POSTGRADUATE WELFARE & SUPPORT
Support at Medway
As part of our Education Governance practice in Medway, we have the following resources and contacts available to you for raising issues, concerns and questions about your education and training
Trainee in Action groups happen for some specialties (Medicine, Surgery and ACCS) and issues and concerns are escalated to Local Faculty Groups (LFG) meetings to action and resolve. These sessions are normally led by a College Tutor or an appropriate representative. Please contact your medical education team contact for more information.
These are part of our education governance process and endeavour to action and resolve education and training concerns raised. Contact your medical education team contact for details of who your relevant Local Faculty Group (LFG) trainee representative is. They will be able to bring any issues and concerns to the LFG meetings which take place 3 times a year.
Speak to your educational or clinical supervisor; clinical tutor; college tutor; foundation training programme director; GP programme director or any member of our medical education team any time with any issues or concerns. Visit the medical education website for more information - Home | Medical Education at Medway
The Medical Education team are there for you and will offer support, guidance, signposting and a friendly ear. If need be, they will escalate issues to those able to resolve and support. A generic email address is also available to send questions or concerns - medwayft.medicaleducation@nhs.net
All NHS trusts are required to appoint a GSWH and the role is independent of Trust management with a specific remit to ensure safe working practices for doctors in training are embedded and to provide assurance of this to the Trust Board. This is essential to promote patient safety within the Trust.
The contract has been implemented in all NHS organisations and the Guardian of Safe Working Hours at Medway NHS Foundation Trust is:
Dr Shrawan Agrawal - email - medwayft.gsw@nhs.net
Regular Post Graduate Doctors in Training (PGDT) Forum meetings take place on a regular basis to raise concerns – look out for your invitation. Any issues relating to exception reporting please use the email above.
Doctor raising an exception report video
If you have any concerns about safe working practices affecting the junior doctors or patient safety please contact the guardian at medwayft.gsw@nhs.net or the junior doctor representatives (contact details available from Medical Education Admin team).
The guardian is also there to ensure that accommodation is available if junior doctors feel unsafe to leave the hospital site due to fatigue; in this situation accommodation is available. More information is provided on our Facilities page.
We believe that honesty and openness in the NHS is vital, and staff should feel supported and encouraged to speak up about any concerns they may have at work.
The Trust’s Freedom to Speak Up Guardian, along with the Freedom to Speak Up Champions for speaking up, has a key role in helping to promote the profile of raising concerns in the Trust. They act independently and with autonomy. If you raise a concern with the Guardian or a Champion you can be assured that they will:
Treat your concern confidentially, unless otherwise agreed or your concern warrants serious escalation.
Ensure you receive support to progress your concern
Escalate to the Trust board any indications that you are being subjected to detriment for raising your concern
Give you timely feedback on how your concern is being dealt with.
Watch this video from the Lead Freedom to Speak up Guardian, Natasha Pritchard:
Further information can be found can be found on the staff intranet.
Any issues relating to contract, employment, annual leave, relocation/excess travel etc including exception reporting log-ins - Met-tr.MedicalStaffing@nhs.net
Contact the following with any rota queries:
medwayft.surgicalrotas@nhs.net (inc all surgical specialties, paeds & O&G)
Anaesthetics/ICM – contact anaesthetic department
Our Occupational Health team are located in Residence 12 and are able to offer health and wellbeing advice to all Trust staff. However, please remember they are not a G.P service and you should register with a local G.P to look after your general health.
Information on how to register.
Opening hours are Monday to Friday 8.30am to 4.30pm.
To contact the department telephone 01634 833883. Out of hours the direct line provides emergency advice. Email address medwayft.ohadmin@nhs.net.
For more information visit the trust intranet.
Study leave and subsequent expense claims should be applied for online process via https://medway.epgme.uk/
Information on study leave can be found on the Medical Education website - Study Leave | Medical Education at Medway
Email queries to - medwayft.Study.Leave@nhs.net
For simple password resets visit the library team as this needs to be done face to face or log a call with IT or give them a call - IT support - The Clock Tower (medway.nhs.uk)
SuppoRTT Champions are based in every secondary care trust and Specialty School in London & Kent, Surrey and Sussex.
Their role is to provide leadership within the Trust/School to ensure that the SuppoRTT strategy is fully implemented and results in a high-quality supported return to training for all concerned.
The SuppoRTT Champion:
Oversees the return-to-training process;
Provides postgraduate doctors and supervisors with guidance regarding the relevant policies and available resources.
Postgraduate doctors first point of contact is their educational supervisor or training programme director throughout the return-to-work process. However, if additional guidance and support is required postgraduate doctors, educators and other staff can contact their local SuppoRTT Champion and the SuppoRTT team.
For further guidance regarding Supported Return to Training see contacts below:
Supported Return to Training Team: srtt.lase@hee.nhs.uk
External support
The Professional Support Unit (PSU) is a free service primarily dedicated to supporting the progression of postgraduate training for NHS healthcare professionals within London and Kent, Surrey & Sussex. Access is via self-referral.
The PSU website offers a wide range of advice and help.
During the COVID-19 outbreak many NHS healthcare professionals will have been working in unusually challenging circumstances and experiencing new difficulties in both their personal or professional lives. Information and links to a variety of wellbeing support and guidance can be found at the new HEE COVID-19 Wellbeing Hub.

Information about how Medway NHS Foundation Trust supports postgraduate doctors with their career development

