Hereford & Worcester

 

 

There are 3 excellent schemes in this area located in:

- Hereford

- North Worcestershire

- South Worcestershire

If you want to know more please contact Programmes Team on the below email:

programmes.wm@hee.nhs.uk

Herefordshire Vocational Training Scheme

Herefordshire is a beautiful rural county and lies on the border with mid-Wales. It is within an hour of Birmingham and the motorway networks. At its centre is the cathedral city of Hereford, on the banks of the River Wye, and the five market towns of Ledbury, Bromyard, Leominster, Kington and Ross-on-Wye surround it. There is a wealth of distinctive villages set in unspoilt countryside and each community offers sporting, cultural, gastronomic and social activities to suit every taste.

Targeted Enhanced Recruitment Scheme (TERS) Hereford

This scheme is only open to GP trainees committed to working in Hereford for three years.The hospital component would be based at Wye Valley Trusts Hereford County Hospital and may involve any of the posts available to all GP trainees in Hereford. The training practices would largely be the more rural or market town practices, often covering large geographical areas providing care for a relatively stable population in the county of Herefordshire. 
 
All the posts on the scheme fulfil the criteria to attract the payment.  Due to the rurality, GP's often provide a wider range of services for their patients and it is likely that you will have experience of working in practices with a strong team ethos, often dispensing and also offering some experience of working in community hospitals. These practices have very supportive experienced GP trainers and associated colleagues and you would be attached to a highly evaluated VTS scheme based in Hereford with weekly education and training sessions. 
 

Successful applicants appointed to these posts will be entitled to a financial incentive in the form of a £20,000 salary supplement once they have taken up their post.

Herefordshire VTS offers:

  • Experienced trainers working from attractive premises in Hereford City, the market towns of Bromyard, Leominster and Ross-on-Wye and more rural village locations in the county.
  • A well-resourced Postgraduate Medical Centre on the Hereford County Hospital site, where you will find our friendly, helpful administrators and where the HDR (half day release) educational programme is run each Thursday, 2-5 pm, during term time.
  • Excellent employment opportunities locally post-CCT

The Teaching Programme

We run 3 x 8 week terms:

  •   Autumn Term- Sep-Nov

  •   Spring Term- Feb-April

  •   Summer Term- May-July

We commence each Autumn Term with a two day residential course near Ross-on-Wye. This is to welcome new starters, facilitate socialising within the whole group and provide an introduction to the academic year.

The Teaching Programme includes CSA practise days (one of our TPDs is a RCGP Examiner), special interest education days (e.g. Veterans Health Study Day, Substance Misuse Study Day, Teenage Health Problems) and learner-led educational sessions, which are both determined and led by our trainees.

We provide local support for MRCGP assessments through

  •   CSA Training Days delivered by our TPDs and GP Trainers and led by Dr Philip Clayton, who is an RCGP Examiner

  •   experienced Educational Supervisors

  •   responsive and supportive TPDs

  •   our teaching programme, which will prepare you well for your future role as a GP

There are academic opportunities to study for an intercalated Masters Degree at the Primary Care Institute of Health and Society, University of Worcester.

Career prospects in Herefordshire post-CCT are excellent in whatever capacity you want to work (partner, salaried, retainer or sessional doctor) and with the flexibility to move between these roles.

The quality of life for families in Herefordshire is second to none, with excellent primary and secondary level education readily available in both the state and private sector.

We welcome exploratory visits to Herefordshire and our scheme. Come along and sit in on one of our VTS sessions for a taster or allow us to arrange a taster session in General Practice for you. You will be most welcome. 

 

Additional New Scheme

 

The GP trainee Medical Reservist Scheme in Herefordshire

 

Want to use your skills in a challenging environment ? Do you want to be a reservist and train to be a GP? Herefordshire is an ideal location to come and combine your GP training with learning to be a reservist. We have created strong links with the army reservists and the local field hospital to set up this scheme. The Scheme and the hospital will support your training. The scheme recognises that the GP trainee reservist require 27 additional days in each calendar year for reservist training. Over 3 years this would mean potentially lengthening your training scheme lengthened by 3 x 27 days i.e. 81 days.  However many of these days can be offset by taking an additional 5 days professional leave each year and using some of your study leave if you choose to offset this time.  Some of the additional time may also be done at weekends and evening.

 

 

Experience Training in North Worcestershire 

North Worcestershire offers:

  •   A relaxed atmosphere and an educational process that values you individually and as a member of the group

  •   Two well equipped and resourced Postgraduate Medical Centres with full library and IT facilities

  •   A philosophy of lifelong learning preparing you for your future career as a General Practitioner

Brief attractions of living and working in the area

North Worcestershire is in a perfect location, nestled between the cosmopolitan city of Birmingham to the north, and the historic cities of Worcester to the south and Stratford and Warwick to the west. It is also only a short drive to the beautiful villages of the Cotswolds.

