William Harvey Hospital, Ashford, Kent

The below information is based on reviews from trainees.

Cut Up

Cut up is usually done every day and limited to 2 hours/day. Trainee cut specimens from the specialty they rotated to. The specimens are shared with advanced practitioners who do mainly skin and benign cases. The time spent in the cut up is proportionate to the percentage of working time for LTFT trainees. There is a helping assistant allocated to each cut-up bench. Consultants offer help if the workload is high and the trainee might not be able to finish within 2 hours. The slides from the cut up done by a trainee come to the same trainee once ready and released from the lab.

Types of cases and autopsies

There is generally a varied case mix of surgical pathology and non-gynae cytology cases. However, there are no lung resections, upper GI malignant resections, paediatric pathology, neuropathology, molecular pathology, bone/sarcoma cases. On the other hand, the department receives haematolymphoid cases (including bone marrow), and complex head & neck resections.

There are usually multiple autopsies done every day, trainees feel welcomed in the mortuary. The trainees perform eviscerations with support from the mortuary staff as needed. Then they perform organ dissection with support from consultants if required and eventually present the case to a consultant. Trainees also write up a draft PM report which is reviewed by a consultant.

Reporting Time

Double-heading of the cases is generally good but sometimes variable and difficult if consultants are too busy. However, they provide feedback on cases reported by the trainees.

Teaching program (didactic)

There are 2-3 hours of formal teaching sessions per week.

Trainee feedback

Feedback on training from trainees is sought proactively, continually and both formally and informally. The trainees feel that the department listen to their feedback, act upon it and adapt promptly.

Educational supervisors

Trainees meet their educational supervisor every 3 months or more to support them while focusing on their personal goals and specialty interests. It is said that the educational supervisor puts trainees first. He is also prompt with paperwork that trainees need. Trainees regularly work with their ES while double-heading/cutting up/mortuary and in addition to formal meetings the ES seeks feedback and supports trainees through informal meetings or while working with them.

Study Leave

There are no issues with study leave requests both for mandatory and optional training courses/days even with a short notice if the organisers inform about the event with a delay.

Culture

The overall management of histopathology training at this site was rated as good. There is ‘heavy workload in means of a backlog of slides on and off with busy consultants which also means that there are plenty of cases to report’. All lab staff are friendly which feels ‘like a family’. There is no digital pathology at present; there are only glass slides used in the department.

The overall culture in the lab was described as friendly, outgoing, easy-going, understanding, constructive, flexible, nurturing, relaxed, encouraging, proactive, welcoming, attentive, busy and hectic.

Less than Full Time Training

The LTFT, locums and trust grade doctors are treated fairly with appropriate support in their training, rotas, exam preparation and CESR/CCT. There are jobs for locums and trust grades generally every year.

Location

Location was rated as having variably reliable public transport. It is deemed to be variably difficult for long commute with variable to sparse opportunities for shopping, opening hours or culture. It was said that the surrounding area is rural with nice villages and outdoor opportunities. There is a Tesco next to the hospital. There is generally good road and cycle access with 37min train from London St Pancras to Ashford town centre. Although the bus from Ashford town centre to hospital can take up to 30 minutes.

Academic

There might be occasional academic opportunities even for non-academic trainees with a small number of consultants.

Locums and Trust Grades

The LTFT, locums and trust grade doctors are treated fairly with appropriate support in their training, rotas, exam preparation and CESR/CCT. There are jobs for locums and trust grades generally every year.

More trainee comments:

‘I feel trainees are valued and welcomed to the team. You won't be chased to do things so be self-motivated and organised. Ask for teaching and organise a time and you will get it, the consultants like teaching but most won't track you down to do it.’

‘Lots of slides, in the countryside’