

Vascular Surgery:
Kent, Surrey & Sussex

This information was provided by:
Ms Anisha Perera, ST8
1. Who is the training programme director?
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Mr David Gerrard
2. Please list all the hospitals in your deanery (Vascular Centres)
There are 3 vascular/arterial centres in the deanery. Trainees will generally spend 1-2 years at each centre, and 1 year in London or other centre of choice as an ST7/8 senior trainee.
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Frimley Park Hospital
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Royal Sussex County Hospital, Brighton
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Canterbury Hospital, Kent
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3. Please list all the hospitals which provide General Surgery rotations for Vascular trainees, as well as the pattern of rotations
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Frimley Park Hospital
Royal Sussex County Hospital, Brighton
East Kent Hospitals
Royal Surrey County Hospital, Guildford
Medway Maritime Hospital
Western Sussex Hospitals NHS Trust
East Surrey Hospital
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Pattern: General surgery rotations are for 1 year, usually in ST3 or ST4
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4. How is the deanery subdivided? Where do trainees generally live?
No sub-division, rotate to all 3 vascular centres within the deanery
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Frimley Park Hospital - Camberley
Royal Sussex County Hospital, Brighton - Brighton or Hove
Canterbury Hospital, Kent - Canterbury
5. How easy is it to commute to different sites?
Easy across Easy across Only appropriate Not easy
all sites most sites in some sites at all
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Car
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Public Transport
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Bicycle
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Car parking availability
6. How are rotations are allocated?
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Allocated at the end of each year
Trainees have the opportunity to give preference for rotations
7. Is there dedicated endovascular training available?
Weekly endovascular lists with IR or vascular surgery consultants available at Frimley Park and Canterbury
8. How frequent is deanery teaching and where is it held?
Monthly Deanery simulation skills teaching (1/2 day or full day sessions) together with London Deanery Trainees from ST3-ST6 at St Mary’s Hospital, London
9. Is there an established research infrastructure for trainees?
KSS trainee research and audit collaborative currently being set up, with aim to be functional by October 2022. Individual hospitals (eg: Frimley Park) have weekly/monthly journal clubs, usually in collaboration with general surgery.
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Journal Club
Trainee Collaborative
Clinical Trials Unit
Research Meetings/Presentation Days
NIHR Academic Clinical Fellow Post
10. Are there affiliated medical schools?
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Brighton - Brighton and Sussex Medical School
Frimley - University of Southampton School of Medicine, St George’s University of London Medical School
Canterbury - Kent and Medway Medical School
11. Are there any Out of Programme Opportunities available in your region?
ST7 or ST8 year will be spent as OOPT (Out of Programme Training) in London (traditionally St Mary’s, St George’s or St Thomas’ Hospitals) or other centre of choice.
Many trainees go to a London centre for MD/PhD research. MD/PhD research option now available at Canterbury through University of Kent with funding in place, and potential opportunities at Brighton through Brighton and Sussex Medical School.
12. Are there currently any less than full time (LTFT) trainees in your region?
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No, but option is available if required.
Deanery offers specific return to work funding, support and guidance.
13. Do any hospitals in the region have on-site childcare facilities?
Frimley Park Hospital - nursery
14. Are there any other facts about your deanery that should be mentioned?
Wide variety of open and endovascular aortic and lower limb experience available across the Deanery. All 3 centres have good volume of open aortic work and high volume of FEVAR and EVAR. All 3 centres also perform renal access work performed by the vascular surgeons. Peripheral endovascular training opportunities available at Frimley Park and Canterbury. All 3 centres operate a functioning hub and spoke model with neighbouring Trusts. Exposure to procedures such as distal bypass, deep venous stenting and 1st rib resection for thoracic outlet syndrome also available.