The General Adult and Old Age Psychiatry higher specialty training programme in the Thames Valley provides a rich and varied experience for psychiatrists in training to further develop their skills and interests and progress to CCT.
The scheme offers single CCT training in General Adult Psychiatry and in Old Age Psychiatry. There is also dual CCT training in General Adult Psychiatry and Old Age Psychiatry (4 years) and General Adult Psychiatry and Medical Psychotherapy (5 years). There are opportunities for accreditation in Psychological medicine (Liaison Psychiatry) and Rehabilitation Psychiatry. Opportunities also exist for single CCT trainees to spend one year in Forensic Psychiatry, Medical Psychotherapy, Eating Disorders, or Perinatal Psychiatry. The scheme has capacity for 26 whole time equivalent trainees, or a combination of less than full time, and whole-time trainees, and we welcome applications from trainees who wish to work flexibly.
The training posts are distributed across the three counties of Oxfordshire (12 posts), Buckinghamshire (7 posts) and Berkshire (7 posts), and across three NHS Trusts: Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust and Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. All the participating Trusts offer excellent training opportunities to meet curricular requirements, including, for example, a trainee leadership board run in Oxford Health NHS FT (leadership ILOs); the Oxford Healthcare Improvement centre (quality improvement projects); and opportunities to take on psychotherapy cases in a very wide range of modalities across the Trusts. There are strong links with the University of Oxford and also other higher educational institutions, providing a range of research opportunities.
Trainees usually spend a minimum of one year in an Oxford-based post but the annual post allocation process allows for some flexibility and choice across geographical areas. Trainees, with support, run their own Higher Trainee’s education day quarterly. These meetings enhance education, networking and professional development.
The programme welcomes and supports Academic Clinical Lecturers appointed to General Adult or Old Age through the Integrated Academic Training (IAT) partnerships and employed by Oxford University. Academic trainees will be supported by the Oxford University Clinical Academic School (OUCAGS) and close liaison between the clinical and academic schools ensures achievement of both academic and clinical excellence. Opportunities for locally funded academic clinical lecturers may also be available.
In addition to support from CS’s, ES’s, DME’s and TPD’s, trainees have access to NHSE led support via the Professional Support Unit.
Training Sites General Adult and Older Adult Psychiatry:
Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust (for Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire posts)
Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust
· DME – Dr Alastair Reid – alastair.reid@oxfordhealth.nhs.uk
· Training Programme Director – Sanjoo Chengappa sanjoo.chengappa@berkshire.nhs.uk
Main hospital sites:
· Oxon: Warneford Hospital; Littlemore Health Centre; John Radcliffe Hospital; Fulbrook Centre (Churchill Hospital)
· Bucks: Whiteleaf Centre, Aylesbury; Marlborough House, Milton Keynes
Community posts in Oxon: Oxford, Abingdon, Banbury, Didcot, Wallingford
Community posts in Bucks: Aylesbury, High Wycombe
Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (for Berkshire posts).
Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
· DME – Raja Natarajan – raja.natarajan@berkshire.nhs.uk
· Training Programme Director – Sanjoo Chengappa sanjoo.chengappa@berkshire.nhs.uk
Main hospital sites:
· Reading: Prospect Park Hospital; Royal Berkshire Hospital
Community posts in Berkshire: Reading, Newbury, Slough, Bracknell, Wokingham
Oxford University Hospitals (for Oxfordshire posts)
Oxford University Hospitals
· DME: Claire Pulford – claire.pulford@ouh.nhs.uk
· Training Programme Director – Sanjoo Chengappa sanjoo.chengappa@berkshire.nhs.uk
Main Hospitals:
John Radcliffe Hospital