Overview
Lincolnshire Partnership Foundation Trust (LPFT) is part of the East Midlands Specialty Psychiatry Core Training Scheme. This covers Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Lincolnshire.
We host core trainees on in a diverse range of posts across the county and trainees on the scheme can elect to remain in Lincolnshire for much of the programme. There are many aspects of our core training programme that are unique to Lincolnshire and we are very proud of the individualised and friendly nature of our programme.
Most core training posts in LPFT are based either in Lincoln or Boston. There are two additional posts available at Stamford and Grantham. The Trust has a focus on connected working and trainees are provided with laptops with the ability to work from home or other community sites.
Trainees have close relationships with the medical education and management team. We have a well-attended and active Junior Doctor Forum and Local Negotiating Committee.
We have recently rolled out a leadership programme for Core Trainees to support their development. Core Trainees will be supported to take up projects and be guided through their projects as part of an immersive experiential learning process.
We aim to give you an excellent grounding in psychotherapy and an understanding of the unconscious mind. This will give you a solid foundation for future discovery as well as supporting you to manage the challenges of clinical practice.
The psychotherapy tutor, Dr Beena Rajkumar, will meet with core trainees and tailor their experience to their interests. This will include support to complete the required short and long psychotherapy cases.
Dr Beena runs a Balint Group that not only includes case discussion but also covers key areas of psychotherapeutic theory and practice, including modules on Freud, Klein and Jung.
You will have the opportunity to present a case and journal at our weekly post-graduate teaching. This is in a supportive and engaging environment.
The MRCPsych course runs weekly for all core trainees across the East Midlands scheme. The content is primarily based on the Royal College curriculum and areas of core medical knowledge underpinning specialist training, and the list of topics included in MRCPsych examinations.
For the RCPsych CASC (practical exam), we offer a consultant supervised weekly preparation session in the months leading up to the exam. A mock CASC is organized by East Midland deanery which offers the practice of stations with the emphasis on feedback on performance.
The Trust operates two resident on-call rotas covering either Lincoln sites or the Grantham and Boston sites. These are currently ‘non-resident’. Taxis are available to transport you between sites as needed. Whilst on call you are supported by a consultant.
There are numerous ways in which core trainees can get involved in teaching. We host medical students in many different areas who greatly value core trainee teaching.
A week in the life of a CT3 trainee
Rachel Wright
"As a junior doctor representative, I attend regular junior doctor forums, LNC and MAC meetings, which are currently all conducted over Microsoft Teams. Below you can read about what I do in my role throughout a normal week as a less than full time CT3 trainee (during the COVID-19 pandemic)."
Tuesday
"The morning consists of attending an outpatient clinic with my clinical supervisor and learning disability consultant. These clinics take place at different locations across East Lincolnshire. At present, most of the clinic appointments are done over the phone and we talk through each service user’s case prior to the telephone call. After clinic and a lunch break, I either accompany the consultant on home visits or attend home visits alone. Home visit letters are written up from home before the end of the day."
Wednesday
"I attend the learning disability team’s weekly meeting via Microsoft Teams where new referrals are discussed and triaged. In addition, we discuss current cases, service users who have recently been discharged, and additional team matters. We have team lunches regularly over Microsoft teams throughout the week to keep in touch.
Following our team meeting, I have supervision sessions with my clinical supervisor. This is a great opportunity to discuss cases I am currently managing, my own training and education, as well as any personal matters.
In the afternoon, I attend Balint group with our psychotherapy supervisor and other psychiatry trainees over Microsoft teams. There is also a learning disability re-formulation meeting Wednesday afternoons where we are encouraged to bring forward cases to discuss and reflect on formulations and management plans as an MDT. Occasionally I will also conduct a home visit."
Thursday
"I attend a Postgraduate Education meeting over Microsoft teams. This is normally attended by 60+ trainees and consultants working within the trust. During these meetings, trainees present cases and critically appraise journal papers. In addition, experts from within and outside the trust lecture on various topics from showcasing the latest research, to management of physical health or even discussions about the history of psychiatry.
In the afternoon, I often attend home visits or use the rest of the working day to concentrate on updating my portfolio and additional tasks such as audit work."
