Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS trust

Post Information

StR (ST3-6)

in

MEDICAL ONCOLOGY

Ref:

Post

Positions of Locum Appointment for Training at StR 3-6 are available to work in the departments of medical oncology at St James’s Hospital in Leeds (Breast and Gynaecological team), Bradford Royal Infirmary, and York District Hospital. Information is provided here about the whole rotation including these posts.

The post-holder will be responsible for in-patient and out-patient care of patients with a range of cancers as part of a team and with appropriate supervision from senior colleagues.

Locum appointments for service (LAT) arise when Specialty Registrars (StR) with Type 1 contracts move out of the training scheme temporarily e.g. to do research, maternity leave etc. All LAT appointments are therefore approved posts. Depending on the reasons why the vacancy has arisen, LAT appointments will be for between 3 and 12 months, and on this occasion a minimum of 6 months training is available.

A LAT will be treated in the same way as StR’s. They will have an educational supervisor and will attend annual review sessions if in post at the time these are held.

Details of the Training Scheme are included but these should be read whilst appreciating that:

1. A LAT appointment does not lead to the granting of a National Training Number.

2. This time can be counted towards CCST if a candidate subsequently obtains a substantive StR post.

There can be no retrospective recognition of a LAT post by the Royal Colleges or PMETB/equivalent - this needs to be obtained by the trainee at the time of the post.

Specialty Registrar (StR; ST3-6) IN MEDICAL ONCOLOGY

Informal enquiries to Dr Stark, Leeds, 0113 2068266

Rotation information

This information applies to trainees appointed to a substantive post with the assignment of a National Training Number (NTN) or equivalent.

Applicants considering working flexibly should contact Dr R Roden, Careers and Personal Development Adviser on 0113 233 1503 for a confidential discussion.

THE ROTATION

Main StR/SpR Scheme

The rotation is based at:

1. The St James’s Institute of Oncology, St James's University Hospital, Leeds (8 posts)

2. The Bradford Royal Infirmary Oncology Unit (2 posts)

3. The Huddersfield Royal Infirmary Oncology Unit (2 posts)

4. Caste Hill Oncology Centre, Hull (2 posts)1

5. York District Hospital (1 post)

There are usually, at any one time, 21 Regional Trainees with NTN's, five or six of whom will be studying for a higher scientific degree (MD or PhD). The rotation includes formal academic training with Academic Foundation year 2 trainees, Academic Clinical fellows and Clinical Lecturers gaining joint clinical and academic training on the National Institutes for Health Research scheme.

The medical and clinical oncology and haematology Academic Clinical Fellows, Specialty Registrars, Clinical Research Fellows and Clinical Lecturers are, from 2008, based in the new Bexley Oncology Wing, a 66,000 sq m new building providing all clinical services including facilities for early clinical trials, the National Cancer Research Network Coordinating Centre, the Cancer Registry, clinical and psychosocial research space, Pathology, Haematology and tertiary cancer surgery facilities, on the same campus and closely aligned with the Institute of Molecular Medicine and the Cancer Research UK Clinical Centre. Included are 12 linear accelerator bunkers and a full set of imaging facilities. The non-surgical oncology service has 23 consultants in medical oncology, 21 in clinical oncology, 7 in Paediatric Oncology and 13 in haematology These developments, on one campus, provide an infrastructure for clinical academic training including a strong academic environment, with clinical research facilities, health services research support, clinical trials units, a track record of training academic clinicians and a critical mass of clinical staff and clinical training opportunities

Training is complete in accordance with the 2007 PMETB approved, and 2009 curricula. Trainees comfortably complete within 3 years the site-specific requirements of the curriculum, allowing time for sub-specialisation and preparation for post-CCT working. Training provides a comprehensive four year training programme. The StRs rotate between positions in the Professorial Medical Oncology Unit at St James's University Hospital an appointment to the Bradford Teaching Hospitals Oncology Unit (BRI), the Calderdale and Huddersfield Medical Oncology Unit (HRI), or The Oncology Centre at Princess Royal Hospital, Hull (PRH) providing training in a University Cancer Centre and a District General Hospital.

