After the Initial Assessment of Competency has been satisfactorily completed, SHO (or equivalent) trainees in Anaesthesia in the Northern Schools of Anaesthesia will gather a series of Workplace Assessment Records (WARs) designed to complement the Royal College of Anaesthetists Competency Based Senior House Officer Training and Assessment document (The CCT in Anaesthesia:II).

Within the Schools there are now 11 different WARs ( including a new pain assessment), as below (with reference to the relevant sections within the College document¹). As a guide, the recommended time at which each WAR should normally be satisfactorily completed is shown. The actual time at which a trainee is able to complete any WAR will depend on the training opportunities available.

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Each trainee should compile a portfolio. This will include the series of WARs as above, together with copies of the ‘College Tutors Summation of Assessments’ from each placement (which document satisfactory attitude, judgement and behaviour). This will provide evidence of adequate progress within the SHO grade and ultimately will support the award of the ‘SHO Training Certificate’ at the end of SHO training.

Validation of each individual objective within any WAR may include theoretical discussion and/or satisfactory assessment in practice (e.g. management of MH is unlikely to be assessed in practice other than in simulation).

It is the intention that each WAR is completed within a specific Unit of Training. Completion of all objectives within each WAR at one session is not always possible. It may be necessary for some objectives to be assessed on a different occasion or by a different trainer (and occasionally in a different hospital). However, it is not intended that the objectives within each WAR are acquired in an entirely ‘piece-meal’ fashion. Conversely, good practice would demonstrate validation by more than one trainer for each WAR. As such, for each WAR, it is recommended that trainees acquire validation by a combination of two trainers where possible.

Trainers validating assessment should be either

• Substantive Consultants, or
• Other Anaesthetists (NCCG or SpR 3,4,or 5) who have been approved by the Specialty Training Committee as suitable trainers

The signature of the College Tutor on the front of each WAR confirms

(i) the genuine origin of trainers signatures on the reverse, and

The WAR corresponding to ‘Induction, maintenance, recovery, and post-op analgesia’ should be completed every six months throughout SHO training.

Trainees may duplicate other WARs if

• initial assessment is considered unsatisfactory (a re-test would normally follow targeted instruction); or
• experience increases significantly (e.g. numbers of cases, specific management of conditions, rather than discussion of principles) during the training period.

Each WAR will be available to download from the Schools’ web site.

1.The CCST in Anaesthesia II: Competency Based Senior House Officer Training and Assessment. July 2000. The Royal College of Anaesthetists, London.