Training Locations
If you are considering applying or have received an offer but are unsure as to whether your rotation will meet your needs, please get in touch with Dr Alistair Mackett (alistair.mackett1@nhs.net), the Training Programme Director, and he will get back in touch as soon as possible to discuss how we make things workable for you.
We aim to offer a 4 year rotation at the outset if a trainee wishes. Alternatively, if a trainee prefers more flexibility, we can offer partial rotations at the beginning and discussion with the TPD later on when your chosen path becomes clearer.
Principles
- Trainees commute to work should not be > 1 hour.
- Trainees should not spend more than 2 years in any 1 site.
- Rotations should be as balanced as possible so that training covers all areas of the curriculum adequately.
NB: East and North Herts NHS Trust is not on the diagram.
A brief summary of the hospitals with their training opportunities and links to their websites can be found in the blue drop down boxes below.
Clinical Lead |
Dr Shilpa Raje |
Educational Lead |
Dr Luke Hounsom |
Learning Opportunities |
Hospice on site for in-patient and out-patient (Day Hospital) palliative care experience. Consultant led in-patient palliative care within the acute Trust as well as nurse led palliative care services and acute oncology services |
Subspecialty opportunities |
Orthogeriatrics including falls and bone health Care of the emergency older surgical patient Frailty/Interface Geriatrics Intermediate care/Rehabilitation Community Geriatrics |
Commuting Information |
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Travel Information |
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Click Here to visit their website
Description of Geriatric Service |
Bedford is a DGH with ~300 beds. There are two core geriatric wards each with 26 patients. There are two teams, one for each ward. There are no outliers. The SpR role is to do 2 Spr led ward rounds a week and to support juniors and ward round when the consultant is not present and attend clinic. There are three Geriatric clinics per week. One focusses on anaemia in the elderly whilst the other two focus on general Geriatric patients. This is a great way to not only gain clinic experience but also to sign off both GIM and geriatric competencies on the curriculum. There is a board round everyday with 2 MDTs a week. Other opportunities available are:
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Clinical Lead |
Dr Kamal |
Educational Lead |
Dr Azhar |
On call GIM commitment |
1 in 11 rolling rota covering AMU for nights, longs day weekdays, long day weekends. |
On call commitment for elderly care |
No DME on call commitments |
Strengths of the Post |
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Learning Opportunities |
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Subspecialty opportunities |
Opportunities to gain subspecialty experience in the aforementioned areas of the curriculum. |
Click Here to visit their website
Description of Geriatric Service |
Large department with 11 Geriatricians (including 1x full time community-based geriatrician) covering 124 inpatient older person’s beds. This includes a standalone Frailty Unit with ambulatory area and 4 inpatient wards. There is also a 25 bedded stroke unit providing 24/7 thrombolysis and 7 day TIA clinic |
Clinical Lead |
Yoganathan Suthahar |
Educational Lead |
Charlie Mukherjee |
On call commitment for GIM |
1 in 16 rolling rota covering acute unselected medical take, wards and speciality referrals (surgery, O&G, plastics). Includes long days, evening shifts, weekends and nights. |
On call commitment for elderly care |
No formal elderly care on call but SpR can join Frailty team providing in-reach to Emergency Department. |
Strengths of Post |
Working with a dynamic group of consultants with varied subspecialty interests. Ability to access wide range of curriculum items depending on training requirements. Opportunities to be involved in various service development projects. Close links to Barts and Anglia Ruskin medical schools with chance to be involved in regular ongoing medical student teaching. |
Learning Opportunities |
Weekly departmental teaching programme and medical grand round Monthly Departmental Governance meeting Weekly MDTs (community, colorectal 2WW, dementia intensive support) Fortnightly stroke imaging meetings |
Subspecialty opportunities |
Frailty – dedicated Frailty Unit with ambulatory beds and ED in-reach. Ongoing service development. (Dr Mukherjee)
Orthogeriatrics – in-reach/shared care model on Orthopaedic wards (Dr Suthahar & Dr Ishaque)
Community Geriatrics – regular or ad hoc sessions with community geriatrician (Dr Sharma)
Movement disorders – weekly outpatient clinic and regular inpatient reviews. (Dr Qureshi & Dr Sweeting)
Oncogeriatrics – innovative >80s colorectal 2WW, vague symptoms and anaemia pathways (Dr Suthahar)
Old Age Psychiatry – weekly MDT with dementia support service and liaison at local mental health unit. Placement at local Crystal Centre can also be organised. (Dr Costello & Dr McDowell)
Palliative Care – Placement at local Farleigh Hospice can be organised as well as attachment with Rapid Assessment and Discharge team. (Dr Gupta & Dr Sweeting)
Stroke & Stroke Rehab – rotation on inpatient Stroke Unit can be organised as well as attachment for community stroke rehabilitation. (Dr Kirthivasan & Dr Sharma)
Surgical Liaison – in-reach/liaison model currently in place.
