Obstetric and Gynaecology trainees are in the following hospitals. There are currently two South West O&G rotations, the former Severn and Peninsula areas as below (please note that rotations are currently under review with an aim to improve the working lives of our Resident Doctors):
Former Severn area
- St Michaels (St. Michael's University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust)
- Southmead (Southmead Hospital, North Bristol NHS Trust)
- Gloucestershire Royal (Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust)
- Royal United (The Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust)
- The Great Western (Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Swindon)
- Musgrove Park (Musgrove Park, Somerset NHS Foundation Trust)
Severn area ST1 and ST2 trainees are placed at St Michael’s, Southmead, The Great Western Hospital, The Royal United and Musgrove Park. Severn area ST3-7 trainees are placed throughout the severn area in all 6 Trusts. The educational needs of the trainee are primarily responsible for the allocation of training placements.
Former Peninsula area
- Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust - Derriford Hospital
- Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust - Barnstaple (ST1 only) and Exeter
- Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust - Torbay Hospital
- Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust - Truro Hospital
Doctors in training moving to ST2 from ST1 will either remain in their current hospital trust or will be expected to rotate to another trust within the area to undertake their ST2 year. This will be based on the vacancies available and the training needs of the individual.
Doctors in ST1 posts will work in both Obstetrics & Gynaecology to learn the basic elements of the specialty and in general are allocated to consultant teams to maintain continuity of care and supervision. Doctors at ST1 and ST2 level will be closely involved in day to day management and admission of inpatients, patients undergoing elective surgery and obstetric patients, always under appropriate supervision.
They will initially observe and then participate in the antenatal clinic and outpatient gynaecology work. The specialty of obstetrics & gynaecology offers unparalleled opportunities to learn practical procedures and surgical skills such as suturing, caesarean sections and instrumental deliveries and minor gynaecological procedures. A wide range of presenting problems can be seen and experienced, ranging from high risk obstetrics, maternal medicine, infertility, menstrual problems, sexual health and cancer.
Good personal skills and ability to prioritise are required to deal with sensitive area of practice, high levels of emotion and successful working with teams of nurses, midwives and other doctors. Successful candidates will be expected to make progress in the completion of the basic training sections of the RCOG log book and to contribute to departmental educational meetings and audit. Teaching programmes are organised in every hospital in the region. Details of the rotas and timetables in each hospital are constantly under review and will only be available nearer the time of the start of the post.
At ST3 level Doctors in training will be expected to gain the necessary competencies by rotating throughout the region in order to gain the relevant experience.
All trainees attend at least 5 regional training days, these are across both the Severn and Peninsula regions (South West Obstetric and Gynaecology Training days). These SWOT days are trainee centred and are designed to supplement the RCOG StratOG educational resource. Other educational days are available for trainees to attend and cover more specific topics of interest and are more appropriate for senior trainees.
Enthusiastic and dedicated college tutors support trainees in the Severn region. The trainees committee has a long history of full involvement in training issues and Severn region trainees continue to play a prominent role in national Obstetric and Gynaecological training issues.
Rotations
At entry to the Specialty, Doctors in training are offered their ST1 placement according to their ranking at national selection. This will be in either the Severn or Peninsula area, rotations take place within these areas.
The ST2 year and ST3 year are linked and will take place in one of the 4 larger units so rotation between units is expected after ST1, ST3 and ST5.
ST4 and ST5 may be in one or two units, depending on a number of factors.
ST6 and ST7 are usually undertaken in the same unit as ATSM training takes place over 2 years.
After time ‘out of programme’, a Doctor in training will usually return to the same unit they left.
Each year in February, the School Education Programme Lead will circulate a ‘Doctor in training Preference’ form. Doctors in training may select 2 units they would prefer to rotate to and explain their professional reasons for doing so. Doctors in training have 4 weeks in which to fill in the form and return it to the Deanery.
The Head of School and the TPD’s will meet to discuss the allocation of Doctors in training to each unit and the rotation of Doctors in training will be agreed. At this stage, some Doctors in training may not be allocated to their preferred units so there will be discussion with these individuals prior to publication of the rotation.
Annual Minimum Expectation of Training ST1 to ST7 in O&G Severn Deanery
The matrices are available here