups, social groups, community allotments, exercise groups
- Regional organisations — housing associations, food banks, citizens advice
- Specialist support organisations — services for refugees and asylum seekers, ethnic minorities, homeless people, sex workers, people with drug/alcohol problems, people with learning disabilities
- Social prescribing link workers — shadowing your practice's link worker is a popular and highly educational option
As one Sheffield trainee put it: "I think this has helped me understand how social issues such as poor housing, problems with benefits, and social isolation can have an impact on mental and physical health. It is difficult to manage this as a doctor as I can't provide support for these issues, so it's really good to see there is a service available to address these issues for people."
That insight — that medicine is not the only tool available — is one of the most important realisations a GP trainee can have. Community placements create it experientially.
| Feature | ITP (Innovative Training Post) | Community Placement |
|---|---|---|
| Duration | 6 months (typical) | Minimum 2 half-days |
| When | ST1 or ST2 | ST1 (or ST2 if first GP post) |
| Setting | GP practice + hospital/community specialty | Voluntary / third sector organisation |
| Role | Active clinician (GP trainee) | Observer only |
| Arranged by | Deanery / TPD / trainee (varies) | Trainee (self-arranged) |
| Supervisors | Two CSs (GP + specialty) + ES | No formal supervisor |
| ePortfolio requirement | Two CSRs, PDP, WPBA, learning logs | Reflective piece (NOE workbook) |
| Counts towards CCT? | Yes — as GP time | Contributes to portfolio evidence only |
| RCGP curriculum link | Specialty-specific + community orientation | Community orientation, population health |
| Clinical WPBA? | Yes — CBDs, COTs, mini-CEXs, MSF, PSQ | No clinical assessments |
🗓 How to Arrange Your Placement
- 1
Think About Your Practice Population
What groups does your practice serve? An elderly population? High ethnic diversity? Significant deprivation? Housing problems? Refugees? Think about what you want to understand better — and let that guide your choice.
- 2
Talk to People Around You First
Speak to your trainer, other practice staff, and — most importantly — your social prescribing link worker. They will know the local landscape of organisations better than almost anyone. They're an invaluable starting point.
- 3
Research Online
Search for local charities, community groups, and voluntary organisations relevant to your area. Local council websites, social prescribing referral directories, and primary care network directories are all useful starting points.
- 4
Make Contact Early — and Consider Phoning
Phone calls get a faster response than emails with many voluntary organisations. The email is not lost. It is just waiting patiently behind seventeen other emails from people who also meant to follow up. When you make contact, explain who you are, why you want to visit, and what you hope to learn. Be specific — "I'm interested in learning how you support people with housing problems" is far more likely to get a helpful response than "I'd like to visit."
- 5
Arrange the Timing
Placements should happen in your personal study half-days or when there is no scheduled VTS/HDR session. You can also use tutorial time if your trainer agrees. If you need to switch sessions around, discuss this with your trainer and practice manager early — not at the last minute.
- 6
Remember — You're an Observer, Not a Doctor
You attend in an observer role. You are not there to practise medicine. If a medical emergency occurs, you act as you would in any community setting. You can help with practical tasks (distributing food, serving tea), but you are there to listen and learn, not to provide healthcare.
What You Must NOT Do
- Do not give clinical advice to service users at the organisation
- Do not examine anyone or prescribe anything
- Do not share identifiable patient information with the organisation
- Do not access your practice's clinical systems while off-site
What You Should Know
- If a medical emergency occurs, act as you would in any community setting (call 999, provide BLS if trained) — you are not the responsible clinician for the organisation's clients
- If something you observe raises a safeguarding concern, apply normal safeguarding principles and discuss with your educational supervisor promptly
- Some organisations working with vulnerable groups (children, people with learning disabilities, homeless individuals) may ask about DBS checks — clarify this before arrival
- You may participate in everyday non-clinical tasks (distributing food, making tea) but never feel pressured into clinical work
For IMGs — Why Community Placements Are Especially Important
Over 40% of all GP trainees in the UK are International Medical Graduates (IMGs). The UK's community and voluntary sector landscape is unique and not replicated in most other healthcare systems. Without specific exposure, social prescribing referrals can feel tokenistic — because you genuinely don't know what the organisations do or who they serve. Community placements directly address this gap. They also help IMGs understand the UK's approach to health inequalities, the role of PCNs, and how primary care relates to local government, housing, and welfare services. If you trained outside the UK, treat community placements as an invaluable orientation to a part of primary care that may be entirely new to you.
