RCOO praises NHS Doctors training as Good Practice

Newmedica training for NHS doctors highlighted as ‘good practice’  

NEWMEDICA’S training for aspiring NHS surgeons has been highlighted as ‘good practice’ in a Royal College of Ophthalmologists’ report.

Newmedica is a leading independent provider of NHS funded ophthalmology services, and its training placements for NHS ophthalmic trainees in its Gloucester and Bristol centres have been referenced in the report.

Newmedica has been providing training for doctors since January 2021 after the publication of guidance for placement of doctors in training in the independent sector.

The College said its report titled ‘Analysis of cataract training provision in England’ was ‘timely’ in light of the growing role played by independent sector providers in delivering NHS-funded cataract surgery.

The report includes feedback from postgraduate medical education providers – including Severn Postgraduate Medical Education which covers the South-West. In a section titled ‘good practice examples,’ the report highlights Newmedica’s work in this area.

‘Both the Head of School for Severn and the trainee representative for the region report a generally positive experience of Newmedica offering training at their Cheltenham and Bristol sites,’ it says.

‘The trainee representative further explains that “in Gloucester there is more opportunity with the trainee being encouraged to do as many cases as they feel comfortable to (time allowing) on a list of eight cases, in Bristol the trainee is given a maximum of two cases to do in a list of 10 cases. Teaching quality is reported to be high with a specific named supervisor for lists running at both sites”.’

The report comes after Newmedica welcomed its first group of trainee doctors on placement to its growing network of bespoke eye surgical services in England through 2021 and into 2022.

‘Working closely with neighbouring Trusts and regional postgraduate medical education providers we have successfully welcomed trainee ophthalmologists working under the supervision of our on-site clinical directors to gain valuable cataract surgery and outpatient experience,’ says Newmedica managing director Rebecca Lythe.

‘We are proud to be supporting the future of ophthalmology in England and I look forward to seeing how our training in support of the NHS develops in the coming years.’

Newmedica’s commitment to training covers its own clinic, optometry, and nursing colleagues as well as external activity. That has seen its Gloucester team, for example, deliver a professional advancement conference for nursing colleagues both internally and externally.

Accredited CPD (Continuing Professional Development) events are also delivered for community optometrists, with Newmedica committed to having a ‘seamless link’ with all community optometrists and GPs to deliver the highest standards of care and treatment for patients.

Additionally, Newmedica offers qualified registered community optometrists the opportunity to join its accredited post operative scheme to give patients the choice to have their routine post-operative follow-up appointment with their usual optometrist closer to their home.