Core Training in South Essex (Now part of Essex Partnership University Trust)

The training scheme in South Essex offers opportunities to gain experience within a diverse range of psychiatric specialties.  Training posts are divided between the East side of the trust, based in Rochford Hospital and participating in liaison service at Southend University Hospital on-call; and the West Side of the Trust based in Basildon Mental Health Unit with liaison on-call to Basildon and Thurrock University Hospital.  Training posts are also located in a number of in-patient and community teams within the same catchment areas. 

Over the course of training, each trainee will complete at least 6 months of   General Adult Psychiatry and six months of Psychiatry of Old Age, gaining a range of inpatient, Psychiatric Intensive Care, Assessment Unit, Outpatient, Memory Service and Rehabilitation experience.

The Medical Psychotherapy training is a particular strength of training in South Essex, where one year core training posts combining Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Medical Psychotherapy allows a valuable opportunity to gain an understanding of child and personality development and to work with complex patients over an extended time period.  Trainees are encouraged to gain experience in a range of modalities including CBT, psychodynamic and group psychodynamic psychotherapy, family systemic therapy and mentalisation based therapy.  All trainees are well supported by Consultant Psychiatrists in Medical Psychotherapy to achieve psychotherapy competences.  

Forensic Psychiatry placements are within Brockfield House, a purpose built 88 bedded unit, where core trainees gain experience in low and medium secure settings and have the opportunity of partaking in gatekeeping-assessments in higher security settings.  The remaining core training posts are within Psychiatry of Learning Disability within both inpatient and outpatient settings and Addiction Psychiatry working with the local Community Drug and Alcohol Services.  

An in-house MRCPsych course is run in partnership with North Essex and takes place weekly in Chelmsford.  Core trainees approaching CASC examination participate in additional CASC training within the Deanery.  Further formal teaching is provided at weekly Postgraduate teaching in Rochford Hospital, where trainees are expected to participate in teaching sessions including critical appraisal, audit and case presentation.  Weekly Balint group forms an important training experiences and core trainees attend for the duration of their training, along with GP and Foundation trainees.  Weekly individual supervision with a clinical supervisor and regular meetings with an Educational Supervisor assist trainees in identifying and meeting their individual training needs.

Trainees are encouraged to actively participate in leadership and service improvement and a number of trainees have completed Quality Improvement Fellowships during core or higher training.  

The benefits of living in Essex are many.  One benefits from competitive house prices, high quality of state schools, the benefits of city living but also the access to nature reserves, beaches and woodland areas.  With an easy commute to London or Cambridge and the University of Essex, trainees have ample opportunity for pursuing further qualifications, training and special interests.

We would be delighted to speak to you further should you have any questions before applying for core training or to arrange visits.  Please contact the following;

• Dr Abu Abraham, Clinical Tutor  

For more information about our trust click here.