📧 Template Email to Send to Organisations
Adapt this template to suit the specific organisation you're contacting. Be specific about why you want to visit them — generic emails often don't get responses.
Subject: GP trainee interested in learning more about the work of [Organisation Name]
Dear [Name],
I hope this email finds you well.
My name is [Name] and I am a GP trainee working at [Practice Name].
GP trainees are doctors who have chosen to specialise in general practice. As part of our training, we complete 18 months working in general practice and 18 months working in hospitals. I am in my first year of GP training and have recently started six months working at [Practice Name].
One of the key elements of our training is learning about the community we are working in, the needs of the community, and the third sector organisations that provide invaluable support to individuals and communities. As part of my placement, I am given two afternoons/mornings to spend time with an organisation of my choosing — called a 'community placement'.
I am particularly interested in your work because of [SPECIFIC REASON — e.g., "I have seen several patients facing housing difficulties in my practice and would like to better understand how your organisation supports people in this situation"].
I wondered whether it might be at all possible to spend some time learning about the work you do and the needs of the people you work with? The placements are intended to be flexible and are not meant to incorporate formal teaching — it might be that I attend a group you are running, spend time with staff, or speak with people accessing your services.
Following our placements, we present what we have learnt back to our practice and to our fellow trainees. We hope these placements will foster closer relationships between GP practices and the third sector.
I wonder whether you might consider hosting me on one or two [morning/afternoon] sessions? I would be very happy to discuss details further.
Thank you for your time.
Kind regards,
[Your Name]
✅ Top Tips for a Successful Community Placement
- Start planning early — placements take time to arrange. Don't leave it until your last month.
- Think about what you want to learn — organisations can tailor your visit if they know your goals in advance.
- Have a backup option — if one organisation doesn't respond, have a second choice ready.
- Phone rather than email if possible — you'll get a much faster response and can immediately identify the right person to speak to.
- Confirm attendance a day or two before — voluntary organisations often run on small teams.
- Arrive on time — volunteers and staff give up their time to host you. Be respectful of that.
- Be enthusiastic and engaged — you'll gain far more if you are.
- Prepare some questions in advance to get the conversation going.
- Listen more than you speak — this is about understanding their world, not explaining yours.
- Don't step outside your role — you're an observer, not a clinician. If there's a medical emergency, act as you would in any community setting.
- Thank everyone warmly at the end — and follow up with a thank-you email.
The programme aims for you to:
- Understand the health needs of your local population and the contextual social determinants of health — things that a textbook can describe but a placement helps you truly feel.
- Understand the third sector's role in supporting individuals and communities — so that social prescribing becomes a real, meaningful tool rather than an abstract concept.
- Reflect on the relationship between primary care and third sector organisations — and how GPs and community organisations can genuinely work together.
- Develop your advocacy skills — seeing inequality up close makes you a more effective advocate for your patients in a wider socioeconomic context.
- Develop your leadership and organisational skills in arranging and managing the placement.
Memory Aids & Quick Frameworks
Because ITP content should stick the first time.
- Split week — GP and specialty simultaneously
- PDP from day one — objectives covering both sides
- Learning log — bridge the two worlds daily
- Integration — bring specialty back to GP tutorials
- Two CSRs required — don't forget either one
- Learn — about the community, not just the organisation
- Interest genuinely — go with curiosity, not obligation
- Start early — placements take time to arrange
- Thank them — volunteers give up their time for you
- Eportfolios — reflective piece and presentation required
- Not a doctor here — observer role only
FAQ — Practical Questions Answered
The questions trainees actually ask.