Continence – ad hoc urodynamics and incontinence clinics (Mr Fiadjoe and Continence CNS)
Tissue Viability – Broomfield Hospital is a tertiary centre for Burns and Plastics. Attachment and ad hoc sessions with Tissue Viability Nurses can be organised as well as ad hoc clinics with plastic surgeons.
Nutrition – ad hoc sessions with Nutrition CNS can be organised.
Mortality and medical examiner – ad hoc sessions (Dr Ewins or Dr Ishaque)
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Linked Trusts and Commuting Information |
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Basildon |
22 miles, approx. 30-40 mins by car |
Southend |
23 miles, approx. 40-45mins by car |
Colchester |
26 miles, approx. 30-40 mins by car |
Addenbrookes |
41 miles, approx. 1 hour – 1 hour 15mins by car |
Main Site |
Addenbrooke’s Hospital - Hills Road CB2 0QQ |
Description of Geriatric Service |
Approximately 150 inpatients– almost all inpatients are ward-based. 4 “Core” Care of the Elderly Wards, 1 Acute Frailty Unit. Registrars will rotate base wards every 4 months to ensure access to subspeciality training. There are dedicated wards for acute stroke, stroke rehab and ortho geriatric wards that are covered by separate teams. |
Clinical Lead |
Dr Lelane Van Der Poel |
Educational Lead |
Dr Alistair Mackett, TPD Geriatric Medicine |
On call GIM commitment |
Approximately 6-8 weeks a year of contribution to the Acute GIM take encompassing varying shift times including weekends. Consists of 3 fortnightly blocks. |
On call commitment for elderly care |
Approximately 1 in 6 weekends |
Strengths of the Post |
A great opportunity for learning – diverse population, acute frailty unit is great for GIM and “acute DME” experience, consultant supervision and lots of opportunity for assessments and teaching. Weekly teaching meetings. Opportunity to be the “Referral Registrar of the Week” including interface Geriatrics holding the RADAR phone providing specialist advice to GPs. Weekly Feeding Issues MDT Has consistently had the best GMC survey feedback in the region in recent years Wide variety of subspecialty opportunities – see below |
Learning Opportunities |
Numerous and varied |
Subspecialty opportunities |
Opportunities for sub-specialty experience with the following consultants: Movement disorders – Dr Forsyth, Dr Mackett, Falls and community work – Dr Wilson Surgical Liaison – Dr D’Souza, Dr Biram, Dr Pampali Syncope, tilt tables – Dr Hampton, Dr Wilson, Dr Mackett Medical education – Dr Mackett, Dr Pampali Orthogeriatrics – Dr Vindlacheruvu, Dr Chileshe Audits and research – Dr Keevil Incontinence – Miss Biers Psychiatry of Old Age – Dr Thompson, Dr Price Palliative Care – Dr Cartwright, Dr Ben Clark Diabetic Foot Clinic – Dr Coll Stroke – Dr O’Brien, Dr Warburton, Prof Markus |
Linked Trusts and Commuting Information |
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Cambridge is 60 miles north of London and is easily accessible by road from major ports and airports. The CUH campus is on the southern fringe of Cambridge, about six kilometres from the city centre. The hospital is easily accessible by public transport. The hospital has its own bus station and numerous buses, including the guided bus, connect the site with the rest of Cambridge and the surrounding area. The railway station is an easy walk or short bus ride away. Cambridge is famous as a cycling town. There is easy access to the campus by bicycle and many cycle racks at entrances and other points. There is also car parking available on site. By car: The campus is located just off J11 of the M11. Major trunk roads to the area are the M11, A11, A10 and A14. The A14 also links to the A1 providing excellent access to the Midlands and north of England. Parking is free on the Trumpington Park and Ride (1.5 mile cycle to CUH along the guided busway) or for £2.80/day on site. By train or bus: Regular trains from London and other towns and cities (<1 hour journey time from London King’s Cross station on the Great Northern service) |
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Other linked Trusts have longer commutes |
Click Here to visit their website
Description of Geriatric Service |
4 core COTE Wards (25-31 beds each), and 1 stroke unit (33 beds) which is covered by a separate stroke team. Orthogeriatric cover is also provided to 2 orthopaedic wards. 6 Consultants 2 training SpR posts Outpatients: one general geriatric clinics per week, plus TIA clinics. The consultants also do outreach clinics in Clacton and Harwich but trainees do not attend. |
Clinical Lead |
Dr N Aftab |
Educational Lead |
Dr A Pillai |
On call GIM commitment |
1 in 13 full shift rota including weekend take, weekend ward cover, and nights. There are no twilight shifts. Responsibility is for the medical take, as well as covering medical inpatients and taking referrals from other inpatient specialties. Week evenings, weekends and nights are as the “patient safety SpR” covering unwell patients on the wards. GIM is busy with a large take for the size of hospital, and one GIM take SpR overnight. However, acute and general medical consultants, and ITU are supportive. |
On call commitment for elderly care |
No formal elderly care on call |
