Medical training and education

Our Foundation Programme is a two-year general training programme which forms the bridge between medical school and specialist / general practice training. You will have the opportunity to gain experience in a series of placements, in a variety of specialties and healthcare settings. Learning objectives for each stage are specific and focus on demonstration of your clinical competences.

Our department has trained faculty directors, foundation programme directors, clinical and educational supervisors, efficient and supportive administrators to assist with any queries.

We provide a comprehensive core medical and surgical training programme.

Core medical training is the primary stage of training and entry point for those trainees who wish to follow a career in medical specialties such as cardiology, dermatology, gastroenterology, oncology, HIV, Infectious diseases, General Medicine, Endocrinology, Respiratory Medicine and Elderly Care. There is also an attachment to the Stroke Ward

The surgical department consists of most of the surgical specialties including General and Vascular Surgery, Urology, Neurosurgery, Orthopaedics and Cardiac Surgery.

All departments run their own teaching sessions, x-ray meetings, trauma meetings, clinical governance meetings and mortality meetings. The Royal College Surgical Tutor oversees clinical and educational supervision and all problems with trainees are directed to them. Within each department a consultant acts as educational lead for trainees also.

We also offer a training programme in ACCS and Emergency Medicine, Anaesthetics, General Practice, Leadership, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Paediatrics and Neonatology, SAS, Simulation and Human Factors.

Following medical school, foundation training and core training, the final part of training in the progression from trainee to consultant is higher specialty training. BSUH offers training opportunities in a series of higher specialties, including most medical specialties. Teaching methods not only include formal teaching sessions, techniques like coaching, mentoring, job rotation and working alongside other health professionals are used to introduce trainees to their roles at the hospitals and help them with their career  progression.

In addition to training in diagnosing and managing a wide range of medical conditions, trainees are encouraged to take on administrative tasks to help them gain experience in team management, leadership and service planning. As part of their training, most doctors will become involved in audit or research projects and contribute towards the department’s teaching activities for medical students and foundation doctors.

Doctors in higher specialty training are responsible for caring for patients under the supervision of consultants and other healthcare professionals. Feedback from the supervised training sessions is designed to stimulate reflection as well as enhance clinical performance. As trainees progress through specialty training and become more experienced, feedback will reduce and they in turn will be asked to provide feedback on the performance of their colleagues.

The postgraduate centres, incorporating GP tutors, Dr Lisa Argent at Brighton and Dr Howard Bloom at Princess Royal Hospital organise a full programme of educational events for GPs.

This covers a variety of specialities which currently include:

• Dermatology
• Endocrinology
• Ophthalmology
• Oncology
• Rheumatology
• Paediatrics
• ENT
• 3 Day GP Refresher (bi-annually)

This programme is continually being reassessed according to GPs needs using information gathered from anonymous appraisals.

For more information, see the ‘GP courses’ section further down this page.

Our programme is designed to help busy practitioners keep up-to-date. We run a number of all-day courses many of which have a hands-on component. We also run a number of dental study group and orthodontic study group meetings which take place regularly.

In Brighton the hands-on courses take place in the Audrey Emerton Buildings new state of the art Clinical Skills Laboratory equipped with dental training simulators.

The Euan Keat Centre in Haywards Heath has three modern air-conditioned lecture theatres, one of which can be split to form a larger room. They are equipped with the latest audio-visual technology and video-conferencing facilities. We also have a new skills teaching room for hands-on workshops and IT training.

Full details can be found on the HEKSS Dental website

The Simulation Service within BSUH is transitioning at present and going through a rebranding period.  Training and education is continuing as normal so please get in touch.

The Simulation Service is available to ALL staff members within the Trust to come and learn in a ‘Safe’ environment.  It is our hope that you will be able to grow and develop your technical and non-technical skills with us, in order for you to use these in the treatment of our patients.  This is our goal, even in simulation, ‘Patient First’.

The Service team have a proven track record in the developing and delivering of simulation both Nationally and Internationally and bring this experience into the learning environment back at BSUH.  Collaboration is the key and for this reason you will often find the team working with other Trust’s stakeholders and 3^rd party’s to offer a comprehensive package for staff here.

Simulation is a ‘high-stress, low-risk’ environment, high-stress, but some of the learning will challenge you to be the best that you can be, to deal with both situations you may not have seen before, but also those situations you deal with on a regular basis.  But ‘low-risk’ because if needed the learning can pause, time-out, turn into a workshop or have more seniors advice, if needed.  Better to learn in an environment that is safe and nurturing than learning for the first time in the clinical area.

Simulation involves multiple strategies in order to deliver the learning outcomes for the trainee and the Organisation, therefore it is important to learn using current equipment, fit for purpose and appropriate for the training.  The ethos of the service is, ‘ just because we can, doesn’t mean to say we should’.  This statement covers all things, equipment, fidelity, scenarios, and means that just because the equipment can Bleed, sweat, cry, speak, have heart murmurs, lung disorders etc, it doesn’t mean that we should use them all in the one scenario and make it the ‘worse’ day ever.

The right equipment, for the right job, at the right level is key to ensure psychological safety and fidelity for our trainees.

Simulation Areas

Currently there are 3 simulation training areas across the Trust: the KSS Children’s’ Simulation Centre at the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Brighton; The David Read Simulation Suite at the Princess Royal Hospital in Haywards Heath and the Sim Room in Critical Care, Royal Sussex County Hospital Brighton.  The Service has close links with the Medical school simulation service based on the Falmer site.

Team Members

Alex Saunders is the Head of Resuscitation & Simulation Services
Dr Cassie Lawn is the Consultant Lead for Simulation & TEL

Amelia Amon is the Simulation Technician based that the PRH

Courses

The faculty run a number of courses in partnership with healthcare experts from a range of specialities including Mental Health, Neonatology, Anaesthesia, Dementia, Stroke, Surgery, Maternity and many more.

These are open to internal staff at BSUH and external healthcare staff in the Kent Surrey and Sussex Region.

For more information please email Alex.saunders@nhs.net