Internal medicine Training at Torbay Hospital (Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust)
Background
Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust has recently become one of the first vertically-integrated health and care organisations in the country (Integrated Care Organisation) . The ICO allows us to radically re-think and re-shape the way we deliver care, free from traditional organisational constraints. As Internal medicine trainees you will be part of an organisation where the traditional models of primary vs secondary care have been replaced with a more patient centred and streamlined pathway. This allows us to have more flexibility and capacity for innovation in how best to manage patients. Torbay and South Devon has a significantly older and ageing population and this demographic of over 65s, which is ahead of some other parts of the country by as much as 20 years, this means that all trainees will have the opportunity to experience the complexity of caring for frail patients and how their care can best be shared with the community.
Local curriculum and training delivery – medical rotations
All trainees with rotate through Care of the Elderly, Intensive Care and Cardiology rotations. In addition we have rotations in Palliative Care, Endocrinology, Acute medicine, Respiratory and Gastroenterology. During the Palliative Care rotation you will be on the on-call rota for the Rowcroft Hospice but otherwise you will be on the medical on-call rota.
Local curriculum and training delivery – education experience
Trainees at Torbay have the highest overall satisfaction score for the Southwest; we actively encourage participation in education activities and are continually evolving to develop innovative ways of providing this. IMT trainees will meet with RCP College Tutor on a bi-weekly basis for teaching and portfolio support; this is in addition to the dedicated monthly IMT training days. The IMT trainee representative works alongside the College Tutor and Associate College Tutor to ensure that your training needs are met. There is a weekly Medical Grand Round which trainees are expected to attend (lunch is provided).
We have newly developed a Pastoral tutor scheme to help support trainees who maybe experiencing challenges both at work and in the personal lives. This runs alongside our existing structure of clinical and educational supervision.
We have excellent links with both Plymouth and Exeter Medical schools which allows us to access educational opportunities on both sites, promoting a culture of medical education excellence.
Local curriculum and training delivery - simulation and QI
Torbay has a well set up Simulation department and trainees experience dedicated Simulation training days four times a year. The initial session focusses on gaining the procedural skills needed for IMT 1 sign off. The remainder of the sessions develop clinical skills and awareness of human factors needed to progress to being a medical registrar. Trainees at Torbay are well supported in the transition to becoming a medical registrar and towards the end of training there are opportunities to ‘act up’ whilst being supported by a buddy medical registrar.
Quality Improvement is at the core of our culture at Torbay Hospital. All trainees will be supported in completing a QI project each year through sessions at the training days and via support from the RCP Tutor.
Local Area
Torbay has an enviable mix of coastal and moorland locations on our doorstep. The sea is visible from the hospital canteen and the grounds are well utilized in the summer months to promote a healthy work life balance. Sporting activities are well supported by the Junior Doctors mess and a whole range of water based activities are available locally. We have good road and rail links to the bigger cities of Plymouth and Exeter and with a fast train London is less than 3 hours away. Torbay offers an excellent work life balance on the sunny English Riviera.