Strengths of the Post |
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Learning Opportunities |
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Subspecialty opportunities |
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Commuting Information: 1h 15 minutes to Cambridge by car, 2.5 hours by public transport. 30 minutes to Chelmsford by car, or 20 minutes by train. 30 minutes to Ipswich by car, or 20 minutes by train. 1h to Southend by car, 2hrs by public transport 1h to Basildon by car, 1.5hrs by public transport |
Further Travel Information |
Train: Colchester is the nearest rail station, it is a 15min walk, or a few minute drive to the hospital. It is 55 minutes from London Liverpool street Car Park: Staff parking available. This can be paid for per day or monthly depending on requirements. We are a short drive from junction Cycling: Staffs Shower facilities are available within the children’s unit. Cycle parking and Lockers are available. Bus: The bus services 8, 8a and 65 provide a 10-15 minute frequency service from the town centre and North Station to Colchester General Hospital, dropping off in Turner Road and picking up outside the hospital’s main entrance. There are many other bus services to the town centre from around and outside Colchester, which can be combined with the 8 and 65 to get to Colchester General Hospital. Park & Ride: Since January 2017 Colchester Park and Ride buses heading from the site off Junction 28 of the A12 now serve the new stop along Northern Approach Road, outside the hospital. |
Click Here to visit their website
Trust |
Hinchingbrooke - North West Anglia - NHS Foundation Trust |
DGH or Teaching? |
DGH |
Description of Geriatric Service |
2 wards: Cherry – general geriatrics and orthogeriatrics (30 beds) Apple – stroke rehabilitation and general geriatrics (25 beds) |
Educational Lead |
Dr Liz Ellis |
On call GIM commitment |
1 in 10 GIM rota |
On call commitment for elderly care |
No subspecialty specific on calls |
Strengths of the Post |
Friendly supportive environment in a small hospital. Lots of feedback from consultants, both in geriatrics and GIM. Very manageable take size with lots of opportunities for general and acute medicine experience. Registrars do not count towards ward staffing and so ward jobs should not interfere with clinic work. Opportunities for audit/quality improvement work, particularly because the hospital is small and thus it is relatively easy to implement change. |
Learning Opportunities |
Orthogeriatrics, stroke rehabillitation, general geriatrics. Flexibility to arrange other learning opportunities such as palliative care or with other medical specialities |
Subspecialty opportunities |
Orthogeriatrics including weekly bone health clinic Stroke rehabilitation |
Trainee comments |
Friendly supportive environment both within geriatrics and within GIM. |
Linked Trusts and Commuting Information Huntingdon train station is a short walk away with direct trains to London Kings Cross (about 50 minutes) and Peterborough. Huntingdon is very accessible for those living near the A1 or Cambridge and if driving it is generally very easy to find a parking space. |
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Peterborough |
Hinchingbrooke has now merged with Peterborough to become North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust, but it is not expected that the registrar would cover both sites. Driving time Huntingdon to Peterborough is about half an hour. |
Addenbrooke’s |
The A14 is highly variable and currently undergoing major improvement. If traveling against the Cambridge bound traffic, it takes about 40 minutes to travel to Hinchingbrooke from Cambridge. |
Click Here to visit their website
Website: East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust (esneft.nhs.uk) |
Description of Geriatric Service |
JPUH is in the process of developing care of the elderly services with the recruitment of at least three new consultants. Still there are plenty of opportunities to get good training in various aspects of Geriatric Medicine. Acute Geriatrics patients are mainly based on 32 bedded Ward 12 with multidisciplinary teams trained for care of elderly patients. There is a newly established frailty assessment unit that provides comprehensive geriatric Assessment for frail elderly during normal working hours and works like a day unit. There is well established orthogeriatrics services with daily ward rounds. Fracture Liaison Service is going to be up and running soon There is DEXA Scan service at site and opportunity to learn if interested James Paget University Hospital provides 24 hours stroke thrombolysis service with well-established HASU where patients are assessed twice daily by the consultants including the weekends. There are options available to get a week’s attachment in psychogeriatric, palliative care and get experience in tissue viability |
Clinical Lead |
Dr M. Zaidi |
Educational Lead |
Dr D. Makkuni |
On call GIM commitment |
1 in 10 on call commitment. Wide variety of cases seen on the front door which enable the trainee to practically tick the entire GIM curriculum. CCU experience during on call. Opportunity to liaise with HDU/ITU in the care of the acutely ill patient. Experience in ambulatory care sharing rota with other SpR Dedicated team of experienced Acute and General physician with keen interest in teaching and training |
