Introduction:

Welcome to Foundation training programme home page at the Luton and Dunstable University Hospital (LDUH). LDUH is a large District General Hospital in the East of England and offers training for Foundation Year Doctors recruited through UK Foundation Programme Office (UKFPO) following a national application process. Training programmes offered at LDUH comes under part of the  East of England Foundation School. Training for Foundation doctors is managed  by Department of Medical Education based in the Centre of Medical Education Training (COMET) centre..

Foundation training offered at LDUH follows the framework as set out in the national Foundation Programme Curriculum (2021). . It is a two-year (FY1 and FY2), workplace-based training programme which aims to bridge the gap between medical school and specialty / general practice training. We support  newly qualified doctors to develop  clinical and professional skills in the workplace in readiness for core, specialty or general practice training. At LDUH, we pride ourselves in delivering safe and effective patient care whilst maintaining good standards of training, as well as facilitating excellence in their professional development in accordance to guidance set out in the Good medical practice by General Medical Council (GMC)

Who are we? (Staff and directors)

Foundation training at LDUH is overseen by 2 programme directors with support from a team of administrative staff

Foundation Training Programme Director: Dr Kah Fai Wong who is a consultant physician in  Diabetes and Endocrinology Kah.Wong@ldh.nhs.uk

Deputy Foundation Training Programme Director: Dr Tekki Sreenivasa Rao who is a consultant paediatrician rao.tekki@ldh.nhs.uk

Foundation Programme Administrator: Mrs Kiran Maqbool Kiran.Maqbool@ldh.nhs.uk

Assistant Foundation Programme Administrator: Ms Ruby Salam Ruby.Salam@ldh.nhs.uk

Other important directors and administrative staff who oversee the training are:

Prof Ritwik Banerjee – Joint  DME (Luton site) and Deputy Foundation School Director, East of England Foundation School

Mrs Sharon Fletcher- Lead Medical Education manager, LDUH

What does Programme include?

Foundation Training consists of 2 years of training (FY1 and FY2). At LDUH, we offer 54 training places  each year, which gives us a total of  108 trainees at any time. The offer of training places is coordinated by the UKFPO nationally.  Please be aware that there will not be any local recruitment process.

Majority of our training posts include 6 placements in 2 years, rotating every 4 months. Your post consists of a mixture of the following specialties in differing order and more specific details are accessible via Oriel.

1. General Medicine including various medical subspecialities( Cardiology, Endocrinology and Diabetes, Gastroenterology, Respiratory Medicine, Stroke medicine, Care of the elderly including and Acute Medicine orthogeriatrics)
2. General surgery including Colorectal, Upper GI surgery and Urology.
3. Obstetrics and Gynaecology
4. ENT Surgery
5. Ophthalmology
6. Trauma & Orthopaedics
7. General Practice
8. Paediatrics
9. Accident and Emergency
10. Anaesthetics
11. Psychiatry

Specialised Foundation Programmes

We also offer specialised Foundation training which include the following programmes

1. Enhance Foundation Training: 4 posts consist of Accident and Emergency + Paediatrics including community training (6 months each in FY2)
2. Academic Foundation Training: 2 posts consist of General Practice + Accident and Emergency (6 months each in FY2)

Supervision

All trainees are supervised by an approved Educational supervisor (ES) for the 2 years in training, with  a separate clinical supervisor (CS) during each placement. Trainees are expected to meet both CS and ES for induction at the start of  each placement, followed by  end of placement reports. You will also require an end of year sign off by your ES. You are expected to proactively update your Eportfolio (Horus) using the various Supervised Learning Events (SLE) toolkit in preparation for the Annual Review of Clinical Competencies (ARCP) process. Our supervisors as well as administrator team are always happy to support you with any portfolio queries.. We have 46 approved Educational and Clinical supervisor dedicated to foundation trainees.

In-house Training Offered

Induction: When trainees commence the post in LDUH, there will be a a Preparation for practice (PfP) week followed by shadowing to get orientated to the workplace. It is crucial that the PfP week is fully attended. You should shadow the existing foundation doctors in your first rotation to ensure familiarity with the role and expectations..

Trust based Foundation  Teaching: A full day protected time teaching held at the COMET lecture hall monthly on  on 2nd and 4th Tuesdays. Trainees are released separately to attend this and this is coordinated with the rota coordinators of respective specialities. .

Regional Hub Days: At LDUH we offer  6  Hub days which can attended by local trainees as well as those from other hospitals in the EBH region.

1. Accident and Emergency
2. Paediatrics
3. Obstetrics and Gynaecology
4. Ophthalmology
5. Ethics
6. Enhance (in development)

Simulation training: All trainees are required to attend the on-site full day high fidelity simulation training once per year. We also offer a half day Virtual reality simulation training to all trainees. The simulation training is facilitated by the sim faculty at the trust, and the attendance timetable is arranged by the administrator team.

Taster Weeks: Trainees are given the opportunity to undertake a 5-day taster week  in a specialty of choice either within the LDUH or another Trust to widen your specialty insight and interest. This is usually done on the 3rd FY1 placement of 1st FY2 placement.

Grand Rounds: There is weekly Grand Round at the COMET lecture hall 12:30-13:30 every Tuesday afternoon (term times only). Attendance is not compulsory but highly desirable.

Department teaching: Each department will generally hold regular teaching and training sessions, further details to be obtained via supervisors..

Trainee Representatives

Each foundation year group is represented by 2 trainee representatives, who mediate training and work issues with administrative staff and programme directors from time to time. They are invited to attend the foundation and medical educational faculty  meetings.

Useful Links

LDUH Foundation Training Programme Hand Book:

UK Foundation Programme: https://foundationprogramme.nhs.uk/

Foundation School East of England: https://heeoe.hee.nhs.uk/foundation

UK Foundation Programme Curriculum: https://foundationprogramme.nhs.uk/curriculum/

Horus ePortfolio: https://supporthorus.hee.nhs.uk/horus-support-home/