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GP Training and the Practice
Information for Patients
The Practice has been involved in the training of future G.Ps for more than 25 years. A GP registrar is a fully qualified Doctor who has already spent some years working in a variety of hospital posts gaining experience. They may have already held a training post in another General Practice.
Our registrars spend 6 or 12 months with us, learning more about General Practice and family medicine. We find they make a valuable contribution to our team and bring fresh insights into old problems. Please treat them as one of the team.
Information for Registrars
About the area
Hereford is an attractive and historic cathedral city situated on the banks of the River Wye in the Welsh Marches. Famous local attractions include the Mappa Mundi - the oldest map of the world in existence, the largest chained library in the world, and the beautiful cathedral. Hereford plays host to the Three Choirs Festival every three years.
Herefordshire is famous for its cattle and also for its cider. Many former registrars have succumbed to its charms and are now practising locally. The county boasts some of the best and most varied rural scenery in the UK, ranging from the Malvern Hills in the east, the glorious Wye Valley and Forest of Dean in the South and the famous "Black and White" villages of the west. There are good road and rail links to other parts of the country and Birmingham, Bristol and Cardiff are all within 90 minutes drive of the city.
About the practice
The practice serves approximately 8900 patients in Hereford City and surrounding Herefordshire. The clinical workload is shared between 4 full-time and 2 part-time partners, 4 part-time Practice Nurses and 2 part-time Health Care Assistants. Out of hours services are provided by Primecare. The practice has responsibility for daytime medical cover to a local renal-dialysis unit. Other external commitments include Clinical Assistantship in Cardiology (Dr Turnbull).
We operate from 2 purpose built surgeries, with 7 consulting rooms in total and 2 nurse's rooms. GP Registrars have their own room at Bobblestock Surgery, in which video facilities are provided for educational purposes. The practice has a well-stocked library at Bobblestock as well as facilities for audio-visual media. Access to the internet is available in all rooms.
The practice is committed to the use of IT having been computerised since 1989; We use iSOFT Premiere Synergy clinical software along with Frontdesk/Contract + appointments and reporting software, and DOCMAN practice intranet/document management system. All the consulting rooms are equipped with desktop PCs, having desktop internet and e-mail facilities. We endeavour to be as paperless as possible.
We like to think we are a friendly and open practice and believe very much in working as a team. The partners hold short monthly business meetings at the surgery and longe evening meetings held quarterly to discuss weightier issues... usually over a meal and a glass or two of wine. We encourage the registrar to attend both of these.
We are well established as a training practice. Whilst Drs Turnbull and Laird are the nominated Trainers, the responsibilities of education are shared by all the partners. Registrar tutorials are held weekly and occur in "protected time". The practice also holds a weekly educational seminar which is open to all members of the Primary Health Care Team. On Thursday afternoons, members of the Hereford VTS meet up at the local Postgraduate Medical Centre.
About the Hereford VTS
Hereford runs its own GP vocational training scheme. Some registrars undertake the hospital-component of training in the local hospital and others come having completed their hospital experience elsewhere. More information about GP training in Herefordshire and Worcestershire can be found here.