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The Royal College of Psychiatrists Improving the lives of people with mental illness

Certification (CCT, CESR (CP) & CESR & MRCPsych Equivalence)

Important information

 

Doctors wishing to practise as honorary, fixed term or substantive consultants in the NHS must be on the UK Specialist Register at the General Medical Council (GMC).

 

Entering the Specialist Register

There are a number of routes an applicant can take to be entered onto the Specialist Register, each requiring the College to check that the applicant is appropriately qualified. When an applicant applies for a specific route on to the Specialist Register, the College will assess their training, qualifications and experience and make a recommendation to the GMC on the applicant’s behalf.


Successful applicants will be issued with a certificate from the GMC, and those who hold full registration will be entered onto the Specialist Register.


The three main routes to Specialist Registration with the GMC are:

  1. Certificate of Eligibility for Specialist Registration (CCT) route
  2. Certificate of Eligibility for Specialist Registration via a combined programme of training and experience CESR (CP)
  3. Certificate of Eligibility for Specialist Registration (CESR) link to CESR

Psychiatrists may work in areas other than the specialty or specialties listed for them on the Specialist Register.

 

 

Information for Trainees Appointed to Higher Specialist Training Programmes (SpRs) up to December 2006

 

Applying for a Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT)

 

The criteria for award of a CCT for SpRs is:
 

  • Completion of a minimum of 36 months of basic specialist training approved by the Royal College of Psychiatrists.
  • Successful passes at MRCPsych Part I and MRCPsych Part II Examination.
  • Completion of a minimum of 36 months of higher specialist training in the SpR grade.

A trainee can expect to have their final RITA assessment within three to six months of their CCT date. Trainees will be given a Form G which is the final record of satisfactory progress. This signals the successful conclusion of a training programme leading to the award of a CCT. Trainees can apply to the College for a CCT application pack within six months of their CCT date or once they have their final RITA assessment, whichever comes first.

 

The postgraduate deanery will send a copy of the Form G to the Specialist Training Unit at the Royal College who in turn, will send a CCT Notification Pack.  Alternatively trainees can download and complete the CCT Notification Form.  It is the responsibility of the trainee to ensure that all sections of the Notification Form are completed correctly and accurately. The trainee must register online with the GMC for their CCT within six months of their CCT date. Trainees should apply online to the GMC

On receipt of the CCT Notification Form and other requested information, the College will check the approval status of the training and make a recommendation to the GMC accordingly.

 

  • Link to CCT application form
  • Link to guidance notes

 

Applying for a CCT, CESR (CP) or CESR as a Specialty Trainee appointed to a specialty training programme in psychiatry on or after 1 August 2007

 

Application for award of either a CCT or CESR (CP) is a two stage process:

 

  1. Application to the GMC
  2. Application to the Royal College of Psychiatrists.
  3. Award of CCT or CESR (CP)

 

Application to the GMC

Trainees can apply for their CCT/CESR (CP) when they are within six months of their CCT date. Each month the Royal College of Psychiatrists sends notification to the GMC of trainees who are within six months of their CCT date.  The GMC will then contact trainees to inform them that they can apply for their CCT.  Trainees must follow the instructions given by the GMC to complete the online CCT or CESR CP application.  Trainees cannot apply to the GMC until they have been invited to.

 

If a doctor who is within six months of their CCT date hasn’t heard anything from the GMC, they should contact the College Specialty Training Unit on the below e-mail address.

 

  1. Application to the Royal College of Psychiatrists

Trainees should complete the application form for recommendation to the GMC as it is the College responsibility to review training, progress and qualifications via this application form. The College does not issue CCT or CESR (CP) certificates – this is the responsibility of the GMC. 

 

Application for CCT/CESR (CP) usually occurs at ST6 level

Training progress will be assessed via the Postgraduate Deanery Annual Review of Competency Progression (ARCP).  If the Postgraduate Deanery is satisfied that trainees have completed the necessary competencies and assessments for their advanced training programme, they will be issued with an ARCP outcome 6.  

 

Trainees should then complete the College Application Form for award of a CCT or CESR (CP) and send their ARCP forms with the application form.  Please note that the Royal College of Psychiatrists cannot recommend a CCT or CESR (CP) to the GMC until we have receipt of the final ARCP form for ST6 showing an outcome 6.

 

If the College is satisfied, based on the completed College application form and the ARCPs and other evidence submitted, that the trainee has met the standards and competencies for award, we will send a notification to the GMC.

 

  1. Award of a CCT or CESR (CP)

Once the GMC receives the recommendation from the Royal College of Psychiatrists and the trainee has completed the GMC online application form, the GMC will send the certificate to the doctor.

 

 

Useful links

 

 

Certificate of Eligibility for Specialist Registration (CESR)

 

The Certificate of Eligibility for Specialist Registration provides a route for doctors who do not hold a Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT) to obtain specialist registration. They must satisfy the GMC that their specialist training or specialist qualifications, when considered together, are equivalent to a CCT in the specialty in question. Doctors who have undertaken a minimum of 6 months training or obtained a specialist qualification and acquired specialist medical experience or knowledge as a psychiatrist within a non-training post, and are currently practising, may apply to the GMC for assessment of their competencies.

 

 

For certification queries please email:

 

CT or CESR (CP): specialisttraining@rcpsych.ac.uk

CESR: lhartley@rcpsych.ac.uk

 

Specialist Training Unit

CD 04/05/2012