Haematology Specialist Training Programme
The Eastern haematology specialist training programme comprises a two centre model based at Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge with a second centre at Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital in Norwich. District General Hospital (DGH) haematology experience is currently provided at Ipswich, Bury St Edmunds, King’s Lynn, Peterborough and Great Yarmouth.
Hospitals currently in North of London programmes are due to be consolidated into the Eastern Programme. Please see HEEoE Repatriation for up-to-date information.
Trainees will be based either in Cambridge or Norwich. During the five-year programme they will spend between eight months and two years at a DGH, depending on arrangements at the time of their appointment.
Trainees based at Norwich will also spend some time in Cambridge to gain experience in stem cell transplantation, specialist coagulation and paediatric haematology.
At Addenbrookes trainees rotate through the following four-month blocks:
- Introduction to Laboratory Haematology
- General Ward
- Stem Cell Transplant Ward
- Haemostasis and Thrombosis
- Blood Transfusion
- Lymphoma
- Haemato-Oncology Diagnostic Service (HODS)
- Paediatric haematology
- Research (All ACF / Clinical Lecturer trainees. Option for clinical trainees to request a research rotation)
During rotations in District General Hospitals trainees will gain a broad experience of benign, malignant and liaison haematology.
The chairperson of the local training committee is responsible for ensuring that the Local Training Programme reflects the National Curriculum for Haematology and that each trainee has an Individual Training Programme. Each trainee will be appointed an Educational Supervisor, who will be a consultant haematologist, to ensure that facilities and opportunities are made available to the trainee and to conduct formative assessment.
The national training curriculum can be viewed here.
Academic Training in Haematology
Two academic clinical fellow posts and two academic clinical lecturer posts are available in the Eastern programme. These are secured through the UKCRC/MMC Integrated Academic Training programme.
The major objective of the current SpR rotation based at Addenbrooke's Hospital is to foster future academic and NHS leaders in haematology and transfusion medicine. Trainees will be exposed to a top ranking academic and clinical department in Addenbrookes Hospital, while rotating for up to eight months to another regional hospital to ensure a broad exposure to general haematology.
In three years, academic trainees in Addenbrookes Hospital will have three laboratory, two ward, two research and two DGH slots (see above). This will provide the laboratory and clinical haematology experience leading to completion of the Part 1 FRCPath examination. The two research slots meet the 25% academic time required in an NTN(A), and are complemented by six weeks annual study leave, as well as regular research group presentations.
Mentoring for the academic trainees is provided throughout. At appointment, trainees are made aware of the research themes of the department. During regular reviews with the academic mentor, a favoured area of research is identified, along with a preferred Principal Investigator either in Cambridge or in another centre. The PI then leads on developing a project and a fellowship application for funding to pursue a PhD on completion of the clincal fellow post. Academic trainees wishing to switch to a non-academic slot would be considered for the next available vacancy in the clinical training programme.
The second part of the academic training route is a clinical lecturer post which is applied for after completion of a PhD. This post is based entirely at Addenbrooke's hospital in Cambridge where the Haematology rotation has the flexibility to allow both protected time for research and to customise training to suit the needs of post-PhD trainees. The clinical lecturer will identify a research theme to be pursued in the 50% time allocated for research, and will be assigned an appropriate Principal Investigator.
The clinical lecturer post is supernumerary to service needs and can thus occupy slots as required to complete the training portfolio and develop academic experience. The flexible nature of the rotation means that it can accommodate academic post-holders who may join at varying stages of their clinical training.
The clinical lecturer will identify a research theme to be pursued in the 50% time allocated for research, and will be assigned an appropriate Principal Investigator.
Overall mentoring for the academic trainees will be provided throughout. The mentor will undertake assessment of academic progress against agreed milestones in conjunction with both the allocated PI and the designated educational supervisor (consultant haematologist), who ensures that training facilities and opportunities are made available to the trainee and conducts regular appraisals.
In addition to the above academic posts, the rotation has a long and successful history of research with many of our trainees pursuing a further degree within the local world class research environment as an out of programme experience. This is encouraged and supported in the rotation.