Scottish Medical Training

GMC Reference: WOS/2048

THE CORE SURGERY TRAINING PROGRAMME

General Programme Descriptor

The Core Surgical Training (CST) Programmes have been established in Scotland since August 2011. There are two CST Programmes - one in the West of Scotland (covering the West of Scotland Region) and one in the East of Scotland (covering South East, North and East of Scotland Regions). In 2019, two year appointments will be made at CT1 level. There will be no appointments at CT2 level.

All CST posts in Scotland in 2019 will be part of the Improving Surgical Training Pilot study being promoted by the Royal Colleges of Surgeons and supported by the four Government Health Departments. For 2019 recruits, some posts have been designated as run-through posts in General Surgery, Urology and Vascular Surgery. The remaining posts have been designated as uncoupled CST posts. Some of the uncoupled posts have been themed to one or more surgical specialties.

The surgical specialties contributing to CST in Scotland are Cardiothoracic Surgery, ENT Surgery, General Surgery, Paediatric Surgery, Plastic Surgery, Trauma & Orthopaedic Surgery, Urology and Vascular Surgery. Those applicants wanting to do T&O in Scotland should apply directly for the T&O run through programme. However, there are a number of themed T&O rotations in the West of Scotland CST Programme for those who might want to do be exposed to other specialties as part of T&O training and apply subsequently for ST3 posts in this specialty.

Successful candidates appointed to a two year programme will rotate through four 6 month placements. All posts have been constructed to allow trainees to spend at least 12 months in one geographical location.

The Scottish Government has provided financial support for the IST Pilot Project in Scotland. All trainees will attend a residential four day Bootcamp in Inverness as part of their introduction to surgical training. It is aimed at enabling the Core trainee to hit the ground running and focuses mainly on non-technical skills but combines that with excellent wet lab facilities. Outdoor activities are included with plenty of time to appreciate the local scenery. Places in the bootcamps are ring fenced for IST pilot trainees but early application is encouraged to secure a place on the earliest courses. Applications should be made via the usual process for Study Leave to the relevant TPD and are fully funded. In addition all trainees on the programme will be loaned their own personal laparoscopic surgical simulation trainer.

Trainees’ progress will be monitored regularly as part of the IST Pilot Project and completion of the programme will depend upon satisfactory outcomes at the annual review (ARCP).

 

 

1. West of Scotland Programme descriptor

The West of Scotland CST programme covers an area from Dumfries in the south to Stirling in the north. All posts provide a wonderful opportunity for a great work life balance. Whilst enjoying excellent training you can avail yourself of phenomenal leisure pursuits such as golf, road cycling and mountain biking and walking.

There are 16 hospitals in five NHS boards and a stand-alone National Hospital providing CST in the West of Scotland - teaching hospitals with associated ambulatory care centres, a specialist children’s hospital, regional cardiac centre and a range of District General Hospitals. All posts offer excellent opportunities for the junior surgeon in training. The state of the art New Royal Hospital for Children and Queen Elizabeth University Hospital opened in 2016 along with a new Teaching and Learning Centre on the same site, which provides excellent facilities in which to begin a surgical career. Other new hospitals have recently been opened in Dumfries and Galloway and Forth Valley as well as excellent new ambulatory care centres at Stobhill Hospital and Victoria Infirmary within Glasgow.

1. Research, Audit, Teaching and Management opportunities

Trainees will attend a bootcamp in the first few months of their CT 1 post. In addition, monthly CST training days and in hospital training sessions will be organised. Anatomy teaching sessions have also been organised at the University of Edinburgh Medical School for all Scottish trainees.

Further simulation experience is to be gained at the Clinical Anatomy Skills Centre at the University of Glasgow anatomy suite which has been developed by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow. Trainees will be able to operate upon fresh frozen tissue under the supervision of specialist surgeons in courses designed specifically for your curriculum. Courses designed with trainee input will take you through your training up to CCT.

Training is further enhanced by the availability of virtual reality simulation equipment based at the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley and further augmented by the availability of take home simulation equipment.

