Red, Amber, Green, rating (RAG) of oral and maxillofacial surgery (OMFS) training programmes in Europe - a pilot by OMFS trainers demonstrating a practical route to improve OMFS training

Abstract

The European Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (OMFS) Trainee Forum of the Union of European Medical Specialists (UEMS) used a Delphi process to define Red, Amber, Green, (RAG) criteria within key domains of OMFS training in Europe. The aim of this project was to assess the practicality for OMFS trainers of apply these criteria to their training programmes. The OMFS Section of UEMS shared the tables from the British Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery paper and asked the head of delegation for each nation with medical OMFS training programme to complete a rating for each domain and return them. The tables were: 1: National Domains of OMFS Training; 2: Training Programme/Rotation; 3: Teaching and Education; 4: Training Placement; 5: Records of Training Progression; 6: External Assessment of Training. The returned tables were transferred onto Excel© and processed with Winstat©. Forms were returned from 24 of the 26 UEMS nations with OMFS training programmes. There was no difficulty in completing the forms. No nation was Green in all domains. Replacing the colours with numerical values, Red=1, Amber=2, Green=3 to allow statistical analysis with a maximum possible score of 100% and a minimum possible score of 33%. Combining the scores from all tables, the scores ranged between 67% to 98% with a mean of 80%. Histograms for each table showed 'normal' curves except for external assessment, which was trimodal, with some nations having none, others some, and a few nations comprehensive external assessment. Collecting and publishing the results of RAG rating OMFS training across Europe allows nations, rotations and programmes to identify their strengths and address their weaknesses and may generate improvement.

Keywords: Higher training; OMFS; Oral and maxillofacial surgery; QI; Quality Indicators; Red amber green; Specialty training; UEMS; Union of European Medical Specialists.