OXFORD DEANERY SPECIALTY TRAINING PROGRAMME
IN CORE SURGERY
About Oxford Deanery
The Oxford Deanery covers the counties of Oxfordshire, Berkshire and
Buckinghamshire, with Banbury and Milton Keynes in the North, to Reading and
Slough in Berkshire and High Wycombe and Aylesbury in the West.
It is part of NHS South of England which comprises South Central, South West and
South East Coast Strategic Health Authorities. The Oxford Deanery is responsible
for the training of some 1500 trainees and in 2013 it will come under the auspices of
its own LETB for the Thames Valley.
Being a relatively small deanery with a defined geographical area no hospital is more
than 45 minutes drive from Oxford. However it serves as a single unit of application.
In the majority of cases successful candidates will be asked to preference their
choice of placement for their first year and ideally their preferred ultimate speciality
choice if known. Future placements will be based on individual training and
educational needs. Please note that applications are to the Oxford Deanery as a
whole. This may mean that you may be allocated to any geographic location
within the Oxford Deanery.
The Core Surgery Training Programme
The Core Surgery training programme is a two year programme, starting at CT1.
During this time, the trainee's work will be monitored for satisfactory progress and
subject to annual reviews in the form of ARCPs and interim reviews. Progression on
the programme will be dependent upon these.
All the posts on this rotation have been approved for Specialist Training by the Joint
Surgical Colleges. The programme is designed not only for trainees to become
competent in the core surgical curriculum but also to equip the trainee for success in
application to Higher Specialist Training in their chosen specialty.
The Postgraduate Dean has confirmed that this post has the necessary educational
and staffing approvals.
The programme is based in several different Trusts throughout the Oxford Deanery
so trainees may find themselves employed by any of the following Trusts and placed
in any of the following hospitals:
Trust
Hospitals and Locations
Oxford University Hospitals
NHS Trust
Churchill Hospital, Oxford (Urology, Transplantation)
http://www.ouh.nhs.uk/
Horton Hospital, Banbury (General Surgery)
http://www.ouh.nhs.uk/
John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford (General Surgery, Plastics
Surgery, ENT, Cardiothoracic Surgery, Paediatric Surgery)
http://www.ouh.nhs.uk/
Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre, Oxford (Trauma and
Orthopaedics)
http://www.ouh.nhs.uk/
Stoke Mandeville Hospital, Aylesbury (Emergency General
Surgery/ Orthopaedics and Trauma Surgery / Plastic Surgery,
including the regional burns unit)
http://www.buckshealthcare.nhs.uk/
Buckinghamshire
Healthcare NHS Trust
Wycombe General Hospital, High Wycombe (Elective
General Surgery / elective Trauma and Orthopaedics)
http://www.buckshealthcare.nhs.uk/
Royal Berkshire NHS
Foundation Trust
Royal Berkshire Hospital, Reading (General Surgery,
Urology, Trauma and Orthopaedics)
http://www.royalberkshire.nhs.uk/
Heatherwood and Wexham
Park Hospitals NHS
Foundation Trust
Wexham Park Hospital (General Surgery, Urology, Plastic
Surgery, ENT)
http://www.heatherwoodandwexham.nhs.uk/
Milton Keynes Hospital NHS
Foundation Trust
Milton Keynes General Hospital (General Surgery, Trauma
and Orthopaedics, ENT)
http://www.mkgeneral.nhs.uk/
Rotations
The clinical programme is based upon two-year rotations consisting of four six-month
posts in a variety of surgical disciplines. Each rotation is themed to one or more
specialities. However, the putative rotations between the first and second years are
not set in stone and are subject to appropriate progress in the first year. This also
allows for some flexibility/ alteration in speciality choice if made promptly enough.
The region has over 65 approved training posts yet only 20 core trainees and 4
ACFs per year. The spare capacity allows for flexibility in training requirements and
most training requirements /ambitions can usually be accommodated.