Each post provides excellent training in Medical Oncology, including 1-2 years as a Specialty Registrar at SJUH, about a year at a Cancer Unit HRI or BRI or at PRH, and 1-2 years in more specialist posts (Teenage and Young Adult cancer unit +/- Haematological malignancies +/- Phase I trials). This feature of the rotation makes its trainees especially well placed nationally to apply for the next generation of consultant posts, which are increasingly in general hospitals and providing acute as well as site-specialised oncology services.

General Medical Oncology is a feature of all posts but specialist experience will be available in each post to provide exposure to all aspects of cancer medicine together with radiotherapy, palliative care and haematology. We are currently reviewing the length of each attachment and this is subject to change.

Individual Educational supervision is in place in each post, and in each on-the job assessments of clinical competence and mini-PAT are in place. Radiotherapy training, according to the medical oncology curriculum, is in place in each post integrated with site-specific learning. Chemotherapy competency training and electronic assessment are in place for new starters at ST3.

Entry at StR is competitive, placing strong weight upon MRCP UK or equivalent, and evidence of good progress in clinical training, including experience in cancer-related specialties such as palliative medicine, haematology and clincal oncology

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The Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust is the largest in the UK (2.6m tertiary catchment, turnover £750m pa, 3,000 beds, 700,000 OP visits and 200,000 IP and day cases per annum) and receives over £10m per annum R&D funding for a wide range of strong clinical research programmes and over 200 clinical trials. Leeds hosts the UKCRN Coordinating Centre, the Cancer CRN Coordinating Centre and has a highly successful National Cancer Research Institute accredited Clinical Trials Unit. The University of Leeds is one of the largest biomedical research Universities in the UK.

Learning includes experiential training, independent self-directed leaning and appropriate off-the-job education-master classes and day release, and a weekly half-day taught course for first year trainees. Trainees will have bleep-free protected time to participate in the formal teaching provided by the local taught course in ST years 3 and 4, regardless of placement in the region.

Assessment at RITA is annual, including joint academic RITA, and successful this year with 6 SpRs achieving Penultimate Year Assessments or Certificates of Completion of Training.

This is an expanding rotation, with expanding consultant numbers nationally and locally. Discussion is progressing of joint training developing with clinical oncology, including joint early StR training before specialisation.

THE POSTS

St James's University Hospital, Leeds (8 posts)

St James's University Hospital is one of the largest general teaching hospitals in the UK and one of the largest teaching hospitals of the University of Leeds Medical School. Research facilities with laboratories, professional scientists and clinical research accommodation for cancer research were completed at the beginning of 1991 and the Imperial Cancer Research Fund Medicine Research Unit, headed by Professor Selby, was created in 1993. With the merger of ICRF and CRC in 2001, the Unit is now known as the Cancer Research UK Clinical Centre in Leeds.

Specifically in cancer care, medical and clinical oncology and haematology Specialist Registrars, Clinical Research Fellows and Clinical Lecturers are based newly in the St James’s Institute of Oncology in Bexley Wing.

The posts in Medical Oncology at St James's University Hospital are in the Professorial Medical Oncology Unit (Dr Dawn Alison, Dr Alan Anthoney, Dr Janet Brown, Dr John Chester, Dr Geoff Hall, Dr David Jackson, Dr Satinder Jagdev, Dr Maria Marples, Prof Julia Newton Bishop, Dr Timothy Perren, Dr Nitesh Rohatgi (Locum), Professor Matt Seymour, Prof Peter Selby, Dr Sheryl Sim Dr Dan Stark, Dr Daniel Swinson Professor Chris Twelves, and Professor Galina Velikova) and involve well-established links with colleagues in Urology, Haematology, General Medicine and medical sub-specialties, Gynaecology, and Plastic and General Surgery. Nine clinics (six with parallel multidisciplinary clinics) are presently established and further developments are underway. Particularly close links exist with the hospital Palliative Care Team (headed by Dr Alison and Dr Hicks) who assist in the management of patients who are terminally ill. Through the hospital Palliative Care Team there are excellent links to the local hospices, which provide a high quality support service. Close liaison with other medical and surgical specialities is a principal theme in the department and regular Multi-Disciplinary meetings are already established, in line with NHS Cancer Plan etc. We are fortunate to be well supported by specialist radiology services on