On call commitment for elderly care |
No formal on call commitment for elderly care |
Strengths of the Post |
Extremely friendly hospital and all consultants are very approachable Great opportunity to develop skills in orthogeriatrics with twice weekly led consultant ward round. Excellent stroke unit which gives the trainee exposure to thrombolysis and experience on HASU. Daily TIA clinics with daily access to CT and MRI head and CTCA. Access to CT Perfusion scans in office hours when this is clinically indicated. Opportunity to do the Psychiatric and Palliative care attachment for a week. General Medical Clinics in which patients above the age 18 can be seen. Very easy to get all SLEs done. Well established Simulation training centre run by Dr Green who is the lead for simulation for East of England Twice weekly pleural clinic (Chest tube insertion) run by consultant chest physician |
Learning Opportunities |
Weekly teaching for different medical specialities - everyone welcome to attend. Weekly Grand Rounds. Very easy to get study leave for external events even at short notice! |
Subspecialty opportunities |
Orthogeriatrics Frailty Stroke |
Trainee comments |
“I have been enjoying the post. Everyone is very supportive and understanding. Easy and relatively quick commute form Norwich. Study leave for external events is actively encouraged and it has been one the easiest post to get study leave approved". |
Commuting Information From Norwich via A47 around 40 mins |
Description of Geriatric Service |
Lister Hospital consists of two main 30 bed wards with a 24-bed frailty/acute geriatrics unit
Normally we have 4 SpRs on the rotation |
Clinical Lead |
Catherine Rippingale |
Educational Lead |
Catherine Bond |
On call GIM commitment |
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On call commitment for elderly care |
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Strengths of the Post |
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Learning Opportunities |
Our trust can also provide support to our trainees by our dedicated team of palliative care specialist nurses and a consultant as well as Psychogeriatrics RAID (Rapid assessment and Interface discharge) team. The frailty service also provide community sessions including support from National Vanguard project, GP with special interest in frailty and frailty specialist nurses. The trust also has a dedicated dementia specialist team. The frailty service also provides community sessions including input to the MDT for the community frailty clinic run by GPs with special interest in frailty and frailty specialist therapists. The trust also has a dedicated dementia specialist nurse. POPS service has now commenced with plans to expand whole hospital CGA model in future |
Subspecialty opportunities |
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Trainee comments |
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Linked Trusts and Commuting Information
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Addenbrooke’s |
Approx. 45 minutes commute |
Watford |
Approx. 45 minutes commute |
Bedford |
Approx. 40 minutes commute |
Name | Secretary and contact details | Sub specialty | Clinics |
Dr Catherine Rippingale |
Jo Hannah joanne.hannah1@nhs.net 01438 28 4007 |
Orthogeriatrics & Bone health/ Falls / Surgical Liasion/ Dementia | General Geriatric / Orthogeriatric & Bone health |
Dr Emma Lines |
Jo Hannah joanne.hannah1@nhs.net 01438 28 4007 |
Orthogeriatrics & Bone health/ Falls / Surgical liasion | General Geriatric / Orthogeriatric & Bone health |
Dr Shahid Khan | Veronica Pereira veronicapereira@nhs.net 01438 28 5425 | Cardiovascular / Heart failure / training and education | General Geriatric / Heart failure /Complex need MDT |
Dr Deepak Jain | liz Smith lizsmith@nhs.net 01438 28 5838 | Falls / training and education | General Geriatric / Heart failure / Falls |
Dr Adil Zargar |
Liz Smith 01438 28 5838 |
Falls | Falls / Complex need MDT/Audit lead |
Dr Catherine Bond |
Audra Gow audra.gow1@nhs.net 01438 28 5839 |
Frailty & Interface Geriatrician | One stop fraity clinic / Virtual community MDT/frailty hotline |
Dr Richard Press |
Audra Gow audra.gow1@nhs.net 01438 28 5839 |
Frailty |
Frailty & Interface Geriatrician One stop fraity clinic / Virtual community MDT/frailty hotline |
Dr Claire Grout |
Audra Gow audra.gow1@nhs.net 01438 28 5839 |
Frailty |
Frailty & Interface Geriatrician One stop fraity clinic / Virtual community MDT/frailty hotline |
Dr Swapna Reddy |
Audra Gow audra.gow1@nhs.net 01438 28 5839 |
Frailty |
Frailty & Interface Geriatrician One stop fraity clinic / Virtual community MDT/frailty hotline |
Dr Lucy-Anne Frank |
Audra Gow audra.gow1@nhs.net 01438 28 5839 |
Frailty |
Frailty & Interface Geriatrician One stop fraity clinic / Virtual community MDT/frailty hotline |
Click Here to visit their website
01438 28 5839 |
Description of Geriatric Service |
