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The Bath GP VTS - Rheumatology

What the SHOs say

 

We asked recent Bath VTS SHOs to tell us what they thought about the post.

The Rheumatology post is based at the Royal National Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases - a tertiary referral centre known by locals as "The Min" (Mineral Water Hospital) - in central Bath.

How much did you enjoy the job? Please mark it out of 10 for enjoyment.

Average rating 7/10.

What were the best things about the job?

  • Relevant experience.
  • Friendly, informal teaching.
  • You are one of a team.
  • Well supported.
  • Being in central Bath when on-call!

What experience did you get?

Dealt with GP-relevant problems - complex medical problems, care of chronically sick elderly, medically unexplained symptoms; 1 clinic per week; spent time looking after Head Injury Unit (HIU).

How much teaching did you get and how good was it?

Variable reports on the quantity and usefulness of the formal teaching sessions. Plenty of good informal teaching, though.

How many appraisals did you have? (There should be 3 in each 6-month post.)

Three.

What was the on-call and rota like?

Fairly quiet, with plenty of opportunity to go shopping in Bath!

What was the on-call accommodation like?

Good.

Did you manage to get to the GPVTS SHO days and see your GP Trainer during the post?

No problem getting to these.

What were the worst things about the job?

Felt on my own a lot; one can feel isolated. HIU: limited relevance to General Practice.

GP Educator's comments?

This post has had mixed reports from GP VTS SHOs in the past. However, the new consultant educational supervisor, Dr Tim Jenkinson, was a GP before he became a rheumatologist and he is eager to increase the value of this post to GP trainees.

His reorganisation of the post includes: improved induction and appraisal process; avoiding the need for SHOs to do routine phlebotomy; involving the SHO in pain management, rheumatology and joint injection clinics; regular sports medicine clinics; weekly teaching round and SpR-led teaching for HIU SHOs; ensuring that the weekly SHO teaching happens.

 

Back to VTS Rotations page

 

Last update: 29 August 2007