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site

There is an extensive clinical research programme involving phase I, II and III trials including investigator led studies initiated in our unit, co-operative group studies and pharmaceutical company led trials. Areas of clinical and translational research in which we have particular strengths include the immunotherapies, gene therapies, and psychosocial oncology.

Specialty Registrars 8St1-2 doctors 18 (working with other specialties also)Foundation Year 2 doctors 2Clinical Nurse Specialists 2

An extensive research support team is in place, including Research Sisters, Data Clerks, Data Managers, Statisticians, and IT Support

The six posts at St James's University hospital are:

1. PS1: Urology/Melanoma/Sarcoma/Germ Cell (Professor Selby, Dr Brown, Dr Chester, Dr Marples, Dt Sim, Dr Jagdev, Dr Stark) Wards Registrar

The trainee will be responsible for the day-to-day management of inpatients and outpatients and supervision of ST1-2 doctors, Foundation year 2 doctors and Oncology Fellows. During this post generally a less experienced trainee will receive general medical oncology experience and experience in the specialist management of renal cancer, bladder cancer, germ cell, melanoma and sarcoma. The trainee will be involved with management of biological therapies and a variety of clinical research studies.

2. PS2: Urology/Melanoma/Sarcoma/Germ Cell (Professor Selby, Dr Brown, Dr Chester, Dr Marples, Dr Stark) - Trials Registrar.

The trainee will be responsible for protocol development, co-ordinating trials and specialist service developments in the above cancers. They will receive higher specialist site-specific training in these cancers. It is expected that more senior trainees will take this post.

3. TP1: Breast/Gynaecological Cancer (Dr Perren, Dr. Hall, Dr Alison, Dr Velikova, Dr Jackson, Dr Rohatgi, Professor Twelves) – Gynae Registrar.

The trainee will be responsible for the day–to-day management of inpatients and outpatients and supervision of St1-2 doctors and Oncology Fellows. During this post the trainee will receive general medical oncology experience in the specialist management of breast cancer, ovarian cancer and other gynaecological malignancy. The trainee will be involved in a variety of clinical research studies.

4. TP2: Breast/Gynaecological cancer (Dr Perren, Dr. Hall, Dr Alison, Dr Velikova, Dr Jackson, Dr Rohatgi, Professor Twelves) – Breast Registrar.

The trainee will be responsible for protocol development, co-ordinating trials and specialist service developments in breast and gynaecological cancers. They will receive higher specialist site-specific training in these cancers. It is expected that more senior trainees will take this post.

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5. Teenage and Young Adult Unit.

The trainee will be responsible for the day-to-day management of inpatients and outpatients of the adolescent unit working predominantly with members of the paediatric oncology unit, and Dr Stark. Specialist experience in the management of sarcomas, haematological malignancies and generic competencies defined in the 2009 curriculum will be obtained, in cancer management in adolescents and young adults.

6. GI Oncology, Leeds (2 posts)

Dr Matt Seymour, Professor and Consultant Medical Oncologist Dr Alan Anthoney, Senior Lecturer and Consultant Medical Oncologist Dr Daniel Swinson Senior Lecturer and Consultant Medical OncologistSpecialists Registrars: 2Clinical Fellows 1

Professor Matt Seymour, Dr Alan Anthoney and Dr Daniel Swinson have a special interest in gastrointestinal cancer. The GI medical oncology team sees approximately 300 new patients per year with the full range of oesophago-gastric, pancreatico-biliary and large bowel cancers, at all stages. There is a comprehensive portfolio of Phase I, II and III clinical research projects, within which most treatments are delivered, and to which the appointee will be encouraged to contribute.

