General Surgery

General Surgery is a busy department with over 2,300 elective admissions every year.

The workload in the Directorate consists of:

  • Elective operations: 4,000
  • Day case operations: 1,800
  • Emergency operations: 1,400 – making it a total of over 7,200 cases giving ample opportunity to gain valuable experience.

The general surgical directorate sub – specialises in :

  • Breast & Endocrine
  • GI Surgery

There are weekly multi-disciplinary meetings in Breast & Colorectal surgery. There is also a keen interest in Laparoscopic Surgery with nearly 70% of colonic resections being completed laparoscopically

Weekly meetings are also held with Radiologists in General surgery.

The trainee will provide a ward based care encouraging reflective practice on the management of patients under guidance from Consultants and middle grade staff. They participate on a 12hr shift system of emergency cover.

Nurse Specialists help with routine clerking, freeing up time for the trainee to deal with the management of patients under their care.The working day starts with a SpR led ward rounds at 8am. There is a system of surgeon on the week where a consultant surgeon will do a ward round every morning reviewing all acute admissions. This is an important learning opportunity.There is an acute pain team with a consultant ward rounds every day in the surgical high care unit. You will remain responsible for the patients admitted to the surgical high care under guidance from trainers.

During the period in General Surgery the trainee will have the opportunity to gain experience in:

  • Venous cannulation & setting up of infusion
  • The principle of post-operative pain control, understand the analgesic ladder
  • Principles of fluid balance
  • Principles of critical care
  • Catheterisation of patients
  • Nasogastric tube intubation
  • Nutritional needs of patients
  • The role of the Early Warning Scoring System
  • Simple operations and procedures
  • Suture skin wounds
  • Outpatient clinics enabling development of communication skills
  • Decision making during ‘post take’ ward rounds
  • Attendance at the mandatory Foundation Teaching Programme

The Basic Surgical Skills Course of the RCSE is run in the hospital on an annual basis.

Urology

Urology is a busy specialty with elective admissions each year. There are 4 Consultant Urologists and 3 Senior Urologists who sub-specialise in urodynamics.

FY1 Trainees will have the opportunity to gain experience in:

  • Catheterization of the patient
  • Simple operations
  • Venous cannulation and setting up of infusion.
  • Daily post-take ward rounds with senior Urologists
  • Teaching ward rounds
  • Directorate audit meetings
  • Surgical on call shift system
  • Attendance at the mandatory Foundation Teaching Programme