A PROBE into the training of doctors will take place at Colchester General Hospital amid concerns over training quality and progress.

Representatives from Health Education East of England (HEE), a regional education and training board, will carry out an enhanced monitoring visit on December 10.

If concerns escalate, trainees could be withdrawn from training.

The visiting team wants to speak to all 180 training grade and foundation doctors in the trust's urgent care pathway.

Training grade doctors who those who have qualified but are still training and foundation doctors who are working in their first and second years post-qualification.

Interviews will also take place with educational supervisors for these groups and specific roles involved in education such as the Director of Medical Education, college tutors, Foundation Programme Training Directors and GP Training Programme Directors.

The visit will focus on trainees in some medical specialities.

The trust will have to give a presentation at the start of the visit to tell the team about any action it has taken so far to address medical requirements and what still needs to be done.

If after the one-day visit, the HEE feels concerns have not been addressed, it will call on the General Medical Council (GMC) to visit.

In a paper due to be discussed at the hospital trust's board of directors meeting tomorrow **thurs 26**, Sharon Wyatt, its Education and Development Manager, states: "Issues that require enhanced monitoring are those that the GMC believe could adversely affect patient safety, doctors’ progress in training, or the quality of the training environment.

"It is clear that unless the visiting team see real and substantial improvement against the action plans and are assured that the educational experience of trainees at the Trust is of the required standard, they could take a number of options ranging from extending the period of enhanced monitoring to withdrawing groups of trainees."

The HEE visited the trust in June and looked at the quality of education and training provided to foundation doctors.

Areas identified as needing improvement included them not being supported enough during night shifts and them routinely doing the work of phlebotomists.

Since then the HEE has said progress has been made to support those working night shifts.

Phlebotomists are now employed by The Pathology Partnership but the trust is now considering employing some of our own in order to address this issue.

Dr Angela Tillett, the trust's Medical Director, added in a statement: “The trust is committed to providing the best possible training and education to its doctors and all groups of staff, and takes any concerns about the standard of training extremely seriously.

“We know that providing good training and support not only has a positive impact on the professional development of our trainees but also results in higher standards and better experiences for our patients.

“Therefore, we look forward to the visit on December 10 because it will give us an opportunity to learn what further steps we need to take and to share the continuous progress we have already made.

“We have also recently appointed Dr Peter Bishop, one of our consultant anaesthetists, as our Director of Medical Education, who will play a leading role in the training and support we provide to our doctors in training.”

A spokesman for Health Education East of England said: "Where concerns or issues are raised HEE will, where necessary, agree a regime of supportive visits with the Trust to work through any potential issues and ensure that improvements are being made, and offer support in doing so.

"At CHUFT (Colchester Hospital University NHS Foundation Trust), because of some concerns arising through the visiting process, there has been a cycle of visits including the Deputy Dean, Head of Quality Improvement and the senior managers across the east of England from HEE throughout 2015 to ensure the quality of the learning environment. This is one of those visits."