ISCP Fees

The thorny issue of the recently reintroduced 'fee for training' applicable to all trainees registered with the ISCP has raised blood pressure among trainees.  ASiT continue to represent you in this regard, having had the initial fee suspended in 2006 when first introduced. 

ASiT continue to oppose the introduction of the fee, with Ben Cresswell having written, again, to the colleges on your behalf stating:

"As you know, ASiT has opposed the fee on the basis that the ISCP is still not fully functional.  Although a reasonable number of trainers have now signed up, there is a real feeling from the SACs and trainees alike that satisfaction is low, and more worryingly, that individual trainers are not sufficiently well informed concerning the completion of online assessments and as a result there is significant variability in the quality and validity of the information being obtained.  We feel that until such a time as the system has a proven utility its development costs should not be passed on to trainees.

Similarly, the JCST is a body that has been commissioned by the Colleges and we feel that it’s funding should therefore be covered by its commissioners.  

I appreciate that the fee has been introduced following the end of Government funding for the ISCP development, and also that trainees are being asked to cover only a proportion of the costs incurred.  The fact remains however, that surgical trainees already pay significantly more than other medical colleagues for College subscriptions and in most cases your College’s subscription alone amounts to more than both the membership and training fee combined for other Colleges outside of surgery.

ASiT has been approached by groups of members from various sub-specialties and individual regions who wish to organise a formal boycott of College Subscriptions and although unlike BOTA, we do not feel that this is something we should be supporting at this time, there is clearly a huge strength of feeling amongst trainees.

Given that the amount to be raised from the introduction of the fee remains relatively small, I wonder whether you could consider again an alternative way to meet these costs, without the introduction of a direct charge.  Either by absorbing this amount in conjunction with the three other Colleges, or by revisiting the possibility for further central funding of the development costs."

We will keep you informed of the outcome.

Added on: 4th November 2008