Education@St*George's

12 | 2021

XMAS EDITION

EDUCATION@ST*GEORGES POSTGRADUATE MEDICAL EDUCATION NEWSLETTER

Omicron The most popular letter of the Greek alphabet for this winter is not α τ ε but ο and the number of times that we have been using this particular character in our writing and speech would have done our classics teachers in school proud. In the last fortnight we have been carefully watching the numbers as δ lost and ο took over as the dominant strain. You must have read the emails from our Infection control team on numbers in our Trust and across London.

The numbers also include the rapid upscaling of the vaccination drive and we have all been encouraged to get our boosters. Our strategy is based on 4 principles; Protect Risk assessment PPE & Infection control Vaccination - booster New protocol for isolation when positive/ exposed Prepare COVID19 Bootcamps Familiarise with protocol and new drugs Hybrid training Staffing & Workload Rotas Ma n a g e d r e d e p l o y m e n t Enhanced pay to cover the holiday period Exception reporting Wellbeing Free parking Support for accommodation Food Freebies

"There is a hope that lifts my weary head, A consolation strong against despair, That when the world has plunged me in its deepest pit, I find the Saviour there!"

Stuart Townend CROONER

Preparing for Omicron PGME E r i c K u t s c h e r w r o t e i n t h e B M J , 'A s I g e a r u p f o r O m i c r o n , my body is bruised and my mind is distracted. I am not the same person I was during March 2020. The extra pounds and memories weigh on me. Yet I’m asked to do more this time—show up, knowing what the future looks like. Knowing that many of my patients may die. Knowing that caring for them will take a toll on my physical and mental health, and that I’ll have to find ways to heal myself. I’m asked to show up to help with this new variant knowing that it’s likely far from the last.

So, I put on my mask and gown and walk into my patient’s room. Neither of us ever thought we’d be here, but we are.

And for now, that is the common ground I can find peace in.'

I don't think anyone could have captured the psyche of the frontline health worker better than these few words.

Yes, we do need to acknowledge that it is 'ok to not feel ok'. We drift between the feelings of dejection, frustration, anger and bravado. The phrase 'healthcare heroes' and 'we are so grateful for all that you do' from a well meaning neighbour as we cross over on the pavement, maintaining our social distance - rings hollow. Most of us are content to just show up, put our PPE on and carry on as if this was the new normal. We prefer to know what we are dealing with, have some predictability to our role, trust that we will be offered all the knowledge and protection we need and left to do our jobs with the professionalism we are proud of. The sky over Tooting on the morning of the winter solstice was particularly poignant and reflects how the world continues to exist in its beauty and that there is hope?

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PGME@STGEORGES.NHS.UK

INNOVATION WINNING BIDS FOR TRAINING RECOVERY Health Education England offered £100k for Trusts to find innovative solutions to catch up for all the lost training opportunities in postgraduate training throughout 2020. PGME asked for bids and here are the successful ones. Please get in touch with annabel.little@stgeorges.nhs.uk for accessing the funding and invoices.

Revamping the Monckton Lecture Theatre digital equipment for improved delivery of Grand rounds (Nicholas Annear, Consultant in Acute Medicine & Nephrology) Working with Joyce Popoola (Consultant Nephrologist) we are now exploring joint grand rounds with Epsom & St Helier as well as across SW London ICS partners.

