Mandatory and Statutory Training (MAST) is the collective name for all of the required training modules that you must do regularly as an NHS employee. You can waste hours of your life repeating the same eLearning on how to safely pass a cup of tea to a patient, or you can keep an up-to-date list of your own MAST in your portfolio to ensure that you are only doing the required learning…when required.

What is MAST?

Remember all the eLearning you had to do as a foundation trainee? Fire safety, manual handling, safeguarding? That is MAST. It is the in-person and online modules that are required of NHS employees and must be kept up to date.

Does MAST count as CPD?

While MAST modules can feel like a waste of time, it’s true that you can count the time spent as CPD! Make sure that you write down the amount of time you spent doing MAST (sometimes this is calculated automatically when you download your MAST summary report) and anything you have learned from it.

Which modules do I have to do?

Your particular requirements will depend on your role (i.e. if you are a prescriber or not) and the department that you will be working in (i.e. paediatrics or psychiatry can request additional modules).

The modules most commonly required are…

✅ Basic Life Support (BLS) ✅ Manual Handling ✅ Health and Safety ✅ Fire Safety ✅ Safeguarding Adults and Children - Level 2 or 3 depending on specialty ✅ Infection Control ✅ Equality and Diversity ✅ Lone Worker ✅ Preventing Radicalisation ✅ Counter Fraud ✅ Conflict Resolution ✅ Information Governance ✅ Complaints Handling

How should I keep track of my MAST?

Having all of your MAST in one place makes it easier to keep track of what you need to do, and reduces your workload when collecting evidence for your appraisal.

We advise using one of the two following methods to keep a record of your MAST:

If you work with only one Trust

Use your Trust ESR account to complete and keep track of all of your MAST. If you are joining a new Trust for an extended period of time, then you may wish to transfer all of your existing MAST (by emailing evidence of your in-date MAST to medical HR) to your Trust ESR account.

If you work with multiple Trusts

Use a 3rd party programme like developme.plus (usually provided by your locum agency) as a centralised record of your eLearning. If you are joining a new Trust then make sure they have a copy of your up to date MAST before you start as it may save you time from having to attend particular induction sessions.

Using either method means that you have all of your eLearning in one place, and can provide print-outs or screenshots of your compliance to medical HR or your locum agency whenever they request it. If you spread your MAST across a number of ESR accounts or systems, then you risk having to repeat the same learning over and over and over, doubling or even tripling your workload!

How do I share my MAST with other Trusts or agencies?

You can take screenshots of your completed (and in-date) MAST if you don’t want to needlessly repeat it when you join a new Trust or agency but make sure that the following things are clearly visible in any screenshots or downloads:

Full name
Module name and code
Completion date
Expiry dates
Trust logos are visible

How do I upload my MAST for appraisal?

There is no specific place for MAST to be uploaded on the MAG form, though it is an important aspect of your professional development to include in your appraisal.

Your MAST evidence can be:

uploaded and discussed as CPD (in section 7)
uploaded and discussed as Quality Improvement Activity (section 8)
uploaded as additional information (section 14) and discussed as ‘review of GMC Good Medical Practice Domains’ (section 16)

💡 Mandatory & Statutory Training
What is MAST?
Does MAST count as CPD?
Which modules do I have to do?
How should I keep track of my MAST?
How do I share my MAST with other Trusts or agencies?
How do I upload my MAST for appraisal?