We have over 100 postgraduate doctors in training, including foundation trainees, trainees in general practice (GP), and core and higher specialty trainees in psychiatry. Most services employ at least one trainee. Each trainee has an educational and clinical supervisor. As well as regular meetings with their educational supervisor, trainees have weekly hourly meeting with their clinical supervisor. In addition, trainees receive training in the workplace and attend local educational programmes.
The Trust is a lead provider of training programmes in core psychiatry training and higher specialty training in general adult and old age psychiatry. We are a local education provider for other higher specialty training programmes where the lead providers are the South London and Maudsley Foundation NHS Trust (for forensic psychiatry, child and adolescent psychiatry and the psychiatry of learning disability) and UCL Partners (for medical psychotherapy).
In addition, we host GP and foundation training posts on the South West London training programmes.
Benefits of training with us
These are some of the benefits of training in the Trust, as identified by our trainees:
- Clinical experience in a variety of services at a range of sites
- Experience of a wide range of specialties
- Experience of different cultures and the impact of this on mental health
- A variety of on-call experience - in the local community and Emergency Departments, and on the psychiatry inpatient wards
- A specially tailored induction programme
- The weekly Academic Programmes
- The MRCPsych Course for core psychiatry trainees
- Psychotherapy experience, including a weekly supervision group
- Trainee social events
- A mentorship programme for core psychiatry trainees
- Trainee representation on various Trust committees
Our educational facilities
- Postgraduate Centres - There are two main Postgraduate Centres within the Trust based at Springfield and Tolworth Hospitals. Each Centre has postgraduate staff who organise the academic programmes and support the local trainees.
- Library facilities - Library services are provided for all staff to support evidence-based clinical care, education and training, and service development. All Trust staff are automatically members of the libraries.
- Physical Health Skills Lab - The Physical Health Skills team provides a comprehensive range of training courses in physical health care within the Physical Health Skills Lab, including key mandatory courses for all staff. The aim of the team is to create a centre of excellence in physical skills training for staff. The Lab also has audio-visual equipment for filming that can be used for educational purposes.
Courses
All trainees will have a dedicated postgraduate training programme for their specialty. In addition, we run two multidisciplinary academic programmes which are open to all Trust staff and some specialties also run-specialty specific academic programmes.
Trainees can apply for study leave and funding to revise for postgraduate exams and to attend external training.
Simulation training
Simulation training is led by an experienced consultant and supervisor. All trainees undertake simulation training in a number of areas, including risk assessment and the management of medical emergencies. Trainees also have the opportunity to take part in simulation-based projects, such as the production of training videos, and to act as trainers for other staff.
Teaching opportunities
All Trust trainees get the opportunity to take part in teaching and training of other staff and students. In particular, we have close links with St George's University of London and over 250 medical students spend time training in the Trust every year.
We encourage our trainees to undertake training in teaching and presentation skills. We also ensure that all our higher specialty trainees undertake the training required to become an educational supervisor, as soon as they take up their first consultant post.
Management and leadership training
We encourage trainees to develop their management and leadership skills throughout their training. There are opportunities to undertake specific training and to participate in service improvement projects and audits within the Trust.
Research opportunities
We encourage trainees to gain research skills and experience. This can include participation in research projects, writing up projects for publication and poster presentations, and increasing skills in critical appraisal. Experienced clinical academics can support trainees in undertaking research and we have many examples of successful research publications and presentations by trainees in the Trust.
Trainee representation
We encourage trainee representation and involvement throughout the Trust. In particular, trainees are members of the Trust Medical Staff Committees and the Postgraduate Medical Education Committee. We also run a regular Trust-wide Trainees Forum to allow issues of interest to trainees to be discussed with Trust senior management.
Support for trainees
All trainees have access to support services both within and outside the Trust, including the Trust Staff Support Service and the London-wide Professional Support Unit.