Does ITP time count towards my GP training requirements?
Yes. The RCGP Programme Construction Guidance states that a minimum of 18 months must be spent in a combination of GP posts and ITPs. ITP time is counted as GP time for programme construction purposes — it does not count as specialty time. This means an ITP post in Dermatology does not count towards your hospital specialty requirement; it counts towards your GP requirement.
How many CSRs do I need in an ITP?
You need two CSRs for an ITP post — one from your GP Clinical Supervisor and one from your specialty Clinical Supervisor. Both must be completed and uploaded to your ePortfolio. Your ARCP panel will check for both. Do not assume one is enough.
Can I propose my own ITP specialty?
This varies significantly by scheme. In some schemes (like some in the East Midlands and Yorkshire & Humber), trainees can propose or arrange their own ITP — but this requires significant advance planning (sometimes 4+ months ahead) and approval from the TPD and deanery. In other schemes, ITPs are pre-allocated and trainees cannot opt out without significant consequences to their rotation structure. Ask your TPD what applies in your scheme.
What if I'm not happy with the quality of my ITP specialty placement?
Raise concerns early — don't wait until the end. Speak to your GP trainer and your Educational Supervisor. If the specialty placement is not providing adequate learning opportunities (e.g., you're being used as service provision rather than trained), this should be escalated to your TPD. The deanery has a duty to ensure the post meets educational standards. Document your concerns in your ePortfolio and seek guidance from your ES promptly.
What if I can't find a community organisation willing to host me?
Don't give up after one attempt — try another approach or another organisation. Phoning directly often gets a faster and warmer response than emailing. If you genuinely cannot secure a placement, speak to your trainer and TPD — they may have existing relationships with organisations or can offer guidance. Remember, your social prescribing link worker is an excellent first contact; shadowing them for a half-day is a valid community placement option in itself.
Do community placements have to be in personal study time?
Primarily yes — placements are designed to happen in your personal study half-days or when there is no VTS/HDR session scheduled. They can also happen during tutorial time if your trainer agrees. If a session you want to attend doesn't coincide with your personal study time, discuss with your trainer and practice manager whether you can switch sessions around. Plan this early — last-minute session swaps are harder to arrange.
Can I do a community placement with my practice's social prescribing link worker?
Yes — and many trainees find this one of the most valuable options. You could spend one half-day shadowing the link worker (seeing how they triage referrals, visit patients at home, and connect people with services) and one half-day with a third sector organisation the link worker directs you to. This combination gives you an excellent understanding of the full social prescribing pathway.
What do I do if I'm an LTFT trainee in an ITP?
Less than full-time (LTFT) trainees can undertake ITPs, but the working week split needs to be adjusted proportionally. The percentage of LTFT training should not be less than 50% in exceptional circumstances (per GMC guidance). In some schemes, ITPs are not available to LTFT trainees due to the "dovetailing" arrangement (where two ITP trainees share one full-time post equivalent). Check with your TPD about what is available and how the post would be structured for you.
Is there a required number of community placements?
The requirement is a minimum of two half-days with a community or voluntary organisation. You can do more if you wish — and some trainees find the experience so valuable that they arrange additional visits. The minimum is two half-days total, which can be with one organisation or split between two different ones (or one half-day with a link worker and one with an organisation).
Self-Directed Learning Questions
Questions worth sitting with — especially before writing your ePortfolio or preparing a tutorial.
These questions are designed to be discussed with your trainer, worked through in your learning log, or used as a tutorial prompt. They span both community placements and ITPs.
- What are the top three social determinants of health for the population your practice serves?
- Which third-sector organisations are currently accepting social prescribing referrals in your PCN area — and what does each one actually do?
- How does your practice's social prescribing link worker decide who to accept on their caseload — and what makes a good referral?
- What does the referral pathway to your local drug and alcohol service look like from a GP's perspective?