Initial planed rotations for this programme (2013-2015) are:
Year 1
Year 2
1
GS
URO (OXF)
GS (BAN)
GS (WEX)
GS (WEX)
2
GS
GS (BAN)
URO (OXF)
GS (BUCKS)
GS (BUCKS)
3
GS
PLAS
(BUCKS)
GS (READ)
GS (READ)
4
GS
GS (BUCKS)
PLAS
(BUCKS)
GS (BUCKS)
GS (MK)
GS (MK)
5
GS
GS (WEX)
URO (WEX)
GS (BUCKS)
GS (BUCKS)
6
GS
URO (WEX)
GS (WEX)
GS (READ)
GS (READ)
7
T&O
T&O (NOC)
PLAS (OXF)
T&O
(BUCKS)
T&O
(BUCKS)
8
T&O
PLAS (OXF)
T&O (NOC)
T&O (READ)
T&O (READ)
9
T&O
CAR (OXF)
T&O (MK)
T&O (READ)
T&O (READ)
10
T&O
T&O (MK)
CAR (OXF)
T&O (READ)
T&O (READ)
11
T&O
NEURO
(OXF)
T&O
(BUCKS)
T&O
(BUCKS)
12
T&O
T&O (NOC)
NEURO
(OXF)
T&O (NOC)
T&O (READ)
T&O (READ)
PLAS
(BUCKS)
T&O
(BUCKS)
T&O
(BUCKS)
PLAS
(BUCKS)
PLAS (OXF)
T&O (NOC)
14
Plastics
/T&O
Plastics
/T&O
T&O (NOC)
PLAS (OXF)
15
ENT
ENT (MK)
GS (MK)
ENT (WEX)
PLAS (WEX)
16
ENT
GS (MK)
ENT (MK)
PLAS (WEX)
ENT (WEX)
URO (WEX)
GS (WEX)
URO (OXF)
PAED (OXF)
GS (WEX)
URO (WEX)
PAED (OXF)
URO (OXF)
13
18
Paed/ urol/
GS
Paed/ urol/
GS
19
Urol
URO (READ)
GS (READ)
URO (OXF)
GS (BAN)
20
Urol
GS (READ)
URO (READ)
GS (BAN)
URO (OXF)
21
ACF
PAED (OXF)
GS (BUCKS)
SAU (OXF)
22
ACF
TRANS
(OXF)
TRANS
(OXF)
GS (BUCKS)
SAU (OXF)
23
ACF
PAED (OXF)
SAU (OXF)
GS (BUCKS)
24
ACF
PAED (OXF)
PAED (OXF)
TRANS
(OXF)
TRANS
(OXF)
SAU (OXF)
GS (BUCKS)
17
As in all deaneries individual posts may at times change in response to clinical need
from the Trusts. However major changes of job descriptions within a placement
have to be approved by the deanery.
The Hospitals
Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust
OUH is one of the largest NHS teaching trusts in the UK and provides a wide range
of clinical services and medical education, training and research.
The Trust provides high quality general hospital services for the local population in
Oxfordshire and neighbouring counties, and more specialist services for patients
from a wide geographic area. The Trust is also involved in a wide variety of research
programmes, in collaboration with the University of Oxford and many other research
bodies. The trust is made up of four hospitals - the John Radcliffe Hospital (which
also includes the Children's Hospital and West Wing), Churchill Hospital and the
Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre, all located in Oxford and the Horton General Hospital in
the north of Oxfordshire.

The John Radcliffe Hospital
The JR was opened in the 1970s and is Oxfordshire's main accident and emergency
site. It is situated in Headington, about three miles east of Oxford city centre. It is the
largest of the Trust's hospitals, covering around 66 acres. It houses the Children's
Hospital and West Wing and the John Radcliffe Women's Centre. It also provides
acute medical and surgical services, trauma, intensive care and cardiothoracic
services. It also houses many departments of Oxford University Medical School, is
home to the George Pickering Education Centre and base for most medical students
who are trained throughout the Trust. The new emergency department at the John
Radcliffe, opened in 2004, was judged the best designed hospital building in the
country, in the Department of Health’s national Annual Building Better Healthcare
Awards 2004. In October 2009 the new Oxford Heart Centre opened at the John
Radcliffe Hospital.
It has core surgical trainee placements in Paediatric Surgery / Cardiothoracic
Surgery / Neuro Surgery / Plastic Surgery / ENT and General Surgery. The last of
these are mainly based in the emergency Surgical Admissions Unit although there
are elective oppportunites in The Churchill Hospital.