There is an excellent road network, with easy access to the motorway system. We are lucky to have excellent schools in Worcestershire, as well as not being far from Birmingham or Warwickshire.

The training practices are spread across the North of Worcestershire in a variety of urban, semi- rural and rural settings, spread from Cleobury Mortimer in the North West corner to Studley in the east and Bewdley in the south west, but most are centred in Kidderminster, Bromsgrove and Redditch. 
 

The Teaching Programme 

During term time the half-day release occurs on Thursday afternoons, alternating between the Post Graduate Education Centres of Kidderminster Hospital and The Alexander Hospital, Redditch. 

The half-day release timetable is set according to the learning needs of the group and there is always adequate time for networking over coffee and for sampling the cakes and other such delicacies that are brought in by the group. 

Outside of term times the group is divided into smaller cluster groups and meet at the training practices for self-directed learning or learning facilitated by the trainer. We also hold an annual residential, and have various other whole day events when we meet. 

Our objectives are to engender a habit of lifelong learning, to achieve examination success and to help you to become a well-rounded and successful doctor, in preparation for an inspiring career in general practice. 

If we can achieve this while having fun, then we would consider that success indeed. We have embraced social media and we have a Twitter feed and also a closed Facebook page which allows quick queries to be answered by any on the scheme. 

Local support for MRCGP assessments

Enviable results for MRCGP and DRCOG. We run regular CSA preparation courses which all our Registrars have found very helpful. These are facilitated by one of the TPD’s utilising real CSA Examiners.

Academic and other opportunities in North Worcestershire

Opportunities to take part in Primary Care Research.

Career prospects as a GP in North Worcestershire

Great career prospects with many Registrars remaining in the area in either a salaried capacity or as a Partner.

Experience training in South Worcestershire

We meet for three terms of eight sessions, usually at the Charles Hastings Education Centre at Worcester Royal Hospital.

We traditionally start the autumn term with a two day event which is an opportunity to meet with your peers as well as develop skills in learning that will be very beneficial to your progress. We cover a range of clinical knowledge, communication skills and personal development during the two days. It is widely regarded as a highlight of the year and a great chance to refresh, rejuvenate and gaol set for the year ahead.

We also run modular days. Recently we enjoyed an innovative inter-professional Learning session with Pharmacists and GP trainees collaborating and learning together about dementia. We often start our year with a traditional Study day consisting of Lectures covering GP Hot topics.

The Educational programme is comprehensive and delivered by the Training Programme Directors and trainees. The course is interactive, and focuses on the core skills for General Practice. The purpose of the course is to help you learn about general practice, to learn about how you learn and to provide each other with peer support. We aim to help participants improve their emotional and intellectual understanding of all aspects of whole-person medicine and how to practice it.

The format of the course is based on small group learning. We encourage each group to identify its learning needs and think of ways of addressing them and together we produce our course. We have high quality and enthusiastic GP trainers who provide outstanding educational supervision throughout the 3 year rotations.

“I have had a great three years doing my GP training in South Worcestershire. The VTS has provided me with good support and education relevant to training. I have also made lifelong friends through the scheme. Worcestershire is also a great place to live with plenty of opportunities outside of medicine” Trainees feedback - Summer 2015

“Overall a great three years of training, by the end I feel equipped to develop more as a fully fledged GP” - Trainees feedback - Summer 2015

Worcester VTS Scheme Philosophy

To enable qualified doctors to enjoy General Practice by:

  • Developing clinical and communication skills that reflect a personal approach to patients

  • Being sensitive to the social, political and ethical context within which medicine is practised

  • Understanding the role of the GP in the primary health care team and in society

  • Using the hospital specialities to gain expertise that will be relevant to general practice

  • Knowing how to look after themselves and their own needs

  • Being able to work within teams; understanding their managerial, administrative and personal functions

  • Practising within the guidelines set out by the GMC While at the same time:

  • Taking responsibility for their own personal development and learning.

  • Being challenged and academically stimulated.

Brief attractions of living and working in the area

South Worcestershire is renowned for its exceptionally high quality of life. As a growing University City with exceptional transport networks situated on the commuter belt for both Birmingham and London, we are lucky enough to enjoy both the Great Outdoors and City highlife alike. We have a thriving Arts and Culture scene with many local theatres and concert venues. For sports enthusiasts, Worcester boasts first class rugby and cricket teams with a plethora of sports clubs to join. Situated on the River Severn we have many water based sporting opportunities too. The social scene is varied with lots of great amenities. A high percentage of our trainees remain in the area to practice due to all this area has to offer.

The Teaching Programme

We run three terms starting in September, February and April and cover the GP curriculum over the three years.

Local support for MRCGP assessments

We run an annual highly regarded CSA exam preparation course with experienced RCGP examiners. We have additional exam focused preparation into the teaching throughout the year. We encourage and support trainees in forming AKT and CSA study groups.

Career prospects as a GP in South Worcestershire

Excellent Career prospects exist in the area for both Aspiring GPs and their partners.