Norwich Medical School 2024 Final Year MBBS Examination
Dear General Medical Council,
F.A.O the Freedom of Information Act Request Department
On the 14th of May 2024, final-year medical students at the Norwich Medical School, based out of the University of East Anglia in Norwich, UK, were told that they would need to sit an additional written examination in order for them to be awarded their MB BS degree and provisional registration with the GMC. This paper would consist of 20 questions assessing them on anaesthetics, peri-operative medicine and emergency medicine. Students were communicated of this decision via e-mail, and were also told that this was a GMC mandated decision.
This came following a decision taken on the 22nd of March 2024 where students were informed that they would not need to sit any further examinations after the second (out of two) papers was delivered unsuccessfully earlier on the same day. This decision was made by the senior leadership and relevant leads at the medical school, who were confident that all previous examinations, written and OSCEs were sufficient to blueprint over and across to the GMC Outcome for Graduates guidance. Students were informed that, around the same time, all the relevant assessment material was being passed onto the GMC for an audit and final decision.
Since, students have been informed that this GMC mandated examination must be held in a summative capacity, it will be non-proctored and will be held online across two days with students opting in for the most convenient date for them.
Pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act of 2000, I ask for the following:
i) a timeline of when the GMC first became aware of the incident that had occurred, when key meetings with the medical school were held, when the GMC had decided another assessment was needed and when this decision was communicated to the medical school.
ii) copies of minutes of meeting held internally within the GMC or with the medical school on the matter of having to administer a new test.
iii) copies of any internal analyses showing the assessment material the medical school had provided did not meet the GMC's standards - presumably there is a deficiency in the anaesthetics, peri-operative medicine and emergency medicine specialties.
iv) confirmation on if any equality/ mental health impact assessments were done (and if so please share a copy).
v) how the GMC came to the decision to approve a non-proctored, online examination for use in a summative series of examinations that determines whether students get an MB BS degree or not.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Thank you.
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safe patient care across the UK. We set the standards doctors and those
who train them need to meet, and help them achieve them. If there are
concerns these standards may not be met or that public confidence in
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_________________________________________________________________
Cyngor Meddygol Cyffredinol
Rydym yn gweithio gyda meddygon, cleifion a rhanddeiliaid eraill i
gynorthwyo gofal da a diogel i gleifion ar draws y DU. Rydym yn gosod y
safonau y bydd angen i feddygon a’r rhai sy’n eu hyfforddi eu bodloni, ac
yn eu helpu i’w cyflawni. Os bydd pryderon efallai na fydd y safonau hyn
yn cael eu cyflawni neu y gallai hyder y cyhoedd mewn meddygon fod mewn
perygl, gallwn ymchwilio, a gweithredu os oes angen.
Efallai bod y neges e-bost hon yn cynnwys gwybodaeth freiniol neu
gyfrinachol, y dylid ei defnyddio at y diben y’i hanfonwyd yn unig.
Os nad chi yw’r derbynnydd neu os ydych chi wedi cael yr e-bost hwn mewn
camgymeriad, peidiwch â’i ddarllen, argraffu, ail-anfon, storio na
gweithredu mewn ffordd sy’n dibynnu arni neu unrhyw atodiadau os gwelwch
yn dda. Dylech anfon e-bost at yr anfonwr ac yna, ei ddileu ar unwaith.
Mae’r Cyngor Meddygol Cyffredinol yn elusen gofrestredig yng Nghymru a
Lloegr (1089278) ac yn Yr Alban (SC037750)
Mae croeso i chi gysylltu â ni yn Gymraeg. Byddwn yn ymateb yn Gymraeg,
heb i hyn achosi oedi ychwanegol.
References
Visible links
1. https://www.gmc-uk.org/
Dear Requester,
Thank you for your email dated 24 May.
So that we can consider your request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA) please provide your true name. For a request to be valid, section 8(1)(b) of the FOIA requires that a request for information must include the name of the applicant. Until we have received this information we won’t consider your request.
If you have any queries about this, please contact me on the details below.
Yours sincerely
Information Access Team
General Medical Council
3 Hardman Street
Manchester
M3 3AW
Thank you for getting in touch. Please note this is an automated email.
Your receipt of this means that we have safely received your email.
We are currently receiving a high volume of requests and there will be a
delay in getting back to you with a further acknowledgement. We will do so
as soon as we can.
Since 6 December 2023, the GMC has been subject to the Welsh Language
Standards. You are welcome to contact us in Welsh and we will respond in
Welsh, without this causing additional delay.
In the meantime, if you want any further information about the GMC, please
visit our website: [1]Home - GMC (gmc-uk.org)
General Medical Council
We work with doctors, patients, and other stakeholders to support good,
safe patient care across the UK. We set the standards doctors and those
who train them need to meet, and help them achieve them. If there are
concerns these standards may not be met or that public confidence in
doctors may be at risk, we can investigate, and take action if needed.
