Clinical Oncology
Key Contacts
Training Programme Director for Dr Alison Cameron, Based at UHBW
Head of School of Medicine: Carolyn Mackinlay
Associate Dean for Medicine: Jon Francis
Education programme Manager: Joanne Pickstone / Louise Peckham
Education programme coordinator: Vacancy
Health Education South West Severn supervises all postgraduate medical specialist training in the region.
Information about the Specialty
Clinical Oncology is undergoing a period of considerable technical development both in terms of systemic and radiation therapy. At Severn, we champion a view of Clinical Oncology as both a challenging and highly rewarding specialty for practitioners, both technically and ethically, and a speciality that embraces multi-professional working. Clinical oncology specialty training consists of a 5 year training period from ST3 and results in Fellowship of the Royal College of Radiologists (FRCR), Clinical Oncology Faculty.
The training programme in Severn Deanery rotates between the oncology departments at Bristol, Bath, Cheltenham and Taunton, though for the majority of trainees rotations only involve three of these sites. Trainees may also attend linked hospitals for MDT, and ward and clinic patient review, such as in Weston-Super-Mare and Hereford. Across these sites, trainees will: experience the care of cancer patients across different settings, gain high-level clinical experience in state-of-the-art technical radiotherapy (including intracranial and body stereotactic treatment and brachytherapy), gain wide proficiency in the systemic therapy in all tumour sites, contribute actively to national trials within our extensive R&D portfolio, and develop important skills in the delivery of acute oncology care. They will be expected to complete audits, publications and quality improvement projects, deliver teaching sessions, and take part in management and leadership roles, under the support and direction of their clinical supervisors. Out-of-programme clinical, leadership and research experience in the UK and overseas is encouraged. We pride ourselves in the professional and pastoral care we give our trainees, towards their development as consultant colleagues who will flourish within the modern world of Clinical Oncology.
Training Opportunities in Southwest - Severn
In ST3 the doctor in training will attend a course in oncology sciences. The majority of this will be provided locally within Bristol from Autumn 2023. This enables preparation for FRCR part 1. In ST5/ST6 the doctor in training will attend a supraregional FRCR part 2 course which covers all tumour sites.
Regionally there are regular teaching sessions, in addition to supraregional teaching days every few months held between Severn, Peninsula and South Wales.
ACE-RT is a online training platform to help doctors practice contouring against both benchmark cases and this provides a radiotherapy logbook. There is also a resources website for trainees with podcasts, prior teaching sessions and details about the treatment of individual tumour sites.
The Training Hospitals
Bristol Haematology and Oncology Centre in University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (Dr Susan Masson)
Department of Oncology at the Royal United Hospital in Bath (Dr Emma De Winton)
The Beacon Centre, Musgrove Park Hospital in Taunton (Dr Jessica Mason)
Gloucestershire Oncology Centre in Cheltenham General Hospital (Dr Caitlin Bowden)
Annual Assessment Information
ARCPs are held annually, Kaizen is the RCR Eportfolio system.
Further information regarding the curriculum can be found here; https://www.rcr.ac.uk/clinical-oncology/specialty-training
Related sites
The website of the Royal College of Radiologists comprehensively covers information on all aspects of training as a Clinical Oncologist in the UK.