The Anglia Specialist Training Scheme in the Psychiatry of Learning Disability is now well established across East Anglia. By August 2009 the rotation will comprise ten funded placements in Norfolk, Cambridge, Peterborough, Huntingdon, Bedford, St Albans, Watford, Stevenage, Radlett, Cambridge and Braintree. Trainees will be expected to rotate to different placements each year during the three years of the training programme. The scheme is organised so that rotations take place as far as it is possible within a more limited area within the region. Each placement within the training scheme offers core clinical experience, primarily in adult learning disability. Additional core or special interest experience in child learning disability is available in Cambridge, Bedford and Huntingdon. Special interest experience is also available in a wide range of topics including Community Paediatrics, Child Development, Clinical Genetics, Asperger's Syndrome, Epilepsy, Neuropsychiatry and Forensic Psychiatry. Most placements are community orientated and the trainee will work with colleagues in multidisciplinary teams. The Cambridge placement offers the opportunity for links with the academic department of Psychiatry and the Learning Disability Research Group at the University of Cambridge facilitating research and undergraduate teaching opportunities for the trainee at the University of Cambridge. Additional forensic learning disability service experience is available in the posts based in Bedford, Norwich and Peterborough.

Specialist training in the Psychiatry of Learning Disability is supervised by a Specialist Training Committee chaired by the Programme Director and such supervision is envisaged to continue in the future. The Programme Director meets with the trainees on a regular basis and rotation between placements is on the basis of training need and the wishes of individual trainees as far as it is possible. In addition, the rotation has implemented an Educational Supervisor structure as outlined in the 'Gold Guide'. The academic programme consists of a three-year programme of seminars, lectures and case conferences, overseen by the Programme's Education Director, which aim to provide a comprehensive academic training in developmental psychiatry and learning disability. Whole day seminars covering specific topics relevant to learning disability are organised by colleagues in different parts of the region. Each of the Trusts also organises local academic programmes and trainees are also encouraged to attend programmes organised by the Trust where they are working. Further details of the training scheme, academic programme, and research opportunities are available from Dr Howard Ring, Programme Director