A note from KSS Lead for Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Trainee Representatives
KSS Deanery Obstetrics & Gynaecology
Miss Sarah Flint, KSS Lead for Obstetrics and Gynaecology
I am grateful to our trainee representatives for their input and support helping to develop our training programme.
A note from your trainee representatives
We would both like to take this opportunity to introduce ourselves as your trainee representatives. We are here to help with everything from voicing your views to ensuring we are all represented fairly at the regular deanery and college meetings. Yes there are regular meetings and yes there is a trainee presence at them!
A little about us
I am originally from Ireland and after studying at St. George’s in the fabulous Tooting I moved into the London and KSS hospitals. I have rotated from foundation training through a number of trusts and those that I have not visited I have made myself known to many of the consultants through deanery visits and being involved in quality assessment. I am currently an ST2 and since medical school I have been involved in student and trainee representation. I have held positions on the junior doctor BMA committee, Thames foundation trainee committee and since ST1 I have sat on the deanery committee and the college forum. Throughout my post-graduate career I have sat on the local faculty and academic board meetings steering the change of direction whilst working with various trust board members to negotiate on behalf of my colleagues. All of this experience has and continues to help with solving trainees issues ranging from legal to academic and training changes within units and indeed ensuring that we as trainee’s are at the core of each decision the deanery makes. - Ciaran Crowe,ST2
Hello! I am originally from Manchester and studied up in Newcastle where I completed my foundation years. I moved to London early in 2010, and have worked in Surrey and South East London. I am an ST1 but have been working in O&G for about a year in the UK, prior to a year abroad. During that time, my small O&G unit merged with another long-established unit and I participated in the management of this new combined workforce and also frequent conflict resolution. My background as a historian, prior to my medical career, has given me good skills in fact finding, eliminating bias and cohesive argument presentation. I am a very keen trainee representative. I am learning about my role through Deanery visits and committee meetings and I am currently working on conflict resolution within my unit. I will be most useful in facilitating putting your views across to the O&G school, and I look forward to hearing from you. - Melanie Allan,ST1
As your representatives, we have felt that there has been a lack of communication with you regarding these meetings. Issues are raised and often you receive no feedback. We wish to change this.
We are currently working on developing a more centralised section on the KSS website. We can upload ideas to improve training, gain feedback on various units. Identify aspects that work well and could be implemented in other units and those which do not. Through sharing information we can help develop our career pathways through identifying a unit that has strength’s in a subspecialty that we have perhaps thought about.
The future…..
As you should be aware, the KSS O&G school has entered into its biggest change since formation. This process will happen in the not so distant future and we want our voice to shape the new KSS O&G school. Good leadership will be needed to get this right. The task ahead is large but I believe that our new school has the potential to be excellent. We have a solid platform to build from - We know we have high performing trainees and good quality consultants who care about education. There are several new and exciting cutting edge units opening within our region over the next few years. These will provide state of the art training for us all. The KSS deanery is also leading the way in shaping leadership and PGCert post-graduate qualifications.
Many of you are aware of the discussions regarding the future planning for the training programmes in London and KSS. Following the discussions between South East Coast and London a School of O and G will be re-established in KSS offering a full CCT experience with access to appropriate experience in London for all trainees. Once the Deaneries have updated the BMA and other representative bodies the Deanery will send out further communications with FAQs.
We want to hear from YOU before our next meeting on May 4th. If you want to be heard and not complain in the future about changes which WILL affect you, then speak now and help us shape our new and exciting school of O&G within one of the largest training areas in the country – Kent, Surrey, Sussex.
Ideas to be tabled include:
USS provision at your unit
Special experience days
Your current exposure
Your views/concerns on the school changes
Anything else you wish to raise
Kind regards,
Dr. Ciaran Crowe Dr. Melanie Allan