Medway VTS
Cultivating General Practice in the Garden of England
Medway Hospital
Rochester Castle
Medway Maritime Hospital has undergone a major redevelopment, which started in 1995 and has recently been completed. One of its objectives was to move all the acute hospital services which historically had been spread around the towns on to one site. It is a regional centre for neonatology. It is an Associate University Hospital to the University of London, teaching undergraduates from Guy's, King's and St Thomas' Schools of Medicine it also teaches final year medical students from the American University of the Caribbean.
The Hospital Posts
The posts all offer a wide range of experience within their speciality and are recognised by their respective governing bodies as both suitable for general practice training and for any relevant diploma examinations. The posts are 4 months and include:
- Accident & Emergency - Medway NHS Trust
- Elderly Care & General Medicine - Medway NHS Trust
- Obstetrics & Gynaecology - Medway NHS Trust
- Paediatrics - Medway NHS Trust
- Palliative Care - Medway PCT
- Psychiatry - West Kent NHS & Social Care Trust
Accident & Emergency
The department sees over 75,000 patients per year.
The primary duty is the initial medical assessment and management of patients referred to or presenting in A&E. You will be supported and supervised in this by middle grade and/or senior doctors.
Elderly Care Medicine
The elderly care directorate has 96 acute beds, 34 rehabilitation beds on the Medway site. There are also 15 day hospital places at St Bartholomew's Hospital Rochester, 15 rehabilitation beds and 24 GP beds at Sheppey Hospital and 24 rehabilitation and 24 orthopaedic rehabilitation/GP beds at Sittingbourne Hospital although the post is based at Medway Hospital.
General Medicine
The medical directorate has 116 in-patient beds a six bed admissions ward and 15 'trolleys' for assessment. The work is varied and often high intensity with a good formal and informal teaching structure.
Obstetric & Gynaecology
There are 60 obstetric (ante/post natal beds) and 24 in-patient gynaecology beds as well as a gynaecology day surgery unit. The labour suite has 16 single delivery rooms, one with a birthing pool, a four-bedded area, dedicated obstetric theatre and a high dependency room, which can be used, as an emergency second theatre.
Obstetric clinics, for mothers with risk factors or complications of pregnancy, and gynaecology clinics are held at Medway, Sittingbourne and Sheppy hospitals. Specialist clinics are held for Early Pregnancy Assessment, Infertility, Colposcopy, Hysteroscopy and Urodynamics.
Paediatrics
The paediatric unit opened in July 1999, and covers 54 beds (medical, surgical, ENT and orthopaedic), an admission suite, a four-bedded short stay ward, a high dependency unit, an adolescent unit and a hospital school. There is also a dedicated paediatric outpatients' facility. Out patient clinics are also held at Sittingbourne Memorial and Sheppy General Hospital.
Community paediatrics
A large department with several aspects including children with chronic medical, behavioural, developmental or social problems. There is also a new child development centre on the Medway Maritime site.
Palliative Medicine
The Wisdom Hospice opened in 1984, providing palliative care for up to 15 in-patients at a time, 12 day hospital places and also providing domicillary care for many more patients. Annually there are over 500 referrals and over 400 admissions to the hospice each year. Over one third of admissions are able to return home.
The domicillary team comprises 5 specialist nurses. Additional resources are available from a Bereavement Services Manager, Clinical Psychologist, Specialist Social Worker, Trained Bereavement Counsellors, Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapists and Chaplains.
A 'holistic' approach to both the patient and those close to them is integral to the care provided.
Staffing:- Consultants 3 Clinical Assistants 4 sessions ST1/2's 1
The main area of duties are ward work and hospital day care. Occasional clinic attendance is required as is accompanying the consultants on domicillary visits.
Psychiatry
The department has 67 acute beds and 30 day hospital places. There are additional day hospital places at the Sittingbourne Memorial Hospital and out patient clinics held at both hospitals.
Staffing:- Consultants 12 Middle Grades 11 ST1/2's 10
There will also be opportunities to accompany consultants on domicillary visits, and to experience the work of the Psychology and Social Work departments.