The Churchill Hospital
The Churchill is a centre for cancer services and other specialties, including renal
services and transplant, clinical and medical oncology, dermatology, haemophilia,
infectious diseases, chest medicine, medical genetics and palliative care. The
hospital, together with the nearby John Radcliffe Hospital, is a major centre for
healthcare research, housing departments of Oxford University Medical School and
Oxford Brookes University’s School of Healthcare Studies. Developments in recent
years include the opening of the Oxford Centre for Diabetes, Endocrinology and
Metabolism (OCDEM), which is a collaboration between the University of Oxford, the
NHS and three partner companies, to create a world-class centre for clinical
research on diabetes, endocrine and metabolic disorders, along with clinical
treatment and education.
It has core surgical trainee placements in transplant and urology although there are
frequently opportunities to attend elective general surgical lists.

The Horton General Hospital
The Horton in Banbury serves the growing population in the north of Oxfordshire and
surrounding areas. It has over 220 inpatient beds and over 20 day-case beds, and is
an acute general hospital providing a wide range of services.
The majority of these services have inpatient beds and outpatient clinics, with the
outpatient department running clinics with visiting consultants from Oxford in
dermatology, neurology, physical medicine, rheumatology, ophthalmology,
radiotherapy, oral surgery and paediatric cardiology.
The radiology service includes a managed mobile MRI and a breast cancer
screening unit. Currently, there are also four main operating theatres and a large
day-case unit. General surgery placements includes acute and elective commitments
led by local consultants and only a single registrar.

The Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre
The NOC is an elective orthopaedic hospital, providing routine and specialist
orthopaedic and rheumatological services to the people of Oxfordshire. Specialist
services, such as the treatment of bone infection and bone tumours, and the
rehabilitation of those with limb amputation or congenital deficiency, and those with
neurological disabilities are provided for patients from across the UK and abroad.
Core trainee placements are, unsurprisngly, in orthopeadic surgery.
(All Information taken from Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust website http://www.ouh.nhs.uk/)
Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust
Bucks provides a wide range of high quality acute and community services from
three acute hospital sites in Amersham, Stoke Mandeville and Wycombe, five
community hospitals at Thame, Marlow, Buckingham, Chalfonts and Gerrards Cross
and Waterside, and a number of community sites across the county. Specialist
services include our regional dermatology, allergy and skin cancer centre, burns care
and plastics sub-regional centre, cardiac services and the National Spinal Injuries
Centre.
More than 6,000 staff serve residents across Buckinghamshire, Thame
(Oxfordshire), Tring (Hertfordshire) and Leighton Buzzard (Bedfordshire) - a
combined population of 500,000. It serves a much larger population, 1.5m for burns
and plastic services and 14m for spinal injuries.
Stoke Mandeville Hospital
Stoke Mandeville is an acute hospital located on the edge of the market town of
Aylesbury. It provides a range of hospital services including 24 hour accident and
emergency, maternity, cancer care and a range of outpatient services. The hospital
is the base for eye care for the area. The regional burns and plastics unit provides
specialist services to patients from Buckinghamshire, and as far away as Reading
and Northampton. Stoke Mandeville Hospital is also home to the world renowned
national spinal injuries centre.
Wycombe General Hospital
Wycombe General is situated in the centre of the historic town of High Wycombe,
and offers a full range of planned surgical services, as well as 24 hour emergency
medical care (including minor injuries) and specialist medical care, including stroke
and heart conditions. The hospital also offers specialist cancer and urological
services.
General Surgical and T&O placements spend time in both the elective and
emergency units within each 6 month attachment. Plastic surgery attachments only
work at the Stoke Mandeville site.
(All Information taken from Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust website
http://www.buckshealthcare.nhs.uk/)
Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust
RBH is one of the largest general hospital trusts in the country, providing acute
medical and surgical services to Reading, Wokingham and West Berkshire and
specialist services to a wider population across Berkshire and its borders. The Royal
Berkshire Hospital is based on a single site near the centre of Reading. The hospital
is the main base for the Trust and provides a wide range of services. Full information
on the Wards and Services available at the Royal Berkshire Hospital can be found
by visiting the Trust website www.royalberkshire.nhs.uk
The trust has over 4,800 staff, 607 acute, 44 paediatrics and 57 maternity post natal
beds and 204 day beds and spaces.
There are core surgical placements in urology, trauma and orthopaedics and general
surgery all based at the single site.