For GI cancer close working relationships are in place with Drs Adrian Crellin, David Sebag-Montefiore and others, Consultant Clinical Oncologists with GI cancer interest, also with the GI cancer surgeons of the Centre for Digestive Diseases, Leeds General infirmary, and this post provides experience of multidisciplinary working.

On call duties

Currently the on call duties are 1:7 for Medical Oncology, Band 1A. There will be internal cover for daytime and on-call duties during absences for leave, short-term sickness etc. These on call commitments are subject to change pending developments in the regulations for on call work. This is currently a non-resident commitment.

Departmental Governance and Research Meetings

A regular Wednesday afternoon multidisciplinary session focusing in turn on new clinical trials and research governance issues, audit and clinical governance.

Regular Educational Session

Weekly hour-long breakfast meeting with invited speaker addressing relevant issues for all clinical teams. Weekly case-based teaching session, consultant-led.

Medical Student Teaching

Sessions are given every 7 weeks to 4th year students about oncology in general as well as ward case based assessment. There are also students during term time doing elective attachment to the unit.

IT

The unit relies heavily on its own system of IT for secretarial work, chemotherapy prescribing, databases and information. The Cancer Research UK unit also has extensive resources, which together shares a specific IT support team. All clinic rooms and wards have Internet access.

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Facilities

The large registrars room has a workstation for each StR with online access to all electronic resources of Leeds University (i.e. most clinical and research journals). There is a fully stocked clinical library on the St James’s site.

Unit Schedule

The unit activities are shown in the table. Trainees work in 3 or 4 of the clinics at any time during their clinical attachments and move through all specialist clinics during their training. During their research secondment 1-2 clinics may be undertaken.

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THE POSTS (cont)

Bradford Royal Infirmary (2 posts)

Unit structure

Dr Chris Bradley Consultant Medical OncologistDr Sue Cheeseman Consultant Medical OncologistDr Shazzia Rehman Consultant Medical OncologistDr Andrew Conn Consultant Medical OncologistDr Michael Crawford Consultant Medical Oncologist

Specialist Registrars 2SHOs (Full Shift system) 3

Bradford Teaching Hospitals Hospitals NHS Trust has two District General Hospitals (BRI and St. Luke’s) with a total of 900 beds, serving a population of at least 340,000.

There are 418 beds in the Medical Division and 550 beds at Bradford Royal Infirmary. The Medical Oncology Unit is on Ward 15 at BRI, where there are 21 beds and a busy day unit.

Bradford is a large Calman Cancer Unit. The Trust provides good experience of the opportunities and problems, which face a DGH in the Calman model.

The Oncology Unit provides a service to the District and receives about 500 referrals a year from local consultants and General Practitioners. Referrals include breast cancer, lung cancer, gastrointestinal cancers, ovarian cancer and a number of patients with rarer tumours. BRI is also a Cancer Centre for Upper GI and Urological Surgery, operating on patients from DGHs within the region.

The medical staff of the Oncology Unit consists of 5 Consultant Medical Oncologists, 2 specialist Registrars and 3 SHOs who work a full shift system. There are close links with the state of the art laboratories underpinning the clinical drug development programme based in the University of Bradford, led by Professor Lawrence Patterson.

There are 21 in patient beds. The inpatient activity involves giving chemotherapy, treating its complications and the care of patients with complex cancer related medical problems. The day Unit is staffed by Oncology Nurse Specialists. A Research Nurse team supervises patients on clinical trials with data managers.

Site specialised Clinical Oncology from Bexley Wing is integral to several multi-disciplinary teams.

