PM5

Policy for Supervisors of Training in Pain Medicine        

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Supervisors of Training are the Faculty’s representatives with respect to training in units accredited by the Faculty.  They have an important role and should have a broad understanding of and experience in Faculty activities.  They provide liaison between registered trainees, hospital or institution authorities and the Faculty regarding matters related to training.

1. Appointment and Tenure 

1.1 The Supervisor of Training in Pain Medicine shall be nominated by the Director of an approved Multidisciplinary Pain Medicine Unit.

1.2 The Supervisor shall not be the Director of the Multidisciplinary Pain Medicine Unit or administratively responsible for its functioning unless the circumstances are exceptional.

1.3 The appointee shall hold the Fellowship of the Faculty of Pain Medicine.

1.4 The Board of the Faculty of Pain Medicine shall normally ratify the appointment upon the recommendation of the Education and Training Committee but, at its discretion and after consultation, may not approve that appointment.

1.5 The appointment of a Supervisor of Training shall be for an initial term of three years.  Supervisors will be eligible for reappointment by the Board of the Faculty of Pain Medicine.

2. Duties of Supervisors

2.1 Within the Unit

2.1.1 To be familiar with the Faculty’s Administrative Instructions on registration of trainees, training, assessment and examination.

2.1.2 To notify the Executive Officer of the Faculty of any senior staffing or workload changes likely to impact on training programs.

2.1.3 To advise the Executive Officer of the Faculty if there are significant changes in their unit such that it may no longer be suitable for training.

2.1.4 To advise potential and current Registered Trainees on their, registration requirements, fee payments, training and examination preparation.

2.1.5 To be aware of the materials that are available from the Faculty to assist Supervisors of Training in their duties.

2.1.6 To monitor supervision, experience and fair allocation of duties for trainees and to facilitate such changes as may be necessary.

2.1.7 To liaise with the Director of the Multidisciplinary Pain Medicine Unit regarding trainee duties, supervision, rest and study time and release for approved courses.

2.1.8 To ensure compliance of  the Multidisciplinary Pain Medicine Unit  with the Faculty’s requirements for In-Training Assessment.

2.2 Outside the Unit

2.2.1 To establish and maintain liaison with the Fellows in the region and with other Supervisors of Training.

2.2.2 To attend training courses for Supervisors of Training.

2.2.3 To refer any difficulties regarding training programs or trainees to the Executive Officer of the Faculty.

2.2.4 To be aware of appropriate training courses and examination requirements and to see that trainees receive this information. 

3. Resources 

The Supervisor of Training shall be provided by the approved Multidisciplinary Pain Medicine Unit with the resources needed to fulfil his or her responsibilities, as outlined in Faculty Professional Document PM2- Guidelines for Units Offering Training in Multidisciplinary Pain Medicine.  In larger Multidisciplinary Pain Medicine Units this will require a time allocation of approximately one session per week.

The Faculty will provide training resources to aid Supervisors of Training in their work.  Supervisors of Training should be aware of the Faculty provided resources and training.

This Professional Document should be interpreted with regard to the following Documents: 

PM2 : Guidelines for Units Offering Training in Multidisciplinary Pain Medicine

PS49 : Guidelines on the Health of Specialists and Trainees

Faculty of Pain Medicine Professional Documents

Policy – defined as ‘a course of action adopted and pursued by the Faculty.  These are matters coming within the authority and control of the Faculty. 

Recommendations – defined as ‘advisable courses of action’. 

Guidelines – defined as ‘a document offering advice’.  These may be clinical (in which case they will eventually be evidence-based), or non-clinical.

Statements – defined as ‘a communication setting out information’.

This document has been prepared having regard to general circumstances, and it is the responsibility of the practitioner to have express regard to the particular circumstances of each case, and the application of this policy document in each case.

Professional documents are reviewed from time to time, and it is the responsibility of the practitioner to ensure that the practitioner has obtained the current version.  Professional documents have been prepared having regard to the information available at the time of their preparation, and the practitioner should therefore have regard to any information, research or material which may have been published or become available subsequently.

Whilst the College and Faculty endeavours to ensure that documents are as current as possible at the time of their preparation, they take no responsibility for matters arising from changed circumstances or information or material which may have become available subsequently.

Promulgated: 2006
Date of current document: July 2006

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