- If a patient is homeless and is not registered with your practice, what options exist in your area?
- How would you explain social prescribing to a patient who has never heard of it — in plain, natural language?
- What specific ITP specialties are available in your deanery — and which would most complement your current portfolio gaps?
🗣 Real Experiences — What Trainees Found
Assessment — Portfolio, Reflection & Presentations
Yes, there are things to do. Fortunately, none of them are exams.
Community Placements — Assessment Requirements
- Reflective piece — completed using the provided template and uploaded to your ePortfolio. This is a NOE workbook requirement. Mapped to Capability E of the RCGP curriculum.
- VTS/HDR presentation — a short presentation about your experience to your half-day release group, on a specified date.
- Practice team feedback — share your learning with the practice team (e.g., at a team meeting or via a handout). The practice benefits by learning about organisations in the area.
Make Your Reflection Count
A good reflection doesn't just describe what happened. It explores what surprised you, what challenged your assumptions, what you'll do differently in your consultations, and how your view of patients' social worlds has shifted. Use Gibbs, ALACT, or the RCGP consultation model as a reflective framework if helpful.
Before submitting your community placement reflection, ensure you can answer all seven of these questions. A reflection that only describes what happened is not sufficient. "I went. I saw. It was nice." is a text to a friend, not ePortfolio evidence. Per RCGP ePortfolio standards, an excellent reflection explores change in thinking and future practice.
- What was the organisation's core purpose and who did it serve?
- What did I observe that I did not know before?
- What surprised me about the needs of the people using this service?
- What barriers did I see to people accessing statutory services?
- How has this changed my approach to consultations?
- What would I do differently for patients I see in the future, based on this visit?
- What would I recommend to my practice team?
The Two AKT Traps — Over-Referral vs Under-Referral
The AKT tests one question above all others: can you manage this safely in GP?
❌ Over-Referral Trap
The AKT frequently tests whether you can manage something safely in primary care. The over-referring answer is always wrong when the clinical picture is low-risk. ITP trainees learn this from experience — others have to learn it from mistakes. Outpatient waiting lists are already long enough without low-risk rashes joining them.
❌ Under-Referral Trap
Missing genuine red flags — non-blanching rash, reduced consciousness, respiratory distress, unexpected weight loss — and not escalating appropriately. The AKT tests red flag recognition in every specialty.
🔥 Gold Rule: AKT tests "Can you manage this safely in GP?" — learn the thresholds that determine the answer.
Community orientation, social determinants of health, and population health concepts appear in the AKT. Here's what to know:
📊 Social Determinants of Health — Key Facts
- Marmot Review (2010 / updated 2020) — the key UK document on health inequalities. Emphasises that health is shaped by socioeconomic factors, not just healthcare access.
- 6 Marmot domains: give every child the best start in life; education and lifelong learning; employment and working conditions; healthy standard of living; healthy and sustainable communities; social protection
- The NHS Long Term Plan emphasises population health, integrated care, and social prescribing as national priorities
- Social prescribing = linking patients to non-clinical community services. Not referral to a specialist — referral to a link worker who connects patients to social support
- Social prescribing link workers are part of the Primary Care Network (PCN) Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS)
- The third sector = voluntary and community sector (not NHS, not private sector)
🧠 AKT Traps to Watch For
- Social prescribing ≠ prescribing medication — AKT may test your understanding of the distinction
- Link workers ≠ social workers — link workers are a specific ARRS role; social workers are a separate profession. Don't confuse them.
- Health inequalities are not solely explained by lifestyle choices — structural and systemic factors are central to the Marmot framework. An AKT question that implies individual blame is likely to be incorrect.
