More success in obstetric training for NNUH

The Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital has been rated as one of the top 10 performing trusts in the country for obstetric training.

The commendation comes following anonymous feedback from trainee doctors submitted to the Royal College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (RCOG), the membership body which represents doctors working in the specialty.

Around 6,000 babies are born at NNUH each year and the hospital provides training for specialty doctors across a range of maternity services including antenatal clinics, antenatal and postnatal care, the Midwifery-Led Birthing Unit (MLBU) and the delivery suite.

NNUH will have an average of 15 specialty trainees, doctors who have completed their foundation training and have chosen a medical specialty, working within obstetrics and gynaecology at any one time.

Dr Paul Timmons is an ST3 in Obstetrics and Gynaecology at NNUH. He said: “At NNUH you’re encouraged to explore your interests within the specialty. Training here is really hands on and there’s no shortage of opportunities to get involved and expand your knowledge.”

Dr Richard Haines is an ST7 in Obstetrics and Gynaecology. Richard had previously worked with the team at NNUH during the earlier years of his training and has chosen to return to the hospital for the later stages of his specialty training. He added: “I chose to come back to Norwich based on the range of opportunities the unit can offer. NNUH is a tertiary centre for Obstetrics; by training here we’re exposed to the high volumes and variety of cases that help us to become experts in our field. It’s also the most supportive unit I’ve worked in across years of training.”

Mrs Daisy Nirmal, Consultant in Obstetrics and RCOG college tutor, said: “We’re delighted to have been recognised by RCOG for the excellent standards of training provided on our unit. Our success is a credit to our consultant obstetricians who are visible on the delivery suite and take pride in leading by example. We work hard to create opportunities for teaching and an environment conducive to the learning and development of our trainees.

Dr David Booth, Chief of Division for Women and Children’s Services at NNUH, said: “For our trainees themselves to have rated us so highly is a fantastic achievement for our hospital. We take our responsibility for training the next generation of doctors very seriously and it’s great that junior doctors  have recognised the range and quality of the training they receive here with us at NNUH.”