South West region

Overview

Members in the South West region are supported via weekly educational activities, bone group meetings, StR training events and an annual ultrasound course.

Clinician representation/RCP regional specialty advisor: vacant
Psychologist representative: Kate Druett
Paediatric and adolescent representative: Ginny Ward
Trainee representative: Ben Mulhern

Geographical area covered: Devon, Cornwall, Dorset, Somerset, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire

More information

Where rheumatology services are delivered
NHS rheumatology is delivered through secondary care centres in Barnstaple, Bath, Bristol, Exeter, Plymouth, Swindon, Taunton, Truro, Weston-super-Mare and Yeovil. There are no independent providers of rheumatology services in the South West as of March 2019

Where specialist training takes place

Adult: There are currently 16 trainees in post. All trainees dually accredit, though the general internal medicine component content varies between posts. Rotations take trainees through the Gloucestershire Royal, Great Western (Swindon), North Bristol Trust, Royal United Hospital (Bath), University Hospitals (Bristol), Weston Area Health Trust (Weston-super-Mare) and Yeovil District. An additional post rotates between Swindon and the Oxford Deanery
Dr Sara Carty, Training Programme Director says: "The Severn Deanery is rated top for trainee satisfaction in the 2018 GMC Survey. Our region extends from Yeovil to Gloucester with 12 numbered posts and academic trainees. There is ample opportunity for research in CTD, vasculitis, osteoporosis and other areas. We have well established monthly training days joint with Wales"
The Peninsula Group: there are six training posts available, all aiming at dual accreditation in rheumatology and general medicine. Trainees are hosted at Derriford Hospital (Plymouth), Musgrove Park Hospital (Taunton), North Devon District Hospital (Barnstaple), Royal Cornwall Hospital (Truro), Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital and the Torbay Hospital. Dr Catherine Gwynne is the Training Programme Director.
Paediatric and adolescent Bristol hosts National Trainees in paediatric rheumatology (one each in pure rheumatology and rheumatology with general paediatrics)

Description of regional group activities
In addition to weekly local CPD, the South West region provides six monthly connective tissue/vasculitis meetings (Bath/Bristol/Exeter), bone group events (Bristol/Bath), monthly/bimonthly full day StR training events, an annual (hands on) ultrasound course (Peninsular US Hub (PUSH)) and scleroderma day. Peninsula holds GIM training days and Swindon organises an annual rheumatology meeting.