COVID-19 guidance | Documents & templates | JAG programmes | Further guidance

This page is regularly updated with information about JAG's programmes, as well as external guidance produced by other organisations in response to COVID-19.

JAG programmes

JAG accreditation assessments

JAG will continue with accreditation assessments remotely. All services can now request an assessment once they have met the standards and uploaded their evidence to their self-assessment.

Waiting times - tolerance will be given where services can provide  a detailed recovery plan (up to 12 months) provided. Progress against this will be reviewed at the next annual review.

We have reviewed the assessment pathway to ensure the safety of patients, staff and assessors, and to support services as they gain accreditation. You can find detailed guidance on the accreditation pathway changes here.

JAG accreditation training days

JAG is providing online training sessions for 2021. This will be free to attend for JAG registered services in UK and Ireland services. You can find further information about these training days listed on the JAG website.

JETS Workforce training courses

The ENDO1 (foundation and decontamination) training course designed for endoscopy workforce completing the JETS Workforce level 1 competency framework, has been transformed to an online format. 

JAG will be organising a minimum of 12 virtual ENDO1 training course for 2021. We will organise a range of morning or afternoon courses, course duration is 2.5 hours. Each course will be taught by two trained teaching faculty, and the course fee will be £20 per delegate. 

You can find further information and the latest course availability on the JETS website. 

Bowel cancer screener accreditation assessments

For candidates who are unable to meet the application criteria of 150 procedures in the last 12 months due to covid, we are accepting procedural numbers taken from 12 months prior to the beginning of the pandemic (March 2019 - March 2020).

Accreditation assessments for screening colonoscopy are being organised. Candidates who have completed their application, and have taken and passed their MCQ (which can be done in the candidates' local screening centre), will be contacted by a member of the JAG team to arrange their colonoscopy assessment date. Candidates who are yet to apply, should do so following the standard process outlined on our website. 

Candidates will be offered assessment dates on a first come, first served basis. Unfortunately due to COVID-19 a number of assessments needed to be cancelled and as a result there is an increased demand for assessment dates. If an individual needs to be prioritised for an assessment, this will need to be discussed initially by the screening centre, commissioners and regional SQAS teams to understand the specific reasons. Regional SQAS should then make the recommendation to national SQAS who will contact the accreditation team at JAG. The accreditation team will only take instructions to prioritise a candidate from the national SQAS team at PHE.

Bowel Scope accreditation is not being offered until further notice. 

We are aware of the impact of any delays in offering accreditation on centres and candidates and would like to thank you all for your continued support.

JAG certification

The certification criteria have been amended to support trainees who may not have had access to training recently and/or have been unable to book a basic skills training course.

• The criteria to have completed 15 procedures in the last 3 months is extended to 15 procedures in the 6 months prior to applying for certification.
• The procedure KPIs are calculated from 6 months data rather than 3 months data. 
• Trainees are expected to complete a minimum of 5 procedures in the 6 weeks prior to applying for certification. 
• The window for submission of all four summative Direct Observation of Procedure Skills (DOPS) forms has been extended from 1 month to 6 weeks. 

Further to the above, there is an alternative route to achieve certification for trainees who are unable to complete a basic skills training course. The details of this are set out in the derogation document. This derogation will remain in place through to the end of September 2021 and will be reviewed at that stage. 

JAG certification requirements are informed by the evidence base available to guide the criteria for each procedure. This is key to ensuring high quality endoscopy and therefore maintaining patient safety. To reflect this, and to ensure consistency, all other certification criteria are not being altered.

Training courses at JAG approved training centres

Training courses are being advertised via www.jets.thejag.org.uk when available. 

All trainees are encouraged to complete the relevant e-learning available via www.e-lfh.org.uk/programmes/endoscopy.