The Medical Oncology Unit is involved in a portfolio of multi-centre trials and has regular research and educational meetings within the department. The Unit also participates in 3rd, 4th and 5th year Medical Student teaching programmes together with a planned MRCP lecturing timetable. The undergraduate teaching in Bradford has undergone considerable recent expansion with the Leeds-Bradford Medical School expansion.

Palliative care is closely linked to the Medical Oncology Unit, and there are close interactions with the Breast Care Sisters, Clinical Nurse Specialists and the hospital and community McMillan Nursing team. There is a large and active Cancer Support Centre in Bradford, which has practical involvement with the ward in providing benefits advice, aromatherapy and art therapy.

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The current on call commitment is 1 in 6 to 1 in 8 shared with Huddersfield, with Consultant back-up on both sites. These are subject to change.

Huddersfield Royal Infirmary (2 posts)

Unit Structure

Dr Johnathan Joffe Consultant Medical Oncologist (Lead Clinician)Dr Barbara Crosse Consultant Medical OncologistDr Jo Dent Consultant Medical OncologistDr Uschi Hoffmann Consultant Medical Oncologist

Staff Grade 1SpR 2 SHO 1

Huddersfield Royal Infirmary, a progressive District General Hospital, recently merged with Calderdale Royal Hospital, to form the Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Trust, serving a population of 420,000. The Oncology unit is well established, with strong links to Leeds Cancer Centre, and is a significant participant in the Yorkshire Cancer Network. The hospitals are readily accessible to Leeds, with good road links.

The Unit has excellent outpatient facilities on the Huddersfield site, and within the Macmillan Unit at Calderdale Royal Hospital. In-patients are accommodated in ward 12 at Huddersfield Royal Infirmary, a new 22 bed facility for oncology and haematology patients. The combined in- and outpatient unit provides non-surgical oncology for the common cancers (breast, lung and colorectal), as well as for intermediate frequency cancers such as upper gastrointestinal, gynaecological and urological.

Three consultants supervise the non-surgical oncology. Dr Johnathan Joffe is Cancer Relief Macmillan Fund Consultant in Medical Oncology and Clinical Director for Oncology and Haematology, with special interest in breast, colorectal, and urological cancer (including germ cell tumours) and is a member of the Cancer Centre team for germ cell tumours. Dr Barbara Crosse is a Consultant in Medical Oncology, with special interest in lung cancer and gynaecological cancer, the latter linked to Leeds Cancer Centre. Dr Jo Dent is Consultant in Medical Oncology with interest in upper GI, colorectal and breast cancers. Dr Uschi Hoffmann is a medical oncology consultant with a special interest in Urological cancers. In addition, Clinical Oncologists, Dr Adrian Crellin, Dr Rob Turner and Dr Mehmet Sen visit Huddersfield one day each week, providing the clinical oncology service, and participating as key members of the multi-disciplinary teams managing breast, gastrointestinal, urological and lung cancers. This allows a high level of site specialisation in non-surgical oncology within the unit. The oncology medical team also includes a full-time staff grade practitioner, Dr Yogesh Manikyam, and a ward senior house officer, who provides cross cover for the haematology SHO. Specialist palliative care is provided by a large team of Macmillan nurses on both hospital sites, and two consultants, Dr Mary Kiely, and Dr Susan Salt, who also work within Kirkwood and Overgate hospices respectively.

Both outpatient facilities are supported by specialist chemotherapy nurses, who provide a highly developed nurse-led practice. Clinical practice is also supported by experienced specialist nurses in colorectal, gynaecology, lung and breast cancer.

The Unit has a well established Research department, and participates in a wide portfolio of non-commercial and commercial trials.

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An attachment to the Calderdale and Huddersfield Oncology unit provides an opportunity to participate in a busy oncology unit, within a District general hospital setting. It represents an excellent opportunity to gain experience of the common and intermediate cancers, to participate fully in multi-disciplinary teams, and to manage a wide range of problems. Formal study time is protected, and there is opportunity to gain experience of clinical trials.

