About the programme

About the programme

The Obstetrics & Gynaecology (O&G) training programme is delivered over seven years and commences by direct entry after completing foundation training. 

The Curriculum for training in O&G is managed through the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) and is delivered in KSS within our training units under the supervision of the College Tutors and the Educational and Clinical Supervisors who will be based in the training units.  To find out more about the KSS O&G team, visit the Meet the Team webpage.

KSS School of O&G are responsible for:

  • the training and the delivery of the RCOG curriculum, leading to successful attainment of Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT)
  • ensuring a full range of training opportunities within the respective hospitals and through regional training days
  • striving for a high level of clinical and educational supervision
  • trainee revalidation

By combining experience in KSS trusts along with teaching hospital posts you can gain the experience and skills to become a well-rounded and confident clinician – there are many fantastic training opportunities within the region. Within your DGH placements you will be involved in a full complement of general obstetrics and gynaecology practice including:

  • antenatal care
  • scanning
  • labour ward
  • general gynaecology clinics
  • emergency gynaecology including early pregnancy clinics
  • in-patient, day case and ambulatory surgery

To find out more about KSS O&G training, read the 2020 trainee handbook below:

Handbook O&G Handbook 2020 (pdf)

Curriculum

To view the RCOG training curriculum, please visit the RCOG website.  To ensure a consistent approach to assessment and progression through training, the RCOG has developed a matrix of educational progression. When trainees commence their training, they will be provided with a portfolio which sets out the curriculum and they will then populate a log book to support this.

Where do trainees train?

Our posts are distributed throughout KSS with few posts available in London teaching hospitals.

There are no fixed training rotations as these are tailored to trainee need and preference as their programme progresses. Trainees can access all trusts, but the make-up of training cohorts within trusts is dependent on a multitude of factors including the number of deliveries in the trusts and the specialist interests of the consultant body. Please note, trainees will be based at trusts but might be required to visit clinics in other areas covered by the trust.

Placements

ST1 and ST2 posts are matched and trainees are aware when they choose hospital for ST1 as to which hospital they will be rotating for ST2.  However, if few circumstances, this might not be followed strictly in situations if trainee is off on ML/ LTFT and needing more time pro-rata to complete the training year.

We aim to keep ST2 and ST3 in same hospital to allow for smooth and supported transition to Registrar post from SHO post.  In few circumstances this might not happen, and reasonable adjustments are made to accommodate all requests.

KSS has few posts in London for ST3 –ST5 grade and few for ST6 – ST7.

Allocation to London trust is for one year only for ST3 –ST5 grade.

Placements for ST6 and ST7 are  matched according to ATSM requirements.

Ranking all London hospitals as 1, 2 and 3 , are  taken as 1st preference for London hospitals . Ranking of other hospitals ( KSS)  as 4 , 5, 6 will be taken as   2nd, 3rd and 4th choices and so on.

Trainees are rotated to different hospitals so that they can gain wider experience and expertise working with different healthcare professionals and different hospitals.

As KSS is wide geographic area, allocating team takes this into consideration while allocating post and try to keep them within your region and your preferred hospitals in that region.

Local education placement providers in KSS are:

Kent

East Kent Hospitals University Foundation Trust:

  • Queen Elizabeth and Queen Mother Hospital, Margate
  • William Harvey Hospital, Ashford

(Trainees choose one of the sites)

Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust:

  • Maidstone Hospital, Maidstone
  • Tunbridge Wells Hospital, Pembury (delivery suite)

(Training occurs between both sites)

Medway NHS Foundation Trust:

  • Medway Maritime Hospital, Medway

Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust:

  • Darent Valley Hospital, Dartford

Surrey

Ashford and St. Peter’s Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust:

  • Ashford and St Peter’s Hospital, Chertsey

Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust:

  • Frimley Park Hospital, Frimley

Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust:

  • Royal Surrey County Hospital, Guildford

Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust:

  • East Surrey Hospital, Redhill

Sussex

 East Sussex Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust:

  • Conquest Hospital, St. Leonards-on-Sea
  • Eastbourne District General Hospital, Eastbourne

(Training occurs between both sites)

Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust:

  • Royal Sussex County Hospital, Brighton
  • Princess Royal Hospital, Haywards Heath

(Trainees are allocated to one site, but there are training opportunities at both sites)

Western Sussex Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust:

  • Worthing Hospital, Worthing
  • St Richard’s Hospital, Chichester

(Trainees are allocated to one site, but there are training opportunities at both sites)

To find out more about each training location, please visit the Local Education Provider webpage.

London

During the training programme there is opportunity for one year training at a London Hospital Trust, the year can be chosen by the trainee and TPDs.

The London Trusts available to train in include:

Training Pathway

To understand the training pathway for Obstetrics & Gynaecology, please visit the RCOG introduction to specialty training in O&G webpage.

Sub specialty training

Many hospitals within KSS also provide expertise in sub-specialist areas and over the course of the programme you will have access to more specialised services including:

  • Specialist obstetric clinics
    • Maternal medicine in joint clinics with physicians (eg diabetes, endocrine, renal)
    • Fetal medicine
    • Multiple pregnancy
  • Specialist gynaecology clinics
    • Reproductive health
    • Urogynaecology
    • Oncology
    • Colposcopy
    • Recurrent miscarriage

The importance of good communication skills is recognised and specific training is offered. This is supported by patients sharing their experience of healthcare. The School has run a mentoring programme for new recruits for two years and hopes to continue developing this. Teaching and learning can also be delivered virtually using Teams.

KSS provides a wide variety of specialty experience in the friendly and supportive units within the region. While most of the sub-specialty areas in O&G are covered within KSS there are also several London teaching hospital posts as part of the rotation programme, which our trainees may choose during their training to gain exposure to different sub-specialty clinics in clinical research.

Simulation

The school also has an excellent simulation training programme with opportunities for simulation training in obstetrics, gynaecology and ultrasound. There are many training opportunities that focus on multidisciplinary team working and human factors training.

Trainee representatives committee

The KSS O&G training programme has a trainee representative committee of appointed specialty trainees who are chosen to act as representatives of their peers within O&G training in KSS. As an organisation of committed individuals, the trainee representatives aim to be a cohesive and visible voice to improve trainees’ experience and quality of education and training, as well as provide feedback and help shape new initiatives within the KSS region. To find out more about the trainee representatives, please visit the Trainee Rep Committee webpage.