History

Dr Sydney Scott, a well-known and well-respected General Practitioner from Epping, established the Scheme in 1976. Four Senior House Officer Posts were established at St. Margaret's, Epping. After service in two of these posts the final year was undertaken in a recognised training practice. The trainers involved in setting up this scheme were:  

• Dr. Sydney Scott (Epping)
• Dr. Neil Jackson (Epping), Director PGEGP, London Deanery
• Dr. Reed Bowden (Harlow), Associate Director, London Deanery
• Dr. John Davies (Harlow)
• Dr. Ian Ross Russell (Bishop's Stortford)

• This pilot scheme was successful and four further posts were designated at Herts & Essex Hospital, Bishops Stortford, with later expansion to Princess Alexandra Hospital, Harlow.

By 1987 there were seventeen trainees and ten trainers involved in the scheme. Dr. Bowden, Dr. Davies, Dr. Jackson, Dr Abdul Palliwala and Dr Diane Meehan followed Dr. Scott as Course Organisers.

The local Hospital is Princess Alexandra, Harlow. The Herts. & Essex, and St Margaret's Hospitals along with the Princess Alexandra Hospital provided acute and long term care until the services were centralised to Princess Alexandra Hospital in 1991, but the other two still provide the Out Patient care, Phlebotomy, Radiology, Rehabilitation care to the catchments.

In year 2001 major changes were introduced to the programme with the establishment of a department for General Practice Vocational Training with its own administrator. The programme became more learner centred with training focussed on modern general practice and the introduction of residential courses, innovative training posts and special skills training. Currently the West Essex Specialty Training Programme is a vibrant and well sought after scheme.