Appendix C – Individual placement description
North Western Foundation School
Stockport NHS Foundation Programme
Individual Placement Description
All information to be completed by the LEP.
Placement
F1 Endocrinology & Diabetes
The department
Based on ward A11 (28 beds ward, half
male half female) shared with geriatric
rehabilitation and half of C4 (16 beds,
female) shared with Gastroenterology.
There is also 1 outlying ward B6
(female). Total patient load is around 30
adult patients admitted with acute
medical (GIM), diabetes and endocrine
problems.
The type of work to expect and
learning opportunities
Team consists of 2 consultants, 1 ST3+,
1 ST1 and 2 FY1 trainees. More
broadly the team also includes, a ward
based pharmacist, 1 hospital Diabetes
Specialist Nurse and there are links with
community DSNs (PCT).
Outpatient clinics: Adult diabetes
including specialty clinics such as insulin
pump clinic, diabetes antenatal clinic,
podiatry clinic, endocrine clinic.
 Wide variety of patients with acute
and chronic medical conditions.
Some patients with specific
problems in diabetes and
endocrinology e.g. DKA, diabetic
foot ulcers. Patients often have
multiple pathologies, trainees learn
to prioritise and initiate appropriate
investigations, how to manage
patients as part of a multidisciplinary
team and see how long term care is
integrated with in acute inpatient
care in the clinic setting. They also
learn how to adopt a patient centred
approach, when not to treat and
when investigations are
inappropriate i.e. not simply blindly
following integrated care pathways
and procedures just because they
exist.
 Opportunities available on call to
learn how to assess and manage
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acute medical admissions and
emergencies.
There is use of clinical guidelines
both national e.g. NICE and local
e.g. antibiotic guidelines and close
supervision by 2 consultants with
regular feedback.
Trainees are also encouraged to
participate in audit.
Trainees are on the front line dealing
with patients and relatives and
backed up by senior staff. There are
frequently confused or demanding
patients and relatives on the ward
requiring high levels of interpersonal
skills to manage.
Working as part of a team is central
to the experience, there is also a
high turn over of patients requiring
good working relations to maintain
good clinical care and patient safety.
Trainees rapidly learn to integrate
their working patterns with others
and when to ask for help. Outside of
the medical team there is the
multidisciplinary team that trainees
need to coordinate with, in order
care for the patient during their
hospital stay and ensure a safe
discharge.
Trainee have regular weekly
protected teaching times, ward
based teaching by consultants and
specialty trainees, and have regular
formal reviews by their clinical and
educational supervisors. They also
have the opportunity to teach
medical students attached to the
team.
Trainees participate in the on call
rota for acute medical admissions
dealing with a wide variety of acute
medical problems.
Patients admitted to the ward from
the admissions unit have ongoing
problems that need treatment e.g.
the patient with pneumonia isn’t just
cured after the first 24 hours on the
admission unit.
Patients with more chronic
conditions may develop other
problems that need treatment e.g.
hyponatraemia after treating heart
failure or hyperglycaemia following
steroid treatment for COPD.
Weekly half day protected teaching
Thurs pm.
 Twice a week lunch time medical
meetings Mon and Fri.
 Access to subspecialty weekly
teaching e.g. heart hour, chest
medicine/radiology meeting etc.
 Grand round meetings every 6
weeks.
 Diabetes and endocrinology clinics,
podiatry clinics.
 Access to post grad centre and full
library facilities, ALS courses etc.
 This post probably gives the most
closely supervised and well rounded
medical experience for trainees
compared to all the other specialities
in medicine in this hospital.
Ward A11, C4 (Diabetes and
Endocrinology)
Dr N Kong, Dr R Bell
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Where the placement is based
Clinical Supervisor(s) for the
placement
Main duties of the placement
Typical working pattern in this
placement
Employer information
Look after ward patients under
supervision of consultants, ST3+ and
ST1.
Participate in on call including
assessment of acute admission on
GPAU, AMU.
Encouraged to attend clinics when free
from wards for learning experience.
Mon: Ward round 2 – 5 pm, Dr Kong
(Endocrine clinic Mon am optional to
attend)
Tues: Ward round 2 – 5 pm, Dr Bell
Wed: Ward round 2 – 5 pm, SpR
(Diabetes clinic Wed am optional to
attend)
Thurs: Ward round 9 – 12 noon Dr Kong
(Diabetes clinic Thurs pm optional to
attend)
Fri: Ward round 9 – 12 pm Dr Bell
Sat:
Sun:
On call requirements: see rota from HR
dept.
The employer for this post is Stockport
NHS Foundation Trust. The Trust has
Associate Teaching Hospital status.
The post will be based in Stepping Hill
Hospital which provides health care
services to both the local population of
290,000 and to residents of several
areas on the periphery of the district
It is important to note that this description is a typical example of your placement and may be
subject to change.