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MRCPUK JRCPTB CPD

About us

SAC members

Specialist advisory committees

There is a Specialist advisory committee (SAC) for each of our 29 specialties, 3 subspecialties and for the advisory committee on Core Medical Training. Membership of SACs, with the exception of the chairman and a lay representative, is through nomination and represents the following:

  • Heads of Specialty Training from each area where training is delivered (normally the TPD)
  • The Royal Colleges
  • Specialist Societies
  • Postgraduate deaneries
  • Trainees

Role of the SAC

SACs contribute to the development of specialist training policy as it affects the specialty in question and supervise the delivery of training to standards set by the JRCPTB in a number of key areas. These include:

  • Providing advice to JRCPTB, and the Federation of Royal Colleges of the United Kingdom on all training matters pertaining to that particular specialty
  • Working with specialist societies and others to determine the competencies of specialists in the future.
  • Developing curricula
  • Developing of methods of performance assessment and criteria
  • Contributing to the quality management of specialist training e.g producing an Annual Specialty Report for the GMC
  • Assessing trainees in areas of performance and knowledge attainment
  • Acting as advocates for registrars in medicine, monitoring and quality controlling their training, and making recommendations to GMC for the award of CCT
  • Evaluating  doctors’ applications for direct entry to the specialist register as required by GMC

Please see the JRCPTB Constitution for further information.

The role of the lay representative

Lay members on SACs are non-health care professionals with an interest in high quality medical training and an ability to represent the interests of the lay public to specialist medical professionals.

What skills and attributes are required for the role?

Lay members on SACs should have the following skills and attributes:

  • An interest in or experience of health, training, consumer or related issues
  • A desire to engage with the agenda in order to support the aims of JRCPTB in advancing the quality of medical training
  • The ability to understand and represent concerns in a balanced way, not acting in the interests of any particular group
  • Self-confidence in a mixed group of professionals, and willingness to take an active part in meetings
  • The ability to put views across clearly, constructively and sensitively, taking into account responsibilities and expertise of others.
  • The ability to look at a situation from a variety of perspectives, not purely from own experience, and be objective.
  • Good communication and team work skills
  • The ability to listen to, read and assimilate information and weigh evidence
  • The ability to use and have personal access to the internet

For information on the Federation travel expenses policy, click here.

Vacancies and how to apply

We appoint lay representatives in consultation with the chair of the relevant SAC on the basis of relevant skills and attributes. We will advertise future vacancies on our website.