Cover for the unit within the hospital is provided by resident Medical SHOs on duty.

The specialist registrar shares the on-call rota with the research fellows from Leeds, and the Bradford SpR. It includes cover for Bradford Royal Infirmary. The on-call is supervised by the Unit oncology consultants.

Castle Hill Hospital Hull

Unit Structure

Professor Michael J. Lind, Professor of Medical OncologyDr Anthoney Maraveyas Consultant Medical OncologyDr Mohammed Butt Consultant Medical OncologyDr Penny O’Neill Consultant Medical OncologyDr Mussawer Iqbal Consultant in Medical OncologyDr George Bozas Staff Grade in Medical OncologySpRs 2SHOs 7 (shared with Clinical Oncology)

The Oncology Centre in Hull is part of the Hull and East Yorkshire NHS Trust. This comprises of 2 hospitals: Hull Royal Infirmary and Castle Hill Hospital (CHH). Clinical services are divided between 4 divisions: Medicine, Surgery, Women’s and Children, Critical Care and Support Services. Each Division has a divisional manager, divisional clinical director, a nurse advisor and a number of clinical areas. Oncology forms part of the Oncology/ Haematology/ Immunology clinical area (Clinical area lead Dr R. Patmore).

The Academic Department of Oncology was founded in 1998 with the appointment of Professor M.J. Lind as Foundation Professor of Oncology. Subsequently Dr A. Maraveyas was appointed as Senior Lecturer and Dr Cawkwell as non-clinical Lecturer and head of the NHS Research and Development (R&D) team at CHH. Laboratory facilities are shared with the Dept of Surgery and include comparative genomic hybridisation and multi-FISH. At CHH, a clinical trials office has been established with 4 data managers and 7 research nurses.

The recent appointment of an SpR on an NTN(A) to rotate between Hull, York and Leeds will expand the opportunities in teaching and training in medical education.

There are dedicated 90 in-patient beds and outpatient chemotherapy units at the new Oncology building on the Castle Hill site. The team also includes a 2 Trust Grade doctors, a locum Staff Grade doctor and 7 SHOs who rotate between the 5 wards. The inpatient beds and the SHOs are shared with the Clinical Oncologists. On-call commitment is currently 1 in 5 with Consultant support.

Within Prof Lind’s practice, experience is gained in lung cancer management within the Joint Lung Cancer MDT, as well as breast and gynaecological cancers. Dr Maraveyas’ practice includes colorectal cancers, upper GI cancers, melanoma and renal cancers. Dr Mohammed Butt is a Consultant Medical Oncologist who covers urological, lung, breast and germ cell tumours. Dr Penny O’Neill is a Consultant Medical Oncologist with a special interest in

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gynaecological and breast malignancies. Dr Mussawer Iqbal is a Consultant Medical Oncologist with a subspecialist interest in lower GI, GIST and carcinoid tumours. Clinics are held at HRI and CHH and SpRs see referrals from both hospitals.

There are close links with the Clinical Oncology Department that serves East Yorkshire. It has a diagnostic and planning CT scanner, a Medical Physics Department, 4 Linear Accelerators and inpatient suites for brachytherapy and unsealed source treatments.

Care in the unit includes a psychological support service from Professor Lesley Walker and his team based at the Oncology Health Centre at CHH. They take patient referrals and also operate a 9-5 drop-in service to patients.

Supervision of SHO training is important, including a regular commitment to the SHO teaching timetable. The post holder will be encouraged to attend the taught course at SJUH, be involved in the supervision of clinical trials, the R&D laboratory or clinical audit.

