'A History of Excellence in Training'

 

The history of the Welwyn Branch goes back a fair way. The very first Welwyn programme was born with the arrival of the first vocational training schemes nationally in the early 1970s.

For a while the scheme had an entry of 4 new members each year, rotating through the 4 designated hospital posts at 6 monthly intervals : A&E, paediatrics, O&G & psychiatry, before completing the final year as a GP trainee.

Schemes now called a programmes have changed out of all recognition. The Welwyn Branch has an annual intake of 20 doctors per year with 4-month hospital placements mainly based at the Lister Hospital in Stevenage; our posts include: paediatrics, psychiatry, palliative care, acute medicine, ophthalmology, several medical specialisms and obstetrics and gynecology. In ST2 we have a unique 'innovative' GP post.

The branch meets most Thursdays for half-day release training, currently based at the Lister Education Centre, Stevenage.

Each autumn, the our branch ventures off to Madingley Hall for a 2-day residential; this helps to strengthen the group & provides opportunities to learn new skills in a safe environment. The 'residential' has now been in existence for 16 years.

Most graduates of the Welwyn Branch find themselves staying within Hertfordshire for the remainder of their professional careers, several being offered partnerships either at their training practices or within the locality. Welwyn Branch is regularly voted 'a best of' by out-going registrars of HEEEoE and the national GMC survey.