The Provision of Stage 3 and SIA Pain Training: Guide for Trainers and Trainees

Published: 09/03/2021

General Principles

  1. The training programme must be accommodated within a School(s) of Anaesthesia. 
  2. A Stage 3 training module in Pain ideally should be completed before undertaking Stage 3 Special Interest Area (SIA) Acute Inpatient Pain or SIA Pain Medicine training. The skills and experience gained in the SIAs also informs some of the capabilities for Stage 3 Pain and vice versa. So there can be some overlap between Stage 3 Pain and SIAs. Training may occur in a centre offering the facilities required for Stage 3 SIA training but other centres that currently only offer Stage 2 pain training may also be suitable. The Stage 3 pain rotation can be an indicative period of 3 months’ duration with no maximum or minimum number of sessions. It is recommended that a Stage 3 SIA Acute Inpatient Pain training is undertaken solely for the purpose of pursuing a Consultant Anaesthetist post with a special interest in Acute Pain Medicine (and the trainee does not wish to undergo Stage 3 SIA training in Pain Medicine).
  3. Stage 3 SIA Pain Medicine training programmes are outcomes-based but the programme is expected provide twelve months of training. Ideally this period should be continuous but in special cases (for example in the event of illness or maternity leave) may be completed in separate modules with the minimum acceptable continuous period being six months. Special arrangements must be made for trainees in less than full time training posts, so that their equivalent training can be accomplished within an acceptable time-frame. 
  4. It is essential that trainees undergoing Stage 3 and Stage 3 SIA pain training spend the entirety of their daytime  training in Pain Medicine only. Where trainees are required to contribute to an anaesthetic on call rota this should be no more onerous than a one in eight (1:8), and it is recommended that the rota pattern is planned to allow maximum day time exposure to training in Pain Medicine. Trainees should not participate in any weekday daytime anaesthetic on call or elective anaesthetic commitments during their period of pain training, unless there are extenuating circumstances, for instance in the event of a major incident.  
  5. A Faculty Tutor (Pain) (FTP) with an appointment and appropriate experience in Pain Medicine must be assigned to the trainee for the duration of training. They must have sufficient recognised time in their job plan allocation of Supporting Professional Activities to allow them to provide such training. 
  6. Where Stage 3 SIA pain trainees rotate between several sites for their training, the RAPM must oversee their progress on at least a six monthly basis, but may delegate interim assessments to Faculty Tutors (FTP). 
  7. Each training post must have a well-defined training programme with clearly stated learning aims and objectives that cover the Stage 3 SIA training capabilities throughout the whole training period. 
  8. The trainee is expected to have formative assessment of training at intervals. Further details can be found in our Training pages.