- GP contract and PCN specifications — health inequalities is a PCN service specification; know it exists
- "Community orientation" in the RCGP curriculum = understanding the population your practice serves, not just individual patients
- ITP time counts as GP time for programme construction (minimum 18 months GP + ITP combined)
⚡ Rapid-Fire AKT Points
- Marmot review author — Sir Michael Marmot
- Updated Marmot review — 2020 ("Health Equity in England: The Marmot Review 10 Years On")
- Social gradient in health — worse health outcomes correlate with lower socioeconomic position across the whole social spectrum (not just poverty)
- ITP = Innovative (or Integrated) Training Post
- Minimum 18 months GP + ITP combined in a 3-year programme
- Community placements are an ST1/ST2 requirement (if first GP post)
- Community placements = voluntary sector, not NHS
- Social prescribing link workers = ARRS funded role in PCNs
- NHS Long Term Plan (2019) — emphasised social prescribing as priority
- Health inequalities PCN specification — NHS England requirement
🌱 Social Prescribing — AKT Essentials
Key Stats & Facts
- ~1 in 5 GP consultations is for a non-medical issue (loneliness, housing, financial stress, social isolation) that cannot be resolved with a prescription — know this figure for the AKT
- All PCNs are required to have access to a social prescribing link worker (SPLW) — this is embedded in the GP contract and NHS Long Term Plan
- SPLWs are funded through the ARRS (Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme)
- Social prescribing is embedded in the NHS Long Term Plan (2019) and the GP contract as a national priority
- Social prescribing works especially well for patients with: long-term conditions, loneliness or isolation, low-level mental health needs, or complex social needs affecting wellbeing
How Social Prescribing Actually Works (5-Step Pathway)
- GP (or other agency) refers to the SPLW
- SPLW meets patient for a 1:1 conversation focused on "what matters to me"
- SPLW co-produces a personalised care and support plan with the patient
- SPLW connects patient to local voluntary and community organisations
- SPLW builds and maintains relationships with local community groups
⚠️ AKT trap: SPLWs are not social workers, not counsellors, and not a substitute for clinical care. They complement it.
🌱 Social Prescribing — AKT Essentials
Key Stats & Facts
- ~1 in 5 GP consultations is for a non-medical issue (loneliness, housing, financial stress, social isolation) — know this figure
- All PCNs are required to have access to a social prescribing link worker (SPLW) — embedded in the GP contract and NHS Long Term Plan
- SPLWs are funded through the ARRS (Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme)
- Social prescribing works especially well for: long-term conditions, loneliness/isolation, low-level mental health needs, complex social needs
How Social Prescribing Works — 5-Step SPLW Pathway
- GP refers to the SPLW
- SPLW meets patient — "what matters to me" conversation
- SPLW co-produces a personalised support plan
- SPLW connects patient to local organisations
- SPLW builds community relationships on behalf of the PCN
⚠️ AKT trap: SPLWs are not social workers, not counsellors, and not a substitute for clinical care — they complement it.
SCA — The ITP Examiner Advantage
Why ITP trainees perform differently in the SCA — and how to use it.
ITP trainees consistently perform better in SCA in their specialty area. Here is why — and how to use it.
✅ What ITP Trainees Do Differently in SCA
- Make clearer clinical decisions — less hedging, less unnecessary referral
- Less defensive — they have seen enough of a specialty to know what is safe to manage in primary care
- Explain risk with genuine confidence — not vague reassurance
- Safety-net with specific, actionable thresholds — not generic "if you're worried, come back"
- Handle uncertainty better — they know what the specialist would want done first
⚠️ What Non-ITP Trainees Often Get Wrong
- Over-referring everything — reflects anxiety rather than clinical judgment
- Vague safety-netting — "come back if it gets worse" scores poorly
- Not confident managing risk — examiners see this immediately
- Poor risk explanation — reassuring the patient without explaining why it is safe
- Missing the calibration between "this is safe to watch" and "this needs action now"
🗣 ITP-Level SCA Phrases — Decision-Making & Risk Communication
🔥 The SCA Examiner Win Line
"Based on what you've told me and your examination findings, I don't think this needs hospital assessment today — but I want to be very clear about the specific signs that would change that plan."
The SCA specifically assesses whether you consider the patient's full context — including their social, cultural, and community circumstances. This is not a "nice extra" — it is a core domain that separates good candidates from excellent ones.
