At the centre of this model is the Regional Director of Postgraduate Medical Education & Training, who provides leadership and oversight for the region’s education strategy. The Director will have 50% backfill, meaning half of their professional time will be protected from clinical duties, allowing them to focus fully on their strategic leadership responsibilities.

Reporting directly to the region’s Chief Academic Officer (CAO) and ultimately to the Regional Executive Officer (REO), the Director is responsible for ensuring the alignment of regional efforts with national standards and strategic priorities. They act as a conduit between local clinical training sites and the national NDTP (National Doctors Training and Planning) network, fostering collaboration and ensuring that each site within the region is equipped to provide high-quality learning opportunities. The Director is also instrumental in driving initiatives to enhance CLEs, addressing emerging challenges, and maintaining compliance with Irish Medical Council (IMC) and Postgraduate Training Body (PGTB) accreditation standards.

The organisational model underpinning these regional offices reflects a tiered structure designed to balance regional accountability with national consistency. At the national level, the NDTP oversees strategy and provides resources to support the equitable delivery of postgraduate medical education across all regions. The Regional Director works within this framework, serving as a member of a national network comprising peers from other regions, NDTP leadership, and key clinical leads. This network facilitates the exchange of best practices, the dissemination of innovative approaches, and the alignment of regional efforts with broader national objectives.

The Regional Director for Postgraduate Medical Education & Training will be responsible for proactively identifying and addressing any potential disruptions to longstanding clinical training relationships arising from the new regional structure. Directors of neighbouring regions must work collaboratively to preserve established partnerships between clinical training sites, medical schools, and Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). This includes taking a planned and strategic approach to safeguard successful educational pathways and ensure continuity of training across regional boundaries.

Within each region, the Director leads a dedicated faculty that includes representatives from clinical training sites, postgraduate training bodies, higher education institutions, and NCHD leads. This collaborative structure ensures that local needs and challenges are understood and addressed while maintaining coherence with national standards. Local training sites, guided by educational leads, form the foundation of the structure, ensuring that the CLE at every hospital and community-based site meets the rigorous standards required for effective medical training. Administrative support teams provide the operational capacity needed to implement these strategies.

Appointment & Tenure

• The Director for Postgrad Medical E&T shall be appointed via a competitive recruitment process.
• The Director for Postgrad Medical E&T shall hold a permanent consultant position within the relevant Health Region (i.e. not holding a locum/temporary position).
• The Director for Postgrad Medical E&T shall be registered on the Specialist Division of the Register of Medical Practitioners and be in good standing with the Medical Council.
• The appointment of the Director for Postgraduate Medical E&T shall be for an initial term of three years and will be eligible for reappointment subject to approval by the Regional Executive Officer and the Director of NDTP.
• The weekly commitment to this role is an average of 0.5 WTE.

Medical Council Requirements

• In addition to the criteria which are currently applied by the Medical Council in its evaluation of clinical sites for undergraduate and intern training purposes the post holder will be the designated regional lead with regard to the ‘Medical Council criteria for the evaluation of training sites which support the delivery of specialist training’.
• The Director for Postgrad Medical E&T will work closely with the nominated Medical Council Accountable Lead on each clinical site to ensure adherence to the Medical Council criteria for training. It is envisioned that the local P-MET lead will be the accountable lead. 
• The Director for Postgrad Medical E&T will be required to give due consideration to feedback derived from the Medical Council’s ‘Your Training Counts’ annual trainee survey.

Related Attachments;

Job Description P-MET Regional Director - 08.01.25

QA Document - Regional Offices for Postgrad Medical ET - 08.01.25

The HSE Dublin and North East Region are an equal opportunities employer