DME: 64 beds - 4 bedded bays in 2 wards purpose built for frail elderly with good space. Each ward has 8 single bedded side rooms, variable outliers projected as 150 beds including rehab beds and delayed discharge ward. The DME dept has 16 permanent Geriatric consultants and 4 locum consultants & 5 permanent Stroke consultants ( 5 of them are established MRCP examiners and 6 final MB examiners for UCLH) Stroke: 40 beds include 8 stroke HDU beds |
Clinical Lead |
Clinical Director for DME - Dr Mohammed Didi Clinical Director for Stroke Medicine – Dr Lakshmanan Sekaran |
Educational Lead |
Dr Susantha Wijayasiri |
On calls |
Comprehensive geriatric Assessments during oncalls Unselected on calls on a shift basis Weekend on-calls only for Geriatric wards Opportunities for on-call thrombolysis |
Learning Opportunities |
Daily lunch time teaching Monday medical and DME educational meeting and patient safety meeting Tuesday - Grand round includes Schwartz round every 3rd Tuesday Wednesday – Radiology MDT Thursday: every 1st Thursday Clinical governance , Every 2nd Thursday Mortality meeting, every 3rd Thursday DME Business meeting Friday DME educational meeting Research opportunities – to complete Consent training, GCP course and to become co-investigator in one of the ongoing clinical trials. Opportunities to undertake QIA – dedicated time Opportunities to shadow Managers and offer Trust wide improvement suggestions. Opportunities to be part of teaching activities – teaching junior doctors, MRCP candidates, simulation course activities, observership to Final MB examinations & MRCP examinations, link up to University of Bedfordshire - pursue certificate/diploma/MSc in medical education |
Subspecialty opportunities |
CGA clinics, PD clinics, Falls & syncope clinics(including CSM & Tilt tests), frailty clinics, ambulatory clinics, TIA & Stroke clinics, Bone health clinics. |
Linked Trusts and Commuting Information |
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Travel Information |
Train/Tube to Luton Railway Station, the Hospital is located a 10 minute car/taxi journey, 14–18 minute bus ride or 1 hour walk away). Bus: Centre bus runs route number X31 between Luton Station/Town Centre and Flitwick, Toddington and Milton Keynes. It stops next to the hospital on Dunstable Road. Car/Parking: Less than 5 minutes from M1 Junction 11. Staff car-parking is located at Faringdon Fields Car Park, off Calnwood Road and at the Breast Screening Car Park, off Lewsey Road. Both car parks are less than 5 minutes’ walk to the hospital. Current staff car-parking charge is £1.20 per day. |
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Click Here to visit their website.
Description of Geriatric Service |
Number of beds, wards, arrangements for consults etc There are 4 Geriatric wards in PCH including Stroke, and one Frailty assessment unit. There are about 32 beds in each of the Geriatric wards except on ward which is shared with the Endocrine specialty.The frailty unit is made up of about 12 beds. |
Educational Lead |
Dr Sunku Guptha |
On call GIM commitment |
1: 6. That is Sets of night shifts ever 2 to 3 weeks and a weekend day shifts every 2 to 3 months. Ideally 2 Medical registrars on call at night. Cover both GIM and Elderly care in ED Resus, MAU and the wards. |
On call commitment for elderly care |
As above. |
Strengths of the Post |
Good and feasible opportunity to do the sub – specialty placements and also DOPS. Nice and supportive consultants. |
Learning Opportunities |
Plenty and you will be overwhelmed! Weekly teachings stretching throughout the week and with opportunities to present at the General medical and clinical governance meetings. Easy to organise study leave except if you are on call. |
Subspecialty opportunities |
Opportunities are available for all sub specialties experience. |
Trainee comments |
"I am enjoying the training aspect of it. I have been able to gain experiences in different sub specialties with ease and maximum support. It is a very busy hospital though with frequent night on calls." |
Linked Trusts and Commuting Information (generally linked to Hinchingbrooke and Addenbrooke's) |
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Hinchinbrooke |
Hinchingbrooke is now merged with Peterborough and Stamford hospital known as North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust. |
Click Here to visit their website
Description of Geriatric Service |
2 general wards, end of life and dementia ward, frailty unit and fractured neck of femur unit. |
Clinical Lead |
Dr Kapila Gunasekera |
Educational Lead |
Dr Ainkaran Muthiah |
On call GIM commitment |
On call GIM 1:10 non-selected take |
On call commitment for elderly care |
No separate geriatric on call |
Strengths of the Post |
Very well supported by keen team of geriatricians |
Learning Opportunities |
Orthogeriatrics (Dr Jane Snook); Frailty (Dr Qasim Shah); Palliative care; Very good links to psychogeriatrics |
Trainee comments |
Trainees generally report good experience |
Commuting Information Travel by car or rail from London Liverpool Street - around 50 minutes approx |
Click Here to visit their website
Trust |
Queen Elizabeth Hospital King’s Lynn NHS Foundation Trust |
DGH or Teaching? |
DGH |
Description of Geriatric Service |
