White House Surgery
1 Fairfax Rise
Sheffield
S2 1SL
Telephone: 08451 227587
Fax: 0114 253 1650
email : paulfriend@nhs.net
Partners
Dr Brian Hopkins, Dr Ruth Kennedy, Dr Helen McDonough, Dr Richard Watton
Trainers
Dr Kennedy, Dr McDonough, Dr Watton
If you would like to look around the practice, please contact Dr Kennedy, Dr Watton or Dr McDonough on 08451 227587.
Training at the White House
You could come and find out why the Manor has achieved national notoriety. Is doctoring at the White House all about evicting tramps from the wheely bin and extinguishing fires in the rose garden? Or is it about providing good medical care where it is most needed and where the majority of patients are very grateful?
We are an enthusiastic training practice with three approved trainers, one of whom has had ten years experience as a course organiser for Sheffield GPSTP.
We place a particular emphasis on a team approach to the provision of primary care and our registrars have always been a very important part of that team. We believe in evidence based medicine whilst at the same time, strive to understand and address the psychosocial issues which affect our patients' lives and health.
We are also committed to enjoying our own lives in General Practice and to try and stay sane. We manage the former.
Training at the White House Surgery is learner centred. This means that your particular educational needs are central to the training package which will be drawn up by you and your trainer.
The Partners
Ruth Kennedy - Trainer
Ruth has been training for eighteen years and continues to find registrar education one of the most enjoyable aspects of her work. She chairs the GPSTP Steering Committee and actively supports the GPSTP. Other interests include diabetes care and women's health.
Richard Watton - Trainer
Richard has a wealth of experience in GP education. He is currently the trainer for the House Officer and foundation year senior house officer. The practice is the first in Sheffield to provide pre-registration training in General Practice. Richard was previously a course organiser on the Sheffield VTS for ten years. He is medical adviser to St Anne's Hostel for homeless men.
Brian Hopkins
Brian is also committed to teaching and training. He is an Honorary Teacher. He is a member of SE Primary Care Group subcommittee for Coronary Heart Disease. Other interests include prescribing.
Helen McDonough - Trainer
Helen trains part time. She joined the practice in 1999 after she had completed her training the practice is a registrar. Helen has special interests in Child Health and Palliative Care.
All the partners are members of the RCGP.
The Practice
Population: List size - 5,550 which is less than the national average, allowing time for teaching and dealing with the problems of deprivation. The surgery is centred between the Manor and Woodthorpe Estates with a compact practice area of a mile radius. Our practice is situated in an area of high social deprivation which brings an associated high morbidity and interesting workload. This type of area provides the challenge and many of the rewards of our work.
Premises: In December 2010 we moved from our original building, which had been a doctor's surgery since the 1930's.
We are now in purpose built premises with 12 consulting rooms. There are enviable teaching facilities with space to allow the realisation of a true multi-professional learning environment. The registrar will have their own consulting room.
Teaching: The practice values education and enjoys teaching medical students, house officers, senior house officers and registrars. There are lot of opportunities to develop teaching skills. There will be others in the practice – including your trainer - who may be more experienced than you but will not be as knowledgeable as yourself in certain areas. You can bring them up to date with the recent developments in medicine that you have been in touch with.
On Call Arrangements: The practice is a member of the Sheffield GP Collaborative. Registrars are required to work for a minimum of 6 hours each month at the Collaborative to gain their out of hours experience. Dr Dr Hopkins does sessions at the Collaborative primarily to provide the educational experience and supervision for the registrar. Further hours of experience will be required with another educational supervisor which can be arranged through the Collaborative.
Once the registrar has gained sufficient experience, they will be on call for the practice one day a week.
Clinics: The registrar is regularly involved in the Child Health Clinic and has the opportunity to take part in the Ante-Natal and Diabetes Clinic. The Practice Nurses have a large role in Asthma care, management of the menopause and HRT; follow up of hypertension and contraceptive care as well as in all aspects of health promotion. We are able to give "Prescriptions for Exercise".
Team: We work via a team approach to the provision of Primary Care. The team meets formally in three different ways and the registrar is integral to these meetings.
Practice Team: Practice Manager, 3 secretaries, 8 receptionists, 3 practice nurses. The doctors, nurses and practice manager meet weekly at Monday lunchtime to discuss management of the practice. This may include clinical topics e.g. protocols/audits. The whole team meets every 3 months so that new ideas and difficulties can be discussed in a democratic manner.
Primary Care Team: Meets weekly at Friday lunchtime, 2 health visitors, 3 district nurses, community psychiatric nurse, practice nurses, community physiotherapist and midwife, practice counsellor. Chairmanship revolves.
Strategic Planning Meetings: Practice Manager, partners and registrar and often the nurses meet approximately every six months to make longer term plans - well at least we agree on the way we should be going.
The Training
Introductory Period: 2 weeks during which you will be encouraged to spend time with all the primary care workers and with each partner in surgery and on visits, until you feel comfortable to consult on your own.
Timetable: 7 surgeries per week plus one joint surgery with partner. One half day for GPSTP and one half day free. One 2 hour tutorial per week and debriefing after each surgery.
Consultations: All consultations are by appointment within a fluid system which makes access acceptable to our patients. Registrars are booked at 10 minutes, although longer initially and tailored to what you can manage.
Computer: Emis pcs system. We are paper light.
Teaching/Learning
Registrars are asked to participate in planning and recording their own education. Your assessment of your own needs and other more formal methods of assessment e.g. confidence rating scale, random case analysis and PEP may be used in planning a programme. Tutorials are planned in advance and involve preparation on behalf of both registrar and trainer. Group teaching is usually enjoyed by the doctors in training if learning needs overlap. The completion of nMRCGP work based assessments are part of this planning.
Perhaps one of the most useful tools of learning is the discussion of individual cases/problems and a partner will always be available and keen to discuss these with you. Joint and individual debriefs are offered. Other teaching takes place during joint surgeries/visits and by video analysis of the consultation. The practice owns video cameras for your (educational!) use. The joint surgeries are held weekly and registrars have found these particularly valuable.
Registrars are encouraged to take a full part in the practice audit programme by doing their own audit project or writing a new protocol. Registrars have often enjoyed this way of producing a lasting contribution to the practice.