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Training Programme Director
Mr Paul Fewings, Training Programme Director, based in Derriford.
Neurosurgery Rotation Information
The Neurosurgery Training Programme is 8 years duration. The South West Regional Neurosurgery training programme is based in two cities, over three sites:
- Southmead Hospital, North Bristol NHS Trust
- Bristol Royal Hospital for Children, Bristol
- South West Neurosurgery Centre, Derriford Hospital, (Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust)
Neurosurgical training in the South West is conducted as a combined programme with placements in Bristol and Plymouth. During the training programme registrars rotate between different consultants at six monthly intervals. They will achieve a wide range of exposure to ward cases, intensive care cases, operating theatre and outpatient clinics. There is a major commitment to on-call work. Specialist trainees are appointed via the national neurosurgery selection process.
The curriculum is outlined on the ISCP website and trainees are expected to achieve competencies at a steady pace throughout training in line with the curriculum.
Annual appraisals in the form of ARCP reviews are conducted annually with follow up reviews as and when required.
The Departments of Neurosurgery at Southmead Hospital and Derriford Hospital have a strong reputation for clinical training of registrars. A high throughput of patients with a broad spectrum of neurosurgical disorders allows trainees to acquire valuable clinical and surgical skills. The training programme is further supported by departmental and neurosciences academic meetings, and teaching sessions.
Joint regional postgraduate training days are organised on a termly basis. All trainees rotate through both units to enable them to experience a full range of neurosurgical conditions and management approaches.
Trainees usually spend 5 years in one of the centres and then the remaining 3 years in the other training centre (Bristol or Plymouth).
All paediatric training is undertaken at the Bristol Children’s Hospital.
Trainees rotate in August and February.
For further information regarding neurosurgery supra-regional teaching programme, please follow the link https://www.swneurosurgery.uk/
There are opportunities to pursue academic and educational projects, including Diplomas, MDs and PhDs, and we are fully involved in national neurosurgical and critical care research programmes. All trainees are encouraged to be members of the Society of British Neurological Surgeons (SBNS), providing access to E-Brain and enabling participation in the British Neurosurgery Trainee Association Research Collaboration.
Trainees also regularly participate in quality improvement projects, publish in neurosurgical journals and present at national and international conferences.
Recruitment
Entry to neurosurgery training is via a national selection process, co-ordinated by the Yorkshire and Humber Deanery. The national recruitment website provides guidance on the process of applying, along with a link to the person specifications required.
Applicants usually enter at ST1 level, although there are occasional entries at ST3. Applicants undergo centralised interviews, usually in Yorkshire although since 2020 these have been online via MS Teams.
To contact Neurosurgery Recruitment Team.
National Neurosurgery webpage:
Consultants
Consultants at each of the training sites:
Bristol - Southmead Hospital - North Bristol NHS Trust
- Mr Kumar Abhinav
- Mr Neil Barua
- Mr Constantinos Charalambides
- Mr Richard Edwards
- Professor Steven Gill
- Mr Ven Iyer
- Mr George Malcolm
- Mr Mark Nowell
- Mr Richard Nelson
- Mr Nik Patel
- Mr Nitin Patel
- Mr Angelo Pichierri
- Mr Ian Pople
- Mr David Porter
- Mr Mario Teo
- Mr Crispin Wigfield
- Mr Adam Williams
Bristol - Bristol Royal Hospital for Children - University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust
- Mr Michael Carter
- Mr Richard Edwards
- Mr Greg Fellows
- Mr Ian Pople
Plymouth - South West Neurosurgery Centre, Derriford Hospital - Plymouth Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- Mr Titus Berei
- Mr Paul Fewings
- Mr Tim Germon
- Mr Nicholas Haden
- Mr Samiul Muquit
- Mr James Palmer
- Mr Himanshu Sharma (Orthopaedic Spinal Surgeon)
- Mr N Sudhakar
- Surgeon Commander S Smith (Orthopaedic Spinal Surgeon)
- Mr Peter Whitfield
ARCP's & Quality Panel
The next ARCP meeting (panel only) will be held on Thursday 13th January 2022 (for selected trainees)
Trainees are required to have ISCP up to date and all evidence uploaded, and return a form R to Programme Manager at least two weeks before the above date, by in any event by 23rd December 2021.
For assessment requirements, please see the ARCP Checklist. Details of the new curriculum from August 2021 are on ISCP website.
The Summer ARCPs will be held on Thursday 30th June 2022.