Department of Oncology York Hospital (1 post)

Unit structureDr Joji Joseph Consultant Clinical OncologistDr Kim Last Consultant Medical Oncologist

1 Specialist Registrar2 F2 Trainees Shared between haematology and oncology

York Hospital is a well equipped modern unit of 750 beds, serving a population of approximately 300 000. Oncology services for the populations of York and Harrogate are provided by an alliance between York Hospital and Harrogate District Hospital. However, the medical oncology specialty registrar works solely at York Hospital.

Oncology training at York provides extensive experience in the management of patients with common intermediate cancers within the setting of a busy district general hospital, with close working with colleagues in effective multi-disciplinary teams. Library facilities are available and protected time for the taught course

The Department receives approximately 800 referrals a year. The unit provides locally based chemotherapy services for breast cancer, lung cancer, colorectal cancer, urological malignancies and upper GI malignancies. Three consultant clinical oncologists provide visiting clinic sessions.

In June 2006 a fully refurbished combined haematology and oncology out-patient unit was opened. Adjacent to the haematology/oncology out-patient unit is the Cancer Care Centre, which provides holistic support for patients. There are well developed plans for a nineteen bedded combined haematology and oncology in-patient unit, due to be opened during 2007.

The oncology department works with multi-disciplinary teams for each cancer site, including specialist surgical services in Hull and Leeds, and the hospital palliative care team. There are two part-time research nurses who supervise patients on clinical trials. The department provides teaching within the cancer module to students from the Hull/York Medical School. The oncology specialty registrar takes part in the on-call rota serving Huddersfield and Bradford (1:6 to 1:8). This is subject to change.

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EDUCATION AND APPRAISAL

Accreditation

All posts on the rotation have been approved by the Royal College of Physicians and PMETB as being appropriate for higher specialist training in medical oncology.

Educational Supervision

Each trainee is allocated an educational supervisor at each attachment in the rotation. The trainee meets with the supervisor at least every 6 months to evaluate progress and plan and review educational objectives.

Appraisal and Assessment

Each trainee attends for an annual RITA assessment at which time progress and educational supervisors reports are reviewed. Trainees must satisfy the requirements of the RITA each year before progressing to the next year of the rotation

Library Facilities

Library facilities are available at all of the hospital sites in the rotation. Training on the use of on-line library resources is provided and all sites have extensive access to online journals and medline.

Taught course

A taught course in oncology based upon the core curriculum approved by PMETB is provided during academic term and trainees will be required to attend this; clinical cover is provided. The course is attended by medical and clinical oncologists and consists of lectures for one session per week for two years and covers topics required in the core curriculum.

Study Leave

Trainees are entitled to take up to 30 days study leave per year for approved courses, examinations and meetings and conferences. Study leave for private study will not normally be granted. Attendance at the half day release for the taught course is counted towards the entitlement to study leave.

Study leave expenses

A budget of approximately £600 per year per trainee is available to pay for expenses and course fees that have been approved in advance. Additional sponsorship may be obtained.

Training in Management

Trainees will be expected to attend an appropriate management course during their training. A very good course is offered by the University of Leeds.

Training in Communication skills

Since excellent communication skills are essential to the practice of cancer medicine, trainees will be expected to attend at least one course on this subject and on-going training with a mentor is currently in development.

RESEARCH

Familiarity with principles of laboratory and clinical research is particularly necessary in the cancer medicine specialties where further developments in treatment are urgently required. Trainees will usually spend some time in a planned absence from the rotation in research (1-

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3 years) in addition to the 4 year clinical training currently required by the JCHMT for a CCST in Medical Oncology. If the trainee has not already completed a period in research, opportunities for undertaking this and for higher degrees (MD or PhD) are available though funding must be organised.

TEACHING RESPONSIBILITIES

St James's University Hospital

In addition to participation in regular post-graduate sessions in the Unit, and ward-based teaching of junior doctors, the post-holder will be expected to be involved in teaching and supervision of medical students attached to the firm for one week in six.

The regional rotation is constantly evolving. The above job descriptions are therefore only a guide to the training scheme and changes during the course of a trainee’s specialist training are possible

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