Public Health training is competency-based, with public health registrars required to demonstrate the acquisition of a range of public health skills and knowledge. Most training is achieved through practical experience undertaken at a variety of attachments. All training placements are arranged via the Training Programme Director (TPD) to ensure that they are appropriate to the learning needs of the registrar.
Training in Public Health is available in our local authorities (LAs) and other service placements, Thames Valley UKHSA Health Protection Team and public health academic departments at Oxford University. Initial training places will be based in LAs (including Milton Keynes) in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire or Oxfordshire. Those appointed will be expected to move training locations during their training.
On offer of appointment, a registrar will be allocated to a service placement within Thames Valley, under the supervision of an approved trainer. Registrars will spend a minimum period of one year (whole time equivalent) in this placement. Post Membership secondments could include national placements. A structured programme that includes training time in academic and health protection and appropriate rotations to suit career choice in the last two years of training is offered.
Since the COVID pandemic there has been a significant change in working practices across public health organisations. Prior to 2020, public health training placements were office based. Currently, most training placements offer hybrid working i.e. public health registrars will spend a proportion of their working week in the placement office and the remainder of their time working from home. The proportion of office vs home working varies significantly by training placement. Registrars are expected to work to the culture of the their placement organisation e.g. to attend the office on specific team office days. To support hybrid working any registrars will be expected to:
- Commute into the office in line with the placement culture or as agreed with the Educational Supervisor
- Have an appropriate area within their home, free from distraction, where they can undertake confidential conversations/interviews and ensure appropriate information governance for any patient identifiable or corporate information that registrars may access in the course of their work. If this is not possible, registrars would be expected to attend the placement office for all of their working days.