Supervision Preparedness Among GP Registrars in the UK: A Survey Study

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• General Practice
• Healthcare Workforce Development

Background:

• Clinical supervision (CS) is crucial for healthcare education and patient safety.
• General practice is increasingly multidisciplinary, requiring GP registrars to supervise various professionals.
• The preparedness of GP registrars for supervision roles is not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the preparedness of UK GP registrars for clinical supervision roles.
• To identify barriers and confidence levels related to supervision among GP registrars.
• To explore the need for formal training in clinical supervision.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional online survey was conducted among UK GP registrars.
• The survey gathered quantitative and qualitative data on supervision experience, confidence, and training.
• Descriptive statistics and content analysis were employed for data analysis.

Main Results:

• 96% of respondents reported no formal supervision training.
• Only 15% were supervising medical students, and 4% were supervising Allied Health Professionals (AHPs).
• Lack of training, time constraints, and role uncertainty were key barriers; registrars desired structured training.

Conclusions:

• GP registrars have limited formal training and confidence in clinical supervision.
• Growing expectations necessitate support for supervision readiness in primary care.
• Structured continuing professional development is needed to ensure effective supervision in multidisciplinary teams.