Heatherwood and Wexham Park Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Heatherwood and Wexham became a Foundation Trust in 2007. The Trust employs
over 3,700 permanent staff delivering quality healthcare 24 hours a day 365 days a
year. Heatherwood and Wexham Park Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust provides
hospital services to a large and diverse population of over 400,000 which includes
Ascot, Bracknell, Maidenhead, Slough, south Buckinghamshire and Windsor.
Heatherwood has been a hospital since the 1920s and Wexham Park Hospital since
1968.
Wexham Park Hospital
Wexham Park has 521 beds with a full range of services including general medicine
and its sub-specialties, paediatrics, general surgery, urology, orthopaedics,
obstetrics and gynaecology, otolaryngology, oral surgery and a sub-regional plastic
surgery unit.
There are core surgical placements in general surgery, urology, plastics and ENT.
(All Information taken from Heatherwood and Wexham Park Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust website
http://www.heatherwoodandwexham.nhs.uk/)
Milton Keynes Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
MK is a medium size hospital serving the people living in Milton Keynes and the
surrounding areas.
The hospital has approximately 500 inpatient beds and provides a broad range of
general medical and surgical services, including A&E, for over 300,000 people every
year. The hospital provides services for all medical, surgical and child health
emergency admissions.
In addition to providing general acute services Milton Keynes Hospital increasingly
provides more specialist services, including cancer, cardiology and oral surgery and
has the responsibility for treating premature babies born locally and in the
surrounding areas. The Trust employs around 3000 staff.
There are core surgical placements in general surgery and trauma and orthopaedics.
(All Information taken from
http://www.mkgeneral.nhs.uk/)
Milton
Keynes
Hospital
NHS
Foundation
Trust
website
Central Teaching
Deanery based teaching constantly evolves to full fill the needs of the programme.
This year (2012-2013) we are running three regular types of teaching:
 The regional monthly teaching programme. A half-day session every third
Friday afternoon of the month. This includes a donut round, mock exam
questions/vivas and speciality based teaching to cover the MRCS and core
surgical syllabus
 Anatomy teaching – opportunity to teach to the medical students for up to 10
sessions over the year in the dissecting room. Specimens are prepared in
advance but there is ample opportunity for personal dissection by core trainees
if requested. Teaching can be formalized to count towards a higher education
certificate for those interested.


Simulation training – we are trialling simulation sessions held on a weekly
basis, rotating round the sim-suites in all the hospitals. The aim is for all
trainees to attend 10 half days over the year to cover:
o Simulated outpatient consultation
o Full immersion trauma assessment simulation set in A and E.
o Simulated post-take weekend ward round of 3 patients
o Simulated full immersion operation with a team in a simulated theatre
Core surgical trainees are also encouraged to attend a basic surgical and
laparoscopic skills course during their rotation.
Although the above programme will be subject to change for 2013/2014, it gives a
good indication of the teaching available to Core Surgery trainees in the Oxford
Deanery.
Duties of Post
The duties of each post vary according to which Trust you are working in and to
which specialty and post you are allocated. In general terms you will be required to
contribute to clinical duties on surgical wards, in out-patient clinics and in the
operating theatre. On-call duties may be limited to the specific specialty or to the
“general surgical” take. You will be expected to contribute to the academic and
governance activities of the unit. All core surgical trainees are expected to help with
some anatomy teaching of medical students within the University of Oxford and with
the clinical teaching of nurses, medical students and foundation doctors allocated to
their respective departments.
Main Conditions of Service
Appointments to this programme are subject to the Terms and Conditions of Service
(TCS) for Hospital Medical and Dental Staff (England and Wales). In addition
appointments are subject to:
 Applicants having the right to work and be a doctor or dentist in training in the
UK
 Registration with the General Medical Council
 Pre-employment checks carried out by the Trust HR department in line with
the NHS employment check standards, including CRB checks and
occupational health clearance.