This email may contain privileged or confidential information which should
only be used for the purpose for which it has been sent.
If you are not the addressee or have received this email in error, please
do not read, print, re-transmit, store or act in reliance on it or any
attachments. Please email the sender and then immediately delete it.
The General Medical Council is a charity registered in England and Wales
(1089278) and in Scotland (SC037750)
You are welcome to contact us in Welsh. We will respond in Welsh, without
this causing additional delay.
_________________________________________________________________
Cyngor Meddygol Cyffredinol
Rydym yn gweithio gyda meddygon, cleifion a rhanddeiliaid eraill i
gynorthwyo gofal da a diogel i gleifion ar draws y DU. Rydym yn gosod y
safonau y bydd angen i feddygon a’r rhai sy’n eu hyfforddi eu bodloni, ac
yn eu helpu i’w cyflawni. Os bydd pryderon efallai na fydd y safonau hyn
yn cael eu cyflawni neu y gallai hyder y cyhoedd mewn meddygon fod mewn
perygl, gallwn ymchwilio, a gweithredu os oes angen.
Efallai bod y neges e-bost hon yn cynnwys gwybodaeth freiniol neu
gyfrinachol, y dylid ei defnyddio at y diben y’i hanfonwyd yn unig.
Os nad chi yw’r derbynnydd neu os ydych chi wedi cael yr e-bost hwn mewn
camgymeriad, peidiwch â’i ddarllen, argraffu, ail-anfon, storio na
gweithredu mewn ffordd sy’n dibynnu arni neu unrhyw atodiadau os gwelwch
yn dda. Dylech anfon e-bost at yr anfonwr ac yna, ei ddileu ar unwaith.
Mae’r Cyngor Meddygol Cyffredinol yn elusen gofrestredig yng Nghymru a
Lloegr (1089278) ac yn Yr Alban (SC037750)
Mae croeso i chi gysylltu â ni yn Gymraeg. Byddwn yn ymateb yn Gymraeg,
heb i hyn achosi oedi ychwanegol.
References
Visible links
1. https://www.gmc-uk.org/
Dear Harold Wren,
Your information request – IR1-4439426396
Thank you for your Email below dated 5^th June 2024.
How we will consider your request
We are going to consider your request under the Freedom of Information Act
2000 (FOIA). The FOIA gives us 20 working days to respond, but we’ll come
back to you as soon as we can.
Your request will be allocated to a member of the team. If you have any
queries please email [1][GMC request email].
Kind regards,
Information Access Team
General Medical Council
3 Hardman Street
Manchester
M3 3AW
Dear Information Access Team,
My understanding is you are now overdue in responding to this request.
Please update me with a timeframe for my request to be responded to or I will have to raise this with the Information Commissioner's Office.
Yours sincerely,
HW
Thank you for getting in touch. Please note this is an automated email.
Your receipt of this means that we have safely received your email.
We are currently receiving a high volume of requests and there will be a
delay in getting back to you with a further acknowledgement. We will do so
as soon as we can.
Since 6 December 2023, the GMC has been subject to the Welsh Language
Standards. You are welcome to contact us in Welsh and we will respond in
Welsh, without this causing additional delay.
In the meantime, if you want any further information about the GMC, please
visit our website: [1]Home - GMC (gmc-uk.org)
General Medical Council
We work with doctors, patients, and other stakeholders to support good,
safe patient care across the UK. We set the standards doctors and those
who train them need to meet, and help them achieve them. If there are
concerns these standards may not be met or that public confidence in
doctors may be at risk, we can investigate, and take action if needed.
This email may contain privileged or confidential information which should
only be used for the purpose for which it has been sent.
If you are not the addressee or have received this email in error, please
do not read, print, re-transmit, store or act in reliance on it or any
attachments. Please email the sender and then immediately delete it.
The General Medical Council is a charity registered in England and Wales
(1089278) and in Scotland (SC037750)
You are welcome to contact us in Welsh. We will respond in Welsh, without
this causing additional delay.
_________________________________________________________________
Cyngor Meddygol Cyffredinol
Rydym yn gweithio gyda meddygon, cleifion a rhanddeiliaid eraill i
gynorthwyo gofal da a diogel i gleifion ar draws y DU. Rydym yn gosod y
safonau y bydd angen i feddygon a’r rhai sy’n eu hyfforddi eu bodloni, ac
yn eu helpu i’w cyflawni. Os bydd pryderon efallai na fydd y safonau hyn
yn cael eu cyflawni neu y gallai hyder y cyhoedd mewn meddygon fod mewn
perygl, gallwn ymchwilio, a gweithredu os oes angen.
Efallai bod y neges e-bost hon yn cynnwys gwybodaeth freiniol neu
gyfrinachol, y dylid ei defnyddio at y diben y’i hanfonwyd yn unig.