Appointed trainees will attend the relevant educational programmes for whichever specialties they work in as well as the specific teaching programme for CSTs. Academic endeavour is actively encouraged for all but those wishing to pursue an academic career can specifically apply for a position on the GATE programme - the Glasgow Academic Training Environment. This offers additional training opportunities for academic trainees. GATE aims to foster academic development & training beyond academic FY, through Core Training / ST1 & 2 and across a broad range of specialties, to prepare trainees for subsequent application to competitive local and national research training programmes (e.g. MRC, Wellcome Trust, BHF etc). GATE provides academic mentorship to facilitate attainment of academic objectives that are additional to the requisite competencies required of Trainees.

Trainees who have been appointed to the programme in the West of Scotland are eligible to apply to GATE.  Appointment to GATE is in open competition, through interview, that takes place shortly after appointment to the programme.  Further details are available from the Training Programme Director and Professor Paul Horgan.

1. Where is the training delivered?

There are 16 hospitals in 5 NHS boards providing CST in the West of Scotland –teaching hospitals with associated ambulatory care centres, a specialist children’s hospital, a regional cardiac centre and a range of District General hospitals. Training is delivered in all of the hospitals listed below:

GOLDEN JUBILEE NATIONAL HOSPITAL, Clydebank

www.nhsgoldenjubilee.co.uk

• Core posts: Cardiothoracic Surgery

• A national resource for Scotland, the Golden Jubilee National Hospital is part of the Golden Jubilee Foundation Family, which also includes the Golden Jubilee Innovation Centre, Golden Jubilee Conference Hotel and the Golden Jubilee Research Institute. The Golden Jubilee is home to regional and national heart and lung services, is a major centre for orthopaedics, and is the flagship hospital for reducing waiting times in key elective specialties.

 

NHS AYRSHIRE & ARRAN   www.nhsaaa.net

• University Hospital Crosshouse, Kilmarnock Road, Kilmarnock, KA2 0BE

  • Core posts: General Surgery and ENT

  • University Hospital Crosshouse is situated two miles from Kilmarnock town centre. It is a large district general hospital providing a wide range of services, including paediatric inpatient services. It is also home to the national Cochlear Implant Service and has the Emergency Department (ED) for East and North Ayrshire.

• University Hospital Ayr, Dalmellington Road, Ayr, KA6 6DX

  • Core posts: General Surgery and Urology

  • University Hospital Ayr lies on the southern outskirts of Ayr. It is a district general hospital providing medical and surgical services on an inpatient, day case and outpatient basis. It has the Emergency Department (ED) for South Ayrshire and provides a number of Ayrshire-wide services including vascular surgery, ophthalmology and audiology.

     

    NHS DUMFRIES AND GALLOWAY   www.nhsdg.scot.nhs.uk

• Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary, Bankhead Road, Dumfries, DG1 4AP

  • Core posts: General Surgery

  • NHS Dumfries and Galloway serves a population of 148,190 but within a large geographical area of about 2,400 square miles. Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary is based in Dumfries and is the main hospital for the region providing a wide range of inpatient and outpatient health services.  The Galloway Community Hospital serves Stranraer and the west of the region, is an intermediate unit providing maternity services, and medical & surgical beds. 

     

    NHS FORTH VALLEY   www.nhsforthvalley.com

• Forth Valley Royal Hospital, Stirling Road, Larbert, FK5 4WR

  • Core posts: General Surgery

  • NHS Forth Valley serves a population of around 300,000 in an diverse geographical area which covers the heart of Scotland. Forth Valley Royal Hospital is one of the most modern and well equipped hospitals in Europe which has been purpose-built to provide the very highest standard of accommodation and facilities for patients, visitors and staff.

     

    NHS GREATER GLASGOW & CLYDE   www.nhsggc.org.uk

• Glasgow Royal Infirmary, 84 Castle Street, Glasgow, G4 0SF

  • Core posts: General Surgery, T&O, Urology and Plastic Surgery

  • Since 2001, two major capital developments have been opened at Glasgow Royal Infirmary - the Princess Royal Maternity and the Jubilee Building , the latter providing accommodation for a new A&E department, a coronary care unit, an acute medical receiving unit and an orthopaedic surgery inpatient unit. Additionally, the Canniesburn Plastic Surgery and Burns Unit is now housed in the new building. Further modernisation work between 2010 and 2015 has ensured the Glasgow Royal Infirmary is fully equipped to serve as the main inpatient hospital for the north and east of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde's area.