✅ What Examiners Want to See
- Genuine curiosity about the patient's social and life context — not just their symptoms
- Connecting the consultation to the patient's social circumstances when relevant (housing, finances, relationships, work)
- Awareness of health inequalities — acknowledging that access, literacy, and social support affect health outcomes
- Knowledge of and willingness to use social prescribing as a legitimate management option
- Understanding that not everything needs a prescription — sometimes connection, support, or community is the most effective intervention
⚠️ Common Mistakes in SCA
- Treating every problem as purely biomedical — ignoring the social context entirely
- Prescribing antidepressants without asking about social isolation, housing, finances, or support networks
- Failing to mention social prescribing when the patient has a clearly social component to their problem
- Assuming the patient can access services easily — ignoring practical barriers (transport, language, technology)
- Seeing social determinants as outside your remit ("that's not my job") — examiners specifically test for this awareness
🗣 What to Actually Say in the SCA — Community and Social Framing Phrases
🎯 SCA Consultation Pearl
"The SCA examiners can tell immediately whether you see the patient as a person embedded in a social world, or just as a collection of symptoms in a body. Community placement experience often shifts trainees permanently toward the former — and that is precisely why it exists."
Pitfalls in Community Placements
What trainees consistently get wrong — so you don't have to.
🌱 Pitfalls in Community Placements
- Leaving it too late. Community placements are easy to defer — until the post is nearly over and there's no time left. Voluntary organisations also take time to respond and arrange. Start in your first month, not your last.
- Not being specific enough in your contact. "I'd like to visit" rarely leads to a good placement. "I'd like to learn how you support people with housing problems, specifically so I can better signpost my patients" leads to an arranged, meaningful visit.
- Treating it as a tick-box exercise. The trainees who get most from community placements are the ones who go with genuine curiosity. The ones who treat it as a bureaucratic requirement usually find it disappointing — and make the experience less meaningful for the organisations who host them.
- Not preparing questions in advance. Silence during a community placement is awkward and unproductive. Prepare 5–6 questions before you arrive — about the organisation's work, the challenges they see, how GPs could better support their clients.
- Not sharing learning back with the practice. The practice benefits from these placements too. Don't just keep your experience to yourself — create a brief summary for the team, or mention it at a practice meeting.
- Writing a superficial reflection. A reflection that just describes what happened gets a mediocre response from ARCP assessors. A reflection that explores how the experience changed your thinking, challenged your assumptions, and will alter your practice is the kind that builds a strong portfolio.
🎯 Final Take-Home Points — The Bits to Remember Tomorrow
- An ITP (Innovative Training Post) splits your working week between GP and a specialty simultaneously — this is fundamentally different from a pure hospital post.
- ITP time counts as GP time in programme construction — minimum 18 months must be spent in GP posts and ITPs combined.
- You need TWO Clinical Supervisor's Reports in an ITP — one from your GP CS and one from your specialty CS. Both are required. Both must be on the ePortfolio.
- The educational power of an ITP is in the integration — ask "how does this change my GP practice?" every single day you're in the specialty.
- Community placements are for ST1 trainees (or ST2 in their first GP post) — minimum two half-days, arranged by the trainee, with a voluntary or third sector organisation.
- Community placements are not clinical work — you attend as an observer to understand the community, not to practise medicine.
- Start arranging community placements early — organisations take time to respond, and placements take time to set up.
- Social prescribing link workers are your best first contact for identifying community placement organisations.
- Both ITPs and community placements generate powerful ePortfolio evidence for the community orientation domain of the RCGP curriculum.
- In the SCA, the ability to see patients in their social context — and to offer social prescribing as a genuine management option — is assessed and marks-bearing. Community placement experience builds this naturally.
Bradford VTS · Innovative Training Posts & Community Placements
Created by Dr Ramesh Mehay, Programme Director, Bradford GP Training Scheme
Last updated: April 2026 · Always verify current programme requirements with your TPD and the RCGP website