Frailty in-reach (AMU) Rotational consultant Rachel Burridge (Consultant Nurse in Frailty) Rowan Davies (Physician Associate in Frailty) Windsor ward (Acute frailty) 33 beds Dr James Casson (CCT Geriatric medicine/GIM) Dr Harriet Nash (CCT Geriatric medicine/GIM) Dr Mathew Gilbert (CCT Geriatric medicine/GIM) West Newton ward (Complex frailty/Dementia) 28 beds Dr Katie Honney (CCT Geriatric medicine/GIM) Dr Fiona Macmillan (CCT Geriatric medicine/GIM) West Raynham ward (Stroke unit) 29 beds Dr Raj Shekhar (CCT Geriatric medicine/Stroke/GIM) Dr James Phillips (CCT Geriatric medicine /GIM) Dr Umesh Rai (CCT Geriatric medicine/Stroke/GIM) Dr Leslie Mtariswa (CCT Acute medicine/Stroke/GIM) Gayton ward (Orthogeriatrics) Dr Pradip Sarda (CCT Geriatric medicine/GIM) |
Clinical Lead |
Dr James Casson |
Educational Lead |
Dr James Casson |
On call GIM commitment |
Weekdays on call AMU on call Monday-Friday 8.30-21.00 (1 in 21) Ward cover on call Monday-Friday 17:00-21.00 (1 in 21) H@N Monday-Thursday 20.30-9.00 (1 in 21) Weekends on call H@N Friday-Sunday 20.30-9.00 (1 in 21) AMU on call Saturday-Sunday 8.30-21.00 (1 in 21) Ward cover on call Saturday-Sunday 8.30-21.00 (1 in 21) |
On call commitment for elderly care |
As above. |
Strengths of the Post |
QEHKL has 5 consultant geriatricians who have come through the East of England training programme within the last 5 years. The department had the highest overall satisfaction rating (91.17%) for Geriatric medicine within the deanery in the 2017 and 2018 GMC National Training Survey. Regional study days are pre-booked into rota and do not require study leave application. |
Learning Opportunities |
QEHKL has excellent opportunities in both Geriatrics and General Internal Medicine. We have recently developed a comprehensive training curriculum for geriatric medicine with the input from previous trainees at the trust. |
Subspecialty opportunities |
Frailty QEHKL is part of the acute frailty network. We have a dedicated acute frailty unit with direct admissions of appropriate frail patients from ED and other acute areas. We provide daily in-reach to the acute medical unit for all frail patients >75 years old. Movement disorders We have visiting neurologists from Addenbrooke’s who are happy for trainees to join their weekly movement disorder clinics. We also support flexible professional leave for those that wish to visit specialist centres for an attachment. Falls and syncope There is a falls and bone health clinic with Dr Sarda. Dr Casson, Dr Honney, Dr Nash and Dr Gilbert also run weekly frailty clinics which trainees are encouraged to join. We support professional leave to attend tilt table testing at other trusts. Orthogeriatrics We have a dedicated orthogeriatric service led by Dr Sarda on Gayton ward. Trainees can be involved in pre-operative assessment and leading MDT meetings. There are also opportunities to join rheumatology led osteoporosis clinics. Continence We have previously funded trainees to attend a dedicated national continence conference. There is an urodynamics clinic that trainees are encouraged to attend. We also support sessions with specialist nurses in the community continence clinics. Dementia and Psychogeriatric services Dr Honney is the dementia lead for the trust. Trainees can attend the specialist memory clinic run by consultant psychiatrist Dr Mohammad Mazharuddin at Chatterton House. Attachments can be arranged with the liason old age psychiatry service. Community and interface There are weekly ward rounds and MDTs at two local community hospitals (Swaffham community hospital covered by Dr Casson and North Cambs hospital covered by Dr Honney.) There is a ‘silver phone’ held by consultants daily for communication with local GPs, paramedics and community matrons and access to a rapid access frailty clinic. Stroke West Raynham stroke unit has an A rating from the RCP. There are opportunities to be involved in all aspects of stroke care, acute thrombolysis, TIA clinics and the vascular MDT at Addenbrooke’s. Palliative care We encourage attachments with a local Hospice, Tapping house and our specialist palliative care team. Dr Nash has 2 sessions a week dedicated to palliative care which trainees are encourage to join. Nutrition There is a weekly gastroenterology led MDT nutrition ward round reviewing complex feeding decisions, PEG and TPN. This has had excellent feedback from previous trainees. Tissue viability There is a 2 day attachment with specialist tissue viability nurses, podiatry clinic and visiting plastic surgeons arranged in house. |
Trainee comments |
“This rotation has everything a Trainee can dream of starting from supportive Consultants and Supervisors , ample opportunities for clinics, Quality improvement projects , community services and personal/professional development days. There are multiple scopes of getting procedural competencies signed off as Consultants are flexible with daily work schedule . Highly recommended.”- Dr. Asif Mahmood ST4 |
Linked Trusts and Commuting Information (information from google maps) |
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General Travel Information |
