Our Programme delivers the highest quality of training in Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (CPT), across all Capabilities in Practice in parallel with excellent training in general internal medicine (GIM). As CPT training may lead to a variety of consultant positions, so training is tailored to the requirements of the individual trainee in conjunction with your Educational Supervisors (ES) and Training Programme Director (TPD). By the end of the training programme trainees should have an in-depth knowledge across a range of pharmacological subjects, have developed a broad range of skills and be able to employ them to address healthcare problems and be highly employable.
Areas of particular interest include;
Clinical Toxicology: The toxicology team are responsible for the care of adult patients admitted to the Royal Victoria Infirmary with drug overdose or poisoning. The Royal Victoria Infirmary also hosts the Newcastle Unit of the National Poisons Information Service (NPIS) commissioned by UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) on behalf of UK Health Departments, one of 4 such units providing advanced toxicology advice to healthcare workers in across the UK, 24 hours a day, 365 days per year. The unit Director is Dr Ruben Thanacoody and other consultants include Dr Simon Hill, Dr Stephen Wiltshire and Dr Tomasz Gziut. NPIS activity is a rich source of data for research purposes and trainees are encouraged to develop skills in dealing with large data sets to understand and address healthcare issues. For example, Newcastle leads on understanding the harms associated with recreational drug use, including Novel Psychoactive Substances.
Teratology: The RVI hosts the UK Teratology Information Service (UKTIS), commissioned by UKHSA on behalf of UK Health Departments, who provide a national service on all aspects of the toxicity of drugs and chemicals in pregnancy. A key role of UKTIS is to collect pregnancy outcome data from women who have been exposed to drugs and chemicals in pregnancy. This surveillance provides prospective data on the incidence of fetal complications.
Prescribing: The RVI hosts the Northern and Yorkshire Regional Drug & Therapeutics Centre (RDTC). In the ever-changing environment of the modern NHS, provision of high quality information and expert advice is key to the commissioning and delivery of safe, clinically excellent and cost effective healthcare. The work includes prescribing support, medicines information services and Yellow Card monitoring of adverse drug effects. In addition, Clinical Pharmacologists are involved in the Trust’s Medicines Management and Governance Committees, in NICE technical appraisals and in National Pharmacovigilance.
Hypertension: The Clinical Pharmacology team run a weekly specialist hypertension clinic, looking particularly to identify and manage secondary causes of hypertension or that which is difficult to control. Dr Simon Hill and Dr Stephen Wiltshire provide this service for the Trust.
Clinical and basic science research: Research is an integral part of clinical pharmacology training and there is plenty of time allocated for research activity in the programme. For example, part of your training time will be spent in the NIHR Newcastle Clinical Research Facility (NCRF) that delivers early phase clinical studies, often first in human in adults and children. In addition, Specialty Trainees are encouraged to develop their own research interest consistent with the research interests of the unit.
Clinical education: Within the Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS foundation Trust, Newcastle University and NPIS the Clinical Pharmacology team are actively involved in the delivery of education to a wide range of learners, in both the undergraduate and postgraduate stages. A significant number of our trainees have undertaken postgraduate training in clinical education within the period of their programme.
Programme Information
This is a four year training programme in Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics with General Internal Medicine. It is delivered in parallel such that in any of the 4 years half of the time will be devoted to GIM and half to CPT. In a typical year therefore a trainee can expect;
- 250 working days (minus bank holidays and weekends)
- Up to 34 days annual leave
- Up to 30 days study leave
- 40 days/nights on call for medicine
- 80 days on CPT inpatient ward (50% CPT: 50% GIM)
- 66 days CPT only
Training Structure
|
Year
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1/3 (GIM mainly)
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1/3 (GIM and CPT)
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1/3 (CPT only)
|
|
1
|
Acute medicine on call
|
CPT inpatient ward
|
CPT Specific training
|
|
2
|
Acute medicine on call
|
CPT inpatient ward
|
CPT Specific training
|
|
3
|
Acute medicine on call
|
CPT inpatient ward
|
CPT Specific training
|
|
4
|
Acute medicine on call
|
CPT inpatient ward
|
CPT Specific training
|
|
Overall 50% GIM & 50% CPT
|
Progression through training
Progression to the next year of training will always be dependent on a successful ARCP outcome. It is expected that specialty trainees will gather sufficient evidence & maintain an up-to-date eportfolio throughout the duration of their training.
Dual accreditation with General Internal Medicine (GIM)
This programme offers dual accreditation with General Internal Medicine (GIM). All trainees will be recruited onto the dual accrediting programme.
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