Intensive Care - Upgrade the digital equipment in Intensive Care department for improved delivery of teaching, MDTs and hybrid learning (Jonathan Aron, Consultant in Intensive Care) O&G - Revamping the digital equipment for delivery of hybrid teaching in O& G (Edward Johnson, Consultant O&G & Education Lead) Haemato-oncology - Digitally connected training microscope in Haemato-Oncology to support the training across SW London and access to a digital archive of teaching slides (Theodora Vatopoulou - Consultant in Haemato-Oncology) Paediatrics - improved delivery of care for Children and Young People’s (CYP) through Mental Health (MH) and Children’s Eating Disorders (CED) training, QI, Leadership, MDT working (Morwenna Hodin, Consultant Paediatrician) Plastic Surgery - HoloLens Augmented Reality Headsets for enhanced training in dermato oncological diagnosis and surgery (Joy Odili, Consultant Plastic Surgeon) Histopathology - digital training software and equipment to support infection control measures during teaching sessions (Charanjit Kaur, Consultant in Histopathology) Renal Medicine - Digital teaching equipment (Joyce Popoola, Consultant Nephrologist) Cardiology - Cath Lab simulator for training in interventional procedures (Robin Ray, Consultant Cardiologist) Neurology - digital training equipment for CT, CTA and Hyperacute stroke management (Camilla Blain, Consultant Neurologist) Orthodontics - digital teaching equipment (Lucy Davenport. Consultant) Internal Medicine Training - sessional support for development of IMTY3 training programme- Co-Lead (Joao Albuquerque, Consultant in Acute & Renal Medicine) Medicine & Medical Specialities - Simulation Lead sessions for development of IMT simulation across SW London (Indranil Chakravorty, DME) Neurosurgery - digital equipment and access to teaching resources (Navneet Singh, Consultant Neurosurgeon)

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PGME@STGEORGES.NHS.UK

Junior Doctors Forum CHIEF REGISTRAR MO AMARAN At the JDF meeting on 21 Dec, our Chief Registrar discussed hot topics relevant to the winter crisis period; Redeployment - if and when needed will be managed using the agreed principles with HEE. There will be a workforce committee overseeing this process across the organisation and information will be through Chief Registrar and the JDF Every redeployment will be assessed for minimising impact on education and training and approved with ES, ADME and HEE Redeployment will be avoided for anyone on ARCP Outcome 10 or in final or penultimate year of training (Pre-CCT) Redeployment period will be in blocks of 2-4 weeks, by rotation and stepping down will be quick if the conditions change When redeployment decisions are made rota coordinators will provide information with as much notice as possible Academic and trainees in OOP will not normally be redeployed At the start of every shift in an unfamiliar setting - a mini induction will be provided by the Consultant in charge of the clinical area COVID19 Bootcamps are available every week for anyone needing a refresher training through Georges Advanced Patient Simulator Personal risk assessment and OH guidance will be taken into account for any decisions Annual Leave - there are no plans for canceling planned annual leave Additional Shifts - All shifts for the holiday period are out by email, so staff can contact bank directly if they can work. Stacey Goldsmith can be contacted. Enhanced rates have been agreed with a 15% uplift.

Free parking, support for accommodation is available during this period Exception Reporting - please do complete exception reports for exceeding your shift times and missed teaching opportunities. Do contact Francesca.CollierLawlor@stgeorges.nhs.uk Uniform policy and Scrubs - these decisions are made at local ward level. There is no requirement for wearing scrubs in all areas. Staff are welcome to source and wear their own scrubs if they choose to do so and follow infection control policies.

Isolation requirements for testing positive for COVID19 or being a contact are changing. As of now anyone with a RT-PCR positive test is required to self-isolate for 7 days and return to work if antigen testing is negative on Days 6&7 (a minimum of 2 consecutive days). For all contacts please attend if PCR negative (x1) and negative daily antigen tests until 7 days. Please check latest guidance.

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PGME@STGEORGES.NHS.UK

For Joy & Good Health PGME As 2021 comes to a close and many of us have wondered where 2021 has gone, as our minds are still grappling with the year of COVID19 pandemic, a pandemic to beat all pandemics. We have been through what appears to be a never ending storm.

Before there was any reprieve from the ravages of 2020 and the winter of the Delta variant, we are now preparing again for battle.

Yet, there have been many changes in the fabric of our lives. We have become more respectful, kinder, better connected with our teams, learnt to appreciate the time we have with families and friends. St Georges has invested in its people, in commiting to principles of equality, acknowledging and admiring the diversity of our nearly 10,000 staff.

The SW London Integrated care system is taking shape, we have joined our aspirations with Epsom & St Helier as a group of hospitals. We have led the nation on the vaccine and research front and worked to acheive excellence in everything we do.

We have learnt how to make the most of our time, being effective, work with the versatility of face-toface or remote working and learning through the digital and technology enhancements. We are better, stronger and more in tune with our own minds, our health and our colleagues. We are ready to face 2022 whichever the next variant 'Pi' may throw at us.

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PGME@STGEORGES.NHS.UK