     

• Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, Govan Road, G51 4TF

  • Core posts: General Surgery, ENT Surgery and Urology

  • The new 14 floor Queen Elizabeth University Hospital Glasgow (adult) building is one of the largest acute hospitals in the UK and home to major specialist services such as renal medicine, transplantation and vascular surgery, with state-of-the-art Critical Care, Theatre and Diagnostic Services.The adult hospital is integrated with the children’s hospital with separate functions and entrances.

     

• Royal Hospital for Children, Glasgow G51 4TF

  • Core posts: Paediatric Surgery

  • The brand new children’s hospital, with a separate identity and entrance, is adjoined to the adult hospital. The hospital delivers a full range of children’s services in all disciplines including cardiac, neuro-, transplantation and neonatal surgery. It houses one of the few ECMO units in the UK.

     

• Royal Alexandra Hospital, Corsebar Road, Paisley, PA2 9PN

  • Core posts: General Surgery

  • The RAH is the main hospital in Paisley serving a large catchment area of 200000 people from Renfrewshire, stretching all the way to Oban and Argyll. The hospital provides a range of services including inpatient beds, general medical and surgical services, trauma and emergency surgery centre, HDU, medicine for the elderly, maternity hospital including a Community Maternity Unit and Accident & Emergency.

     

• Inverclyde Royal Hospital, Larkfield Road, PA16 0XN

  • Core posts: General Surgery

  • Inverclyde Royal Hospital is situated in Greenock, Inverclyde approximately 30 minutes from Glasgow. It serves a population of around 125,000 in the urban and rural areas of Inverclyde, Largs, Bute and the Cowal Peninsula.The hospital provides a range of services including inpatient beds, general medical and surgical specialties, orthopaedics, ophthalmology, a Community Maternity Unit and Accident & Emergency.

     

    NHS LANARKSHIRE   www.nhslanarkshire.org.uk

• University Hospital Hairmyres, Eaglesham Road, East Kilbride, G75 8RG

  • Core posts: General Surgery

  • University Hospital Hairmyres is a district general hospital with a 24-hour accident and emergency department. It has 408 inpatient beds. It delivers a full range of inpatient, outpatient, diagnostic and clinical support services including Lanarkshire's only cardiac catheterisation centre consisting of two new state-of-the-art catheterisation laboratories for diagnosis and treatment of blood vessel blockages around the heart.

     

• University Hospital Monklands, Monkscourt Avenue, Airdrie, ML6 0JS

  • Core posts: General Surgery, T&O and Urology

  • University Hospital Monklands is a district general hospital with a 24-hour accident and emergency department. It has 411 inpatient beds. It delivers a full range of District General Hospial services including  Lanarkshire's renal (kidney) unit.

     

• University Hospital Wishaw, 50 Netherton Street, Wishaw, ML2 0DP

  • Core posts: General Surgery and T&O

  • University Hospital Wishaw is a district general hospital with a 24-hour accident and emergency department. It has 626 inpatient beds. Services include Lanarkshire's maternity unit, the second largest in Scotland, delivering 5500 babies each year and an emergency care unit containing an integrated accident and emergency unit with a 36-bed ward.

 

 

 

THE CORE SURGERY TRAINING PROGRAMME

The surgical specialties contributing to CST in Scotland are General Surgery, Urology, ENT, Plastic Surgery, Paediatric Surgery, Cardiothoracic Surgery and Oral Maxillo-Facial Surgery (OMFS). Those applicants wanting to do T&O in Scotland should apply directly for the T&O run through programme. However, there are 2 T&O posts in the West of Scotland Core Programme for those who might want to do 6 months T&O training in addition to their specialty training. It is anticipated that these posts may be of interest to those looking for a career in Plastic surgery, or Remote and rural surgery etc.