Os nad chi yw’r derbynnydd neu os ydych chi wedi cael yr e-bost hwn mewn
camgymeriad, peidiwch â’i ddarllen, argraffu, ail-anfon, storio na
gweithredu mewn ffordd sy’n dibynnu arni neu unrhyw atodiadau os gwelwch
yn dda. Dylech anfon e-bost at yr anfonwr ac yna, ei ddileu ar unwaith.
Mae’r Cyngor Meddygol Cyffredinol yn elusen gofrestredig yng Nghymru a
Lloegr (1089278) ac yn Yr Alban (SC037750)
Mae croeso i chi gysylltu â ni yn Gymraeg. Byddwn yn ymateb yn Gymraeg,
heb i hyn achosi oedi ychwanegol.
References
Visible links
1. https://www.gmc-uk.org/
Dear Harold Wren
Your information request IR1-4439426396
Thank you for your email. Under the FOI Act, the deadline to respond to
requests is 20 working days, therefore we’re aiming to respond to your
request by 3 July.
Kind regards
Edd Mustill
Information Access Officer
Information Access Team
General Medical Council
[1]www.gmc-uk.org
E: [2][email address]
T: 0161 250 6949
Dear Harold Wren
Your information access request IR1-4439426396
Thank you for your email of 5 June asking for information relating to the
incident at Norwich Medical School. I’ve considered your request under the
Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA). I’m sorry for the delay in
responding to your request and any inconvenience caused.
i) a timeline of when the GMC first became aware of the
incident that had occurred, when key meetings with the medical school were
held, when the GMC had decided another assessment was needed and when this
decision was communicated to the medical school.
Please find attached our internal timeline of the incident.
ii) copies of minutes of meeting held internally within the
GMC or with the medical school on the matter of having to administer a new
test.
A meeting was held with the school on 25 March 2024. There are no formal
minutes of this meeting but there is a summary note which I’ve attached
here. Also attached are the minutes of a meeting held between the GMC and
the medical school on 7 May 2024.
iii) copies of any internal analyses showing the assessment
material the medical school had provided did not meet the GMC's standards
- presumably there is a deficiency in the anaesthetics, peri-operative
medicine and emergency medicine specialties.
The material provided by the School was assessed by our Quality Assurance
– Monitoring and Improvement (QAMI) team with input from Legal, the
Medical Licensing Assessment team, and our Director of Education and
Standards against [1]our standards in Promoting Excellence, specifically:
• R3.15 Learners must not progress if they fail to meet the
required learning outcomes for graduates or approved postgraduate
curricula.
• R5.5 Medical schools must assess medical students against the
learning outcomes required for graduates at appropriate points. Medical
schools must be sure that medical students can meet all outcomes before
graduation. Medical schools must not grant dispensation to students from
meeting the standards of competence required for graduates.
• R5.6 Medical schools must set fair, reliable, and valid
assessments that allow them to decide whether medical students have
achieved the learning outcomes required for graduates.
iv) confirmation on if any equality/ mental health impact
assessments were done (and if so please share a copy).
No such assessments were carried out by the GMC.
v) how the GMC came to the decision to approve a
non-proctored, online examination for use in a summative series of
examinations that determines whether students get an MB BS degree or not.
We assessed the evidence provided by the School in their letter of 19
April (see attached) against our standards, and strongly advised the
school to reconsider their decision around their approach to the critical
incident. Delivery of assessment is the School’s responsibility as the
awarding body of the primary medical qualification.
You’ll see in the attached documents that some information has been
redacted where it is outside the scope of your request, or where it is the
personal data of third parties, in accordance with Section 40(2) of the
FOIA.
Who to contact
I hope you find this information useful. If you have any queries about
this, or need anything further, please contact me on the details below.
If you have any concerns about the way I’ve handled your request, please
set out your reasons in writing to [2][GMC request email]
Yours sincerely
Edd Mustill
Information Access Officer
Information Access Team
General Medical Council
[3]www.gmc-uk.org
E: [4][email address]
T: 0161 250 6949
From: FOI
Sent: Thursday, June 6, 2024 2:48 PM
To: alphaindiatango <[FOI #1134078 email]>
Subject: RE: Freedom of Information request - Norwich Medical School 2024
Final Year MBBS Examination
Dear Harold Wren,
Your information request – IR1-4439426396
Thank you for your Email below dated 5^th June 2024.
How we will consider your request
We are going to consider your request under the Freedom of Information Act
2000 (FOIA). The FOIA gives us 20 working days to respond, but we’ll come
back to you as soon as we can.
Your request will be allocated to a member of the team. If you have any
queries please email [5][GMC request email].
Kind regards,
Information Access Team
General Medical Council
3 Hardman Street
Manchester
M3 3AW
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