The employing Trust’s offer of employment is expected to be on the following
nationally agreed terms:
Hours – The working hours for junior doctors in training are now 48-hours (or 52hours if working on a derogated rota) averaged over 26 weeks (six months). Doctors
in training also have an individual right to opt-out if they choose to do so, but they
cannot opt-out of rest break or leave requirements. However, the contracts for
doctors in training make clear that overall hours must not exceed 56 hours in a
week (New Deal Contract requirements) across all their employments and any
locum
work
they
do.
http://www.nhsemployers.org/PlanningYourWorkforce/MedicalWorkforce/EWT
D/Pages/EWTD.aspx
Pay – you should be paid monthly at the rates set out in the national terms and
conditions of service for hospital medical and dental staff and doctors in public health
medicine and the community health service (England and Wales), “the TCS”, as
amended from time to time. The payscales are reviewed annually. Current rates of
pay
may
be
viewed
at
http://www.nhsemployers.org/PayAndContracts/Pay%20circulars/Pages/PayCircular
sMedicalandDental.aspx Part time posts will be paid pro-rata
Pay supplement –depending upon the working pattern and hours of duty you are
contracted to undertake by the employer you should be paid a monthly additional
pay supplement at the rates set out in paragraph 22 of the TCS. The current
payscales
may
be
viewed
at
http://www.nhsemployers.org/PayAndContracts/Pay%20circulars/Pages/PayCircular
sMedicalandDental.aspx . The pay supplement is not reckonable for NHS pension
purposes. The pay supplement will be determined by the employer and should be
made clear in their offer of employment and subject to monitoring.
Pension – you will be entitled to join or continue as a member of the NHS Pension
Scheme, subject to its terms and rules, which may be amended from time to time. If
you leave the programme for out of programme experience you may have a gap in
your
pension
contributions.
More
information
can
be
found
at
http://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/pensions
Annual Leave – your entitlement to annual leave will be five or six weeks per annum
depending on your previous service/incremental point, as set out in paragraphs 205206
of
the
TCS.
The
TCS
may
be
viewed
at
http://www.nhsemployers.org/PAYANDCONTRACTS/JUNIORDOCTORSDENTISTS
GPREG/Pages/DoctorsInTraining-JuniorDoctorsTermsAndConditions150908.aspx
Sick pay – entitlements are outlined in paragraph 225 of the TCS.
Notice –you will be required to give your employer and entitled to receive from them
notice in accordance with paragraphs 195-196 of the TCS.
Study Leave –the employer is expected to offer study leave in accordance with
paragraphs 250-254 of the TCS. Local policy and procedure will be explained at
induction.
Travel Expenses – the employer is expected to offer travel expenses in accordance
with paragraphs 277-308 of the TCS for journeys incurred in performing your duties.
Local policy and procedure should be explained at induction.
Subsistence expenses – the employer is expected to offer subsistence expenses in
accordance with paragraph 311 of the TCS. Local policy and procedure should be
explained at induction.
Relocation expenses – the employer will have a local policy for relocation expenses
based on paragraphs 314 – 315 of the TCS and national guidance at
http://www.nhsemployers.org/PAYANDCONTRACTS/JUNIORDOCTORSDENTISTS
GPREG/Pages/DoctorsInTraining-JuniorDoctorsTermsAndConditions150908.aspx.
You are advised to check eligibility and confirm any entitlement with the employer
before incurring any expenditure.
Pre-employment checks – all NHS employers are required to undertake preemployment checks. The employer will confirm their local arrangements, which are
expected
to
be
in
line
with
national
guidance
at
http://www.nhsemployers.org/RecruitmentAndRetention/Employmentchecks/Pages/Employment-checks.aspx
Professional registration – it will be a requirement of employment that you have
professional registration with the GMC/GDC for the duration of your employment.
Though the post is covered by NHS Indemnity, you are strongly advised to register
with the MPS for professional indemnity.
Health and Safety – all employers have a duty to protect their workers from harm.
You should be advised by the employer of local policies and procedures intended to
protect your health and safety and expected to comply with these.
Disciplinary and grievance procedures – the employer will have local policies and
procedures for dealing with any disciplinary concerns or grievances you may have.
They should advise you how to access these, not later than eight weeks after
commencement of employment.
Educational Supervisor – the deanery appoints an educational supervisor who has
been selected and trained appropriately for the task. You are expected to have at
least one further clinical supervisor for each year of your appointment.
General information on the Deanery’s management of Specialty Training
programmes, including issues such as taking time out of programme and dealing
with concerns or complaints, is available at www.oxforddeanery.nhs.uk and in the
national ‘Gold guide’ to Specialty Training at http://www.mmc.nhs.uk Please ensure
that you inform Oxford Deanery of any changes to your contact details.
August 2012