Successful candidates appointed to a two year programme will rotate through four 6 month placements. There are a number of themed rotations for those interested in a career in Cardiothoracic Surgery, Plastic Surgery, ENT, Paediatric Surgery and Remote and Rural Surgery. Trainees wanting a career in General Surgery will be given at least two 6 month attachments in General Surgery.

Trainees progress will be monitored regularly and completion of the programme depend upon satisfactory outcomes at the annual review (ARCP)

 

 

Training is delivered across:

University Hospital Ayr, University Hospital Crosshouse, Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary, Forth Valley Royal Hospital - FVRH, Gartnavel General, Glasgow, Glasgow Royal Infirmary, Golden Jubilee National Hospital, Clydebank, University Hospital Hairmyres, East Kilbride, South Lanarkshire, Inverclyde Royal Hospital, Greenock, University Hospital Monklands, Airdrie, Royal Alexandra Hospital, Paisley , The Royal Hospital for Children Glasgow, The Queen Elizabeth University Hospital Glasgow , New Victoria Hospital, Glasgow, University Hospital Wishaw

NHS GREATER GLASGOW & CLYDE www.nhsggc.org.uk

Glasgow Royal Infirmary, 84 Castle Street, Glasgow, G4 0SF
Core posts: General Surgery, ENT and Plastic Surgery

Gartnavel General Hospital, 1053 Great Western Road, Glasgow, G12 0YN & Western Infirmary, Dumbarton Road, G11 6NT
Core posts: General surgery and Urology

Southern General Hospital, 1345 Govan Road, G51 4TF
Core posts: General Surgery and Urology

Victoria Infirmary, Langside Road, G42 9TY
Core posts: General Surgery

Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Dalnair Street, G3 8SF
Core posts: Paediatric Surgery

Golden Jubilee National Hospital, Beardmore Street, G81 4HX
Core posts: Cardiothoracic Surgery

Royal Alexandra Hospital, Corsebar Road, Paisley, PA2 9PN
Core posts: General Surgery

Inverclyde Royal Hospital, Larkfield Road, PA16 0XN
Core posts: General Surgery

 

NHS LANARKSHIRE www.nhslanarkshire.org.uk

Hairmyres Hospital, Eaglesham Road, East Kilbride, G75 8RG
Core posts: General Surgery

Monklands District General Hospital, Monkscourt Avenue, Airdrie, ML6 0JS
Core posts: General Surgery and Urology

Wishaw General Hospital, 50 Netherton Street, Wishaw, ML2 0DP
Core posts: General Surgery

NHS AYRSHIRE & ARRAN www.nhsayrshireandarran.com

Crosshouse Hospital, Kilmarnock Road, Kilmarnock, KA2 0BE
Core posts: General Surgery and ENT

Ayr Hospital, Dalmellington Road, Ayr, KA6 6DX
Core posts: General Surgery and Urology

NHS FORTH VALLEY www.nhsforthvalley.com

Forth Valley Hospital, Stirling Road, Larbert, FK5 4WR
Core posts: General Surgery

NHS DUMFRIES AND GALLOWAY www.nhsdg.scot.nhs.uk

Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary, Bankhead Road, Dumfries, DG1 4AP
Core posts: General Surgery

Programme Type	Deanery based or National: Deanery
Administration office	West of Scotland
Lead Dean / Director	Professor Adam Hill
Responsible Associate Postgraduate Dean or Assistant Director (GP)	Mr Bryn Jones
Specialty or Sub-specialty	Specialty or Sub-specialty: Specialty
Date of GMC recent approval	October 2024
Associated Royal College - Faculty	Joint Committee on Surgical Training (web site)
Curriculum and Associated Assessment System
Programme Administrator:	Named Programme Administrator: Julie Campbelton Address: Westpoint 102, Edinburgh Tel: 0131 656 3484 Email: julie.campbelton@nhs.scot
Programme Director	Programme Director Name: Mr Simon Gibson Address: Tel: Email: simon.gibson@ggc.scot.nhs.uk
Quality of Training	Quality Management