Eye group grows scheme to train junior surgeons
A private hospital group has increased its support of the NHS with a new training scheme and hopes to take on several more junior doctors.
Optegra eye surgeon Mr Alastair Stuart
The initiative Eye by Optegra has been praised by the Royal College of Ophthalmologists. Chair of its training committee, Sarah Maling, said: ‘England’s NHS-commissioned eye services continue to increase independent sector cataract surgery and it is a necessity to include training in the delivery pathway.
‘The college has set our clear guidance and recommendation to support training in an independent sector setting and recognises the benefit of such settings to provide comprehensive cataract surgical training.
‘Given the reduction of surgical opportunity that trainees are reporting, the college is keen to facilitate access to all training opportunities.’
She called it ‘excellent’ to see that companies such as Optegra were now implementing this and that junior doctors were reaping the benefits to afford them the opportunity to secure the vital hands-on surgical experience they need to enhance their surgical skills and improve outcomes.
Mr Alastair Stuart
Consultant ophthalmic surgeon Mr Alastair Stuart said: ‘Optegra, with its range of hospitals and clinics, as well as the vast number of NHS cataract surgeries which we conduct, provides the ideal set-up for us to welcome junior doctors and support them with their training.
‘These future consultants need to gain as much surgical experience with patients as possible, and we can provide that, with direct support to ensure utmost safety for our patients.
‘As well as agreeing a plan with the individual doctor, focusing on areas where they want to develop, we also build in time to review each case. The procedures are filmed, so we can really analyse and identify ways to improve, which is a privilege to have the time to support in that way.’