About medical education
Training and work experience culture
We are really proud of the training and working experience culture that we have fostered in LPFT. We are an inclusive and diverse organisation which helps us to maintain a varied perspective and ensure that we are able to meet the needs of the communities we serve.
We work hard to ensure that everyone, no matter what your background is, feels a part of the LPFT family. We value the cohesiveness and friendliness that trainees often comment on and make trainee wellbeing a top priority.
About Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire is a county that can provide a really great quality of life. We appreciate that being fulfilled in your career is important, but so is a good work-life balance. If you like the great outdoors and that sense of escape, you will not be disappointed in Lincolnshire. Big skies, long country walks and secluded beaches are all on offer.
Meet the team
Sarah Fenton, Undergraduate Coordinator
Working with the Associate Clinical Sub-Dean, I am responsible for the provision of developing a high quality teaching programme for the medical students. This helps to achieve the overall goal of undergraduate medical education; to provide first class training facilities for medical students and to receive appropriate training to meet the needs of their curriculum. Outside of work, I have a keen interest in health and fitness, cooking and travelling.
Rachel Bosman , Undergraduate Administrator
Working alongside Sarah I assist with coordinating Medical Student placements, helping to ensure students have everything they need for a smooth and well‑supported placement experience. I also help to coordinate our Expert Patient sessions, which give the students an opportunity to speak with patients who have recovered from a mental health illness. Outside of work I enjoy spending time with family and eating good food.
Dawn Garrod-Smith, Medical Education Co-ordinator
I have worked at the Trust since 2012 and joined the Medical Education Team in June 2017. My role is to support medical education across the Trust, including helping Foundation and GP Trainees make the most of their four‑month psychiatry placements, as well as supporting Core Trainees and Higher Grade Trainees (ST4–6) throughout their placements.
I manage the Postgraduate Teaching Programme and support senior consultants in achieving their CPD and mandatory training requirements. I work closely with the Director of Medical Education and the wider team to deliver a high‑quality training environment.
I take a person‑centred approach and am committed to providing the best possible support to everyone I work with. Outside of work, I enjoy golf, socialising and creative crafts, and I particularly value spending time with my family, especially my grandchildren, and friends.
Jessica Johnson, Medical Education Administrator
I joined the Medical Education Team in August 2021 and provide comprehensive administrative support across the service, working closely with Dawn Garrod-Smith, our Medical Education Co‑ordinator. I have worked within the NHS since 2012, bringing with me a broad range of experience from a variety of administrative roles. I really enjoy being part of a supportive, busy team and I’m always happy to help, love learning new things, and take pride in giving my best every day.
Dr Suveera Prasad, Director of Medical Education
I was appointed as DME in October 2025 and I am responsible for training and medical education across the Trust. My vision is to further augment our excellent teaching and training programme and look forward to building on our strengths evident in GMC national Trainees survey. I am focussing on improving the learning experience of the resident doctors and SAS doctors, some of whom are taking the CESR route to progress on their career path in psychiatry.
Our focus would be on quality education and building a learning environment that fosters learning and research while continuing to provide excellent services to our patients. We aim to align our training programme to the aspirations of the resident doctors. I would be working alongside my colleagues to support trainees and trainers. I would be looking at ways to ensure effective governance and early identification of problems if any. My challenge is to ensure that expenses around education and training remain within the allocated resources. In short, my aim would be to establish LPFT as a sought-after teaching and training Trust.
Apart from my DME role, I am a General Adult Psychiatrist in inpatient unit.
Outside of work, I enjoy, cooking, gardening, hiking and travelling.
Dr Verghese Joseph, Associate Director of Medical Education and Educational Supervisor for Core Trainees South
I work as a Consultant Psychiatrist within the adult division attached to the recovery team at Stamford. I started as a trainee in LPFT in 2001 and returned as a consultant in 2009. I am a clinical supervisor and host core trainees at Stamford. As educational supervisor for the south of the county, I support core trainees with their education and training needs. I also hold the role of associate director of medical education. I have a background in neuroimaging research and a PhD which focussed on identifying functional connectivity issues in schizophrenia using toots of functional MRI and evoked response potentials. My research has been published in peer reviewed journals and I have presented findings at our local journal club as well. I lecture on the East Midlands MRCPsych training course and support medical students from Lincoln University as they rotate through our recovery team. Hobbies have taken a backseat since our little ones arrived (now aged twelve, ten and seven) although I manage to squeeze time to read books on cosmology, physics, finance, and history and travel with the family.
Dr Rameez Zafar, Educational Supervisor for Core Trainees North
I have been an educational supervisor and college tutor for over five years and an examiner for 25 years. I like to help trainees to progress with their portfolios as well as their exam preparation for CASC.
I enjoy reading history books and socialising with my psychiatric colleagues and friends. I watch cricket and football regularly, although I myself have never been a good player!
Dr Vijay Waykar, Educational Supervisor for SAS Doctors
I chair the Resident Doctor Forum and work closely with supervisors and the management team so that exception reports are addressed promptly within the recommended timeframe.
I enjoy teaching and research and have established links with the University of Lincoln. I try to remain fit and have successfully completed three full marathons.
Dr Shijo Joseph, SAS Tutor
I started my role as SAS Tutor at LPFT from 1st of February 2026. I currently work autonomously at CRHTT Boston and Louth. As SAS Tutor, I provide support and guidance for SAS doctors across the Trust, with a focus on career development, professional wellbeing, and equitable access to educational and opportunities.
I also facilitate and promote educational initiatives, including training days and courses that support the development of skills—such as leadership, teaching, management, personal and professional effectiveness alongside encouraging access to appraisal, job planning, career progression and development opportunities.
My vision is to champion the contribution of SAS doctors and support them to realise their full potential. I wish to promote a culture in which SAS doctors are recognised as educators, supervisors and leaders within the Trust, contributing far beyond direct clinical care.
Dr Suneetha Siddabattuni, Associate Clinical SubDean
I look after medical students on psychiatry placements. It is my responsibility to ensure that medical students are well supported and get high quality training and experience during their psychiatry placements in our Trust. As a clinical supervisor I provide training and supervision to Core Trainee Psychiatrists and enjoy teaching CASC to trainees preparing for MRCPsych exams. I am a child and adolescent psychiatrist and fundamentally I believe in providing the right support and environment so that every person can achieve their full potential. As Less Than Fulltime Champion, I promote wellbeing by enabling the balancing act of work and life and represent at Local Negotiating Committee as Vice Chair Elect.
I am a great believer in giving back to the community and I have taken up responsibility as Parish Councillor to my village and Parent Governor to a big secondary school. During my free time I enjoy walking, doing yoga, cooking and mostly spending time with my family and friends.
Dr Beena Rajkumar, Psychotherapy Tutor
As a dual trained Psychiatrist (General Adult Psychiatry & Medical Psychotherapy), I feel the richness of Psychiatric Practice comes about when the care we provide is relationship-anchored and when we see people as individuals, and hold space for them, tuning into their individual experiences and inner worlds.
In my role as Psychotherapy Tutor (for the last 14 years), I am passionate about fostering a mindset which shapes the next generation of Psychiatrists to hold space hold space for the individual in distress.
I also work in CMHT as a Consultant Psychiatrist, working with people who have complex mental health needs. I am also the Consultant Medical Psychotherapist for the Trust, and a Medical Student Tutor for the students from Lincoln Medical School.
My special interests include Women’s Mental Health, Complex Trauma, Clinical Depression and Teaching. As a teacher, I promote a culture of experiential learning.
In my spare time I am a serious movie buff and enjoy cooking Indian and Chinese food for family and friends.
