Welcome to our GPVTS website. If you are a GP
Registrar on the scheme already, this is the place to come for the
latest information about the course, social events and other activities.
If you are thinking of joining us, have a look around and then apply
- you know it makes sense!
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The Canterbury part of the scheme offers some of the best SHO posts in the region...
Kent & Canterbury Hospital has a long history of links with the
London teaching hospitals, and has always been a centre of excellence
for medical education. Even in recent times, when there has been uncertainty
about the hospital's future, Canterbury posts have been in demand.
The Paediatrics, Obstetrics & Gynaecology, and Healthcare of Older
People jobs will all take place at the K&C.
The two other principal venues are :
St Martins Hospital, an 86 bed unit for acute psychiatry plus psychogeriatrics
located on the outskirts of Canterbury.
The Pilgrim's Hospice centre for palliative care, located in the centre
of the city.
Healthcare of Older People (HCOOP)
Kent & Canterbury Hospital
Dr I. Sturgess
Dr A. Heller
Dr J. Potter
Dr A. Owen
Dr G. Batty
Dr I. Carpenter
Dr S. O'Riordan
Dr R. Sumithipala
HCOOP Department
Kent & Canterbury Hospital
Canterbury, Kent, CT1 3NG
Tel. 01227 766877
This is a busy but enjoyable job,
where SHOs will gain experience of both acute general
medicine and rehabilitation of patients aged 75 years
and over. The job runs on a partial shift rota at band
2a, with five SHOs, two of whom will be on the GPVT scheme.
The partial shift system works in conjunction with general
adult medicine and the specialities (renal, haematology
and oncology) so there are many opportunities to gain
useful experience out of hours.
The two GPVTS SHOs in this post work primarily for Drs
Sturgess and Batty, and will have responsibility for acute
admissions under these consultants, as well as looking
after those patients that have been transferred on to
the dedicated Rehabilitation Unit at the Kent & Canterbury
Hospital. They will work as part of the multidisciplinary
team of nurses, physiotherapists, OTs, speech & language
therapists etc.
SHOs on the GP scheme have Wednesday afternoons free to
attend the regular GP teaching sessions. There is also
an excellent teaching program organized by the HCOOP department,
including regular lunchtime meetings, and bleep-free Friday
afternoon teaching held jointly with the medical SHOs
preparing for MRCP.
General and Community Paediatrics
Kent & Canterbury Hospital
Mary Sheridan Centre
Dr N. Martin
Dr D. Long
Dr T. Newson
Dr F. McDonald
Dr Y. Parks
Dr A. Sumithipala
Paediatric Department
Kent & Canterbury Hospital
Canterbury, Kent, CT1 3NG
Tel. 01227 766877
The department consists of four
consultants, two registrars, two Staff Grades and ten
SHOs, three of whom are on the GPVT scheme. Two further
consultants working in Community Paediatrics provide
training during two weeks of community attachment. There
are 26 beds in the general paediatric ward, as well
as 9 cots and a paediatric HDU.
SHOs will be working in general paediatrics, looking
after children from 0 to 16 years of age. Acute admissions
from A&E and general practice are seen in the Paediatric
Department, and SHOs will be responsible for assessment
and treatment, under the supervision of the SpRs and
consultants.
This is a busy but friendly department - the consultants
are very 'hands-on' and approachable, and excellent
teaching is provided throughout the post. This occurs
in numerous lunchtime meetings (try to find a day when
there isn't teaching!) and less formally, during morning
ward-rounds. GPVTS SHOs also have time off on Wednesdays
to attend the regular VTS teaching. As part of the rota,
SHOs will also have the opportunity to attend specialist
outpatient clinics of their choice, and there are two
weeks of organized community experience.
The rota is currently a partial shift on a six-week cycle. Night shifts occur in two blocks of three, during each cycle.
Adult and Community Psychiatry
St Martins Hospital
Laurel House
Kent & Canterbury Hospital
Faversham Health Centre
Dr W. Bamber
Dr J. Mitchell
Canterbury Mental Health Team,
Laurel House,
41 Old Dover Road
Canterbury, Kent, CT1 1HH
Tel. 01227
There are twenty-two psychiatric
consultants in the East Kent Community NHS Trust, four
Specialist Registrars and fourteen SHOs. Two of these
SHOs are part of our Vocational Training Scheme.
You will be working for either Dr Bamber or Dr Mitchell.
Most work is at the Psychiatric Unit at St Martins Hospital.
You will also be working closely with the Canterbury Mental
Health Team which will provide Community experience and
involve work with other disciplines (social workers and
CPNs etc.) allowing familiarity with the function of the
Psychiatric system. There is an on-call rota covering
St Martins Hospital and Kent & Canterbury Hospital,
running 1 in 5 at band 2a.
Firm 1 - Dr Bill Bamber
This post is primarily ward-based and provides experience
in looking after acutely ill adult psychiatric patients.