Train: King’s Lynn Railway Station is served by regular services to London King’s Cross via Cambridge (but note it is not possible to travel by train on Sundays due to current timetable) Walk: The hospital is a 30-40 minute walk from the centre of town near the railway station. Cycling: ID-badge secured partially covered cycle parking available. 10-20 minute cycle from railway station. Buses: See ‘Stagecoach in Norfolk’ website for route planner. FirstGroup X1 serves King’s Lynn bus station from Peterborough and Norwich/Great Yarmouth. Driving: Large open air park; very reasonable charges and salary sacrifice scheme available for staff parking. |
Norfolk and Norwich |
41 miles (56 minutes) |
James Paget Hospital, Great Yarmouth |
55 miles (1 hour 29 minutes) |
West Suffolk Hospital |
38 miles (1 hour 12 minutes) |
Description of Geriatric Service |
Our core work is the 12 bedded ambulatory frailty assessment unit and two DME wards (a 34 bed and 24 bed). The frailty assessment unit has continuous senior presence and the two base wards have two consultants per ward. Registrars will rotate base wards every 4 months to ensure access to subspecialty training. |
Clinical Lead |
Dr Leila Bafadhel and Dr John Whitear |
Educational Lead |
Dr Myuran Kaneshamoorthy |
On call commitment for elderly care |
No elderly care specific on call |
On call commitment for GIM |
GIM on-call is a 3 month rolling rota during which time you do 1 week of weekday nights, 1 set of weekend nights, 1 set of twilights, 1 set of evening ward cover and 1 set of weekend Lead SpR day shifts. Day shifts have a long day SpR who is mainly responsible for A&E/GP referrals. There is a Twilight Clerking SpR which starts at 4pm and a Ward SpR who starts at 5pm to help the wards out of hours. There is a friendly and helpful group of Consultants who will do their best to give you some time if you ask for it. A&E referrals at Southend are usually taken by the IMT. |
Learning Opportunities |
Curriculum Training Trainees can expect to attend regular continence clinics aligned to a Consultant Urologist, old age psychiatry regular clinics aligned to a Consultant Psychiatrist and Stroke Clinics aligned to a Consultant Stroke Physician. They also can regularly attend Neurology clinic aligned to a Consultant Neurologist. We also expect trainees to undertake a two week Palliative care attachment, a two week stroke care and Community Geriatrics for two weeks aligned to senior rehabilitation allied health professionals. The trainees can organise sessions with TVN and SALT on an ad hoc basis.
Teaching Opportunities Weekly Grand Round Weekly Hot Cases Weekly Departmental Teaching Weekly Journal Club University links to Barts Hospital in London and Anglia Ruskin Medical School. |
Subspecialty opportunities |
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Trainee Comments |
“DME training is now very well supported with daily opportunities to attend curriculum activities as well as 2 week secondments to Palliative Care, Community care and Stroke Medicine. Lead Consultants very supportive of trainees. Training days are now very easy to get SL for. Very friendly department with adequate junior staffing on the wards. In terms of commuting: There is hospital accommodation at Balmoral Road which is about 20 minute walk to the hospital or 5 minute drive. There is a shuttle bus that takes residents to work in the morning and back again some time shortly after 5pm but there are only one or two trips each way at slightly awkward times. Otherwise there is parking in the multi-storey car park but permits are difficult to get so contact them a good few months in advance of starting. Once you have a permit you can park in there for about £1 per day. Otherwise there is free roadside parking 5 minutes’ walk from the hospital (availability is variable). A number of local buses run to the hospital some of which stop at nearby stations. There are several stations locally but they are not really in walking distance to the hospital so require bus or taxi.” -Previous ST4 Registrar |
Linked Trusts and Commuting Information |
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Basildon |
Approximately 30 minutes by car |
Chelmsford |
Approximately 40-45 minutes by car |
Harlow |
Approximately 90 minutes - 2 hours by car |
Colchester |
Approximately 1 hour by car, 2 hours by train |
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West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust
- Watford General Hospital: Main “hot” site for the trust with A&E, emergency and elective inpatients. Rebuild planned in the next few years
- St Albans City Hospital/Hemel Hempstead Hospital: “Cold” sites with some outpatient clinics, rehab ward
- A large and varied department with 14 FTE consultants with different subspeciality interests, and offering multiple learning opportunities including:
- Stroke – Dr Adesina, Dr Bhandari, Dr Haji-Coll
- A renowned Hyperacute and Acute stroke unit with 24 hour/day thrombolysis (out of hours via telemedicine).
- Daily TIA/stroke prevention clinics
- Dementia/delirium – Dr Cooray
- “Dual Frailty Ward” – Bluebell Ward, with joint input from a consultant geriatrician and consultant psychiatrist
- Delirium Recovery Pathway – an award-winning pathway developed to improve people’s function and cognition at home rather than in hospital.
