Public health specialty training in London is a run-through programme. Trainees enter at ST1 and progress through annual review (ARCP) towards CCT. Training combines service placements with academic study — most trainees undertake a part-time Masters or Doctoral qualification alongside their clinical training.

Placements are negotiated between the trainee, their Training Programme Director (TPD), and prospective host organisations. The School aims to ensure every placement provides breadth of experience, links to the FPH curriculum learning outcomes, and appropriate supervision.

The programme operates across a wide range of settings including London local authorities, NHS England, UKHSA, academic institutions, think-tanks, voluntary sector organisations, the GLA, DHSC, NICE, and international bodies.

Registrars on the London training programme begin in a London local authority, typically followed by an MSc in Public Health and Health Protection Training with a UKHSA team. After passing their professional exams (Diplomate and Membership), they progress to more specialist placements.

Specialist placements include:

• National government departments, including the Office of the Chief Medical Officers and the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO)
• National and regional teams within the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities
• National and regional teams with UKHSA
• Local Health Protection teams, including North West London (covering Heathrow)
• National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE)
• Global health placements, such as Médecins Sans Frontières
• Think tanks, including the Health Foundation and the Nuffield Trust
• The Greater London Authority
• NHS England teams, including Screening and Immunisation Teams and Specialised Commissioning
• Universities, including LSHTM, UCL, Imperial College London, and Queen Mary University of London
• Acute and community trusts, including the Royal Free, Barts and The London, Chelsea and Westminster, and East London Foundation Trust

Further details on each placement are available in the placement guide.

Availability of placements depends on appropriate educational supervision at the time and not all placements are available at all times. Some training locations are awarded competitively, usually on an annual basis.

London registrars may also access placements outside London through nationally available training locations advertised by the Faculty of Public Health. Likewise, registrars from outside London may be placed in London through the same process.

To meet the Code of Practice, a training location must be agreed at least 16 weeks before the start date. Any change in placement must be agreed with the registrar’s Training Programme Director (TPD).

NIHR Integrated Academic Training

The partnership between a number of London universities and the School of Public Health has a strong record of attracting Academic Clinical Fellows (ACFs) and Clinical Fellows (CL) funding. On average, there are 3–4 ACFs advertised every year, with CLs available less frequently.

ACFs/CLs have been or will be based at the following prestigious London universities:

• Imperial College London
• King’s College London (KCL)
• London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM)
• Queen Mary University London (QMUL)
• St George’s, University of London (SGUL)
• University College London (UCL)

Registrars applying for an ACF must have a medical background. Recruitment for ACFs is usually in October/November each year. If an individual is successful in securing an ACF but is not currently a Public Health registrar, they must also apply to the public health specialty training programme.

Further information: Integrated Academic Training

Julie George is the Academic Training Programme Director for Public Health in London.

Academic Placements

Universities listed below are able to take registrars on academic placements to address Key Area 8 and other learning outcomes. Contact the lead Educational Supervisor as early as possible.

• Imperial College London: Richard Pinder richard.pinder@imperial.ac.uk
• London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine: Gregory Hartwell gregory.hartwell@lshtm.ac.uk
• King’s College London: Krishnarajah Nirantharakumar krishnarajah.nirantharakumar@kcl.ac.uk
• Queen Mary University of London: Oyinlola Oyebode o.oyebode@qmul.ac.uk
• University College London: Nigel Field nigel.field@ucl.ac.uk

Local Authority Public Health Research Network

A number of partners across London have developed the Local Authority Public Health Research Network (LAPHRN), which seeks to develop academic research in local authority settings. Further information: NIHR LAPHRN

Registrars are required to pass two professional exams as part of their training. These should be completed before moving onto specialist placements. General information: FPH exams

The first, the Diplomate exam, tests individuals’ knowledge of public health. It is run online twice a year in October and March. More information: DFPH

The second, the Membership exam, tests an individual’s ability to apply relevant knowledge, skills and attitudes to the practice of public health. It is an in-person OSPHE, held four times a year (February, May, September, November) in London or Liverpool. More information: MFPH