Patients are located on three wards at St Martins Hospital,
with some day patients. During a six-month period, the
trainee will become familiar with history-taking, mental
state examination, managing psychiatric emergencies, and
will become experienced in day-to-day management of acute
psychiatric illness. There is one outpatient session a
week (supervised) in which the SHO will clerk-in a new
patient and then present for a quarter of an hour. The
SHO will also follow-up patients discharged from the wards,
and attend weekly team meetings with the mental health
team at Laurel House. When sufficiently competent and
experienced, they will take referrals from team members
and may go out with them on visits. In addition, the SHO
will do one day of liaison psychiatry a week and take
part in the ECT rota. SHOs may from time to time have
the opportunity to teach a medical student from St George's
University, Grenada. The postholder will have the opportunity
to undertake supervised psychotherapy with one patient,
or more if interested.
Firm 2 - Dr Jennifer Mitchell
This attachment offers an opportunity to be part of a
well-organized Community Mental Health Team for the Faversham
area. It offers a wide range of experiences and opportunities
to manage patients - from inpatient care, through day
hospital, to intensive community support in the outpatient
setting. Work will start under close supervision, but
the SHO will gradually accept more responsibility as their
confidence grows. The hospital base is St Martins Hospital,
Canterbury, and the junior doctor is expected to carry
out duty doctor sessions at this base, plus a session
of liaison psychiatry at the Kent & Canterbury Hospital.
An out patient clinic is held weekly at Faversham Health
Centre. The postholder will have the opportunity to undertake
supervised psychotherapy with one patient - or more, depending
on aptitude and interest.
Obstetrics & Gynaecology
Kent & Canterbury Hospital
Dr K. Neales
Mr N. Agboola
Mr N. Rafla
Mr M. Milligan
Mr L. Shaw
Dept. of Womens' Health
Kent & Canterbury Hospital
Canterbury, Kent, CT1 3NG
Tel. 01227 766877
This is an excellent six-month
post in which you will gain experience in managing acute
and chronic gynaecological problems, and obstetrics. There
are five consultants, five registrars, one staff grade
and five SHOs - two of whom are on the GPVT scheme.
The job runs on a partial shift system at band 2a. The
rota looks horrendously complicated when you first see
it, but is actually quite straightforward in practice
and pleasant to work. There is a five-week cycle starting
with three weeks of days, then a week of nights (9pm-9am)
followed by nine days off - which includes both annual
and study leave. There are three clinical firms, and SHOs
rotate through them, changing over at the end of each
five-week cycle.
Firm 1 - Mr N. Agboola,
Mr N. Rafla & Mr M. Milligan
The SHO is responsible for the pre- and post-operative
care of elective surgical gynae patients, as well as acute
gynae admissions under these consultants. The SHO is also
responsible for Mr Agboola's antenatal and postnatal patients
on the main maternity ward. You will see patients in the
Antenatal Clinic with Mr Agboola once a week, and will
assist in theatre for Mr Milligan's and Mr Rafla's lists,
and in elective sections. There is a gynae OPD with Mr
Rafla every two weeks.
Firm 2 - Dr K. Neales &
Mr L.Shaw
This is a busy firm where you will be responsible for
the pre- and post-operative care of Dr Neales' elective
gynae surgical patients, as well as acute admissions.
The SHO also has responsibility for antenatal and postnatal
patients in the maternity ward. There is a gynae clinic
with Dr Neales where you will see new patients and present
them, and another gynae clinic with Mr Shaw. You will
assist Dr Neales on gynae theatre lists, and also assist
in elective Caesarian sections. You will also see patients
in Dr Neales' Antenatal Clinic once a week.
Firm 3 - Delivery Suite
& On-Call
On this part of the rota, the SHO will be on-call for
acute gynae admissions and obstetric emergencies during
the day. You will take calls from GPs and A&E, and
be the first to see and assess patients that arrive in
A&E, although you are very well supported by the staff
grade and registrars. You will also be called by the Early
Pregnancy Unit, the Fetal Medicine Unit and Delivery Suite
to assess patients with acute obstetric problems at all
stages of gestation. You will assist in augmented deliveries,
emergency Caesarians, ERPCs and laparoscopies - keen SHOs
are encouraged to learn to perform some of these procedures
themselves! The midwives in the unit are very friendly
and approachable - especially if you offer to make the
odd cup of tea.
There are regular lunchtime teaching sessions, aimed at
SHOs planning to sit the DRCOG exam at the end of the
post. In addition there is a half-day 'Skills Drills'
course in handling obstetric emergencies.
Palliative Care
Pilgrims' Hospice, Canterbury
Kent & Canterbury Hospital
Consultants:
Dr
Palliative Advisory Team
Pilgrims Hospice,
London Road,
Canterbury, Kent
Tel.