- Access to the hospital MHLT team, with a specialist older adults’ psychiatric consultant.
- Orthogeriatrics, bone health and falls – Dr Thangaraj
- Perioperative medicine
- Falls assessments
- Falls and bone health clinics
- Orthogeriatrics team for patients with hip fractures, and other appropriate elderly patients
- Frailty/front door geriatrics – Dr Cooray
- New frailty unit, offering comprehensive geriatric assessments to frail elderly patients presenting in crisis (via A&E)
- Development of community working to prevent crises and A&E attendances
- Parkinsons/Movement disorders – Dr Rizvi
- Clinics twice weekly
- Parkinson’s specialist nurse and consultant input for inpatients
- Continence
- Twice weekly nurse led clinics
- General geriatrics wards – Dr Debrah, Dr Alam, Dr Mir, Dr Ranjith, Dr Ekanayake, Dr Martinez
- Clinic experience
- Rapid access
- Specialist clinics as mentioned above
Clinical Lead: Dr Michael Haji-Coll
On call (GIM) commitment:
- Watford is a busy DGH with a 24 hour take of 60-100 patients.
- Two medical registrars at night, one during the day.
- Good support from consultants with continuous reviews of admissions.
- Stroke thrombolysis 24 hours (via telemedicine out of hours)
- 24 hour NIV consultant support.
- CCU with on call cardiology consultant/liaison with tertiary centres.
- Good links with HDU/ITU.
- Wide variety of cases seen.
Geriatric on call commitment:
- Separate COE post take-ward rounds.
- Referrals rota for specialist input on general medical, and other speciality wards.
Learning opportunities
- Weekly COE education sessions, with encouragement to participate and present.
- Monthly Clinical governance sessions
- Encouragement to participate in QIP and audit
- Weekly grand round
Strengths of post
- Multiple subspeciality opportunities
- Friendly, encouraging department
- Ability to attend other speciality clinics (eg pleural clinics, rheumatology clinics, elective cardioversion clinic for DOPS etc)
- Encouragement from consultants to develop with Dr Cooray meeting regularly with trainees for portfolio review
- Award winning stroke service.
Commuting information
- M1 Junction 5, easily commutable from London.
- Significantly better road link since a new road has been built accessing the hospital.
- Metropolitan line station 20 minute walk from WGH.
- Overground station 15 minute walk from WGH.
- Watford Junction station 20 minute walk, with good transport links countrywide.
- Buses stop outside the hospital (numbers 10, 320 and 324).
- Next to Watford Football Club.
- 15 minute walk from Watford Town Centre.
Description of Geriatric Service |
G8 integrated stroke unit: 32 beds for hyperacute, acute and rehab stroke patients. Beds are split between 3 consultants. SpR role to support juniors, WR when consultant not present, on call for thrombolysis when SAS doctor away and stroke follow up and TIA clinics weekly. G4 care of the elderly/general medicine: 12 beds which form the “Acute Frailty Unit” and 10 beds for long and short stay general medical patients - usually under care of the elderly. SpR Role to support juniors, WR when consultants not available and undertaking CGA on the frailty unit. F3 orthogeriatrics: Dr Suresh is the orthogeriatric lead. He does a WR on F3 twice a week and the G4 SpR will review all new admissions and offer their support to the F3 juniors daily. Dr Suresh has a weekly clinic which is a mix of bone health and general CoE. |
Clinical Lead |
Dr Suresh Monaraj/Dr Abdul Azim |
Educational Lead |
Dr Abdul Azim |
On call GIM commitment |
1 in 13 rolling rota (condensed into 1 in 9 with blank weeks) covering AMU for nights, longs day weekdays, long day weekends and short day weekends. |
On call commitment for elderly care |
No formal on call for elderly care |
Strengths of the Post |
One of the friendliest hospitals in the region! Excellent experience in Stroke medicine. Easy to get WBA done Easy to tackle GIM curriculum |
Learning Opportunities |
Neurologist with interest in movement disorders keen to help with clinic attachments There is a urogynae clinic weekly that you can arrange to attend There are weekly journal clubs and grand round teaching CCU experience with GIM on calls |
Subspecialty opportunities |
Stroke and orthogeriatrics covered by core attachments Good links with palliative medicine with a hospice on site |
Trainee comments |
The unselected medical take is probably the least onerous in the region. During the long days there is at least one and usually several consultants in AMU for support advice and feedback. The handover in the morning is a good opportunity to learn from the admissions of the night before, without needing to stay late into the day for the PTWR! |
Linked Trusts and Commuting Information |
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Addenbrooke’s |
34 miles/40 minutes |
Ipswich |
24 miles/ 45 minutes |
Basing yourself in Cambridge for these 3 hospitals makes sense |
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Norwich |
35 miles/1 hour |
King’s Lynn |
38 miles/1 hour 15 minutes |
Basing yourself in Norwich for these 3 hospitals makes sense |
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