Optegra steps up drive to train NHS juniors
Consultant ophthalmic surgeon Mr Mike Adams has been appointed Optegra Eye Health Care national NHS Training Lead to manage and increase training across the group.
Mike Adams
His job firstly involves overseeing training at Optegra Eye Hospital, Guildford, Surrey, and he will work with junior doctors in the group’s other UK hospitals, who are taking part in a recently launched fellowship scheme.
He will support teams nationally from an educational perspective, liaise with NHS trusts to finalise placements and be responsible for clinical governance.
Mr Adams said: ‘I am here to help with structure for training and to be a clinical contact for trainees and consultants at hospitals. We want to create a streamlined process whereby we can offer a single touchpoint.’
Junior doctors interested in gaining experience with Optegra should email optegra.training@nhs.net.
All independent sector providers such as Optegra are obliged to train junior doctors on at least 11% of cases to keep their commissioning positions.
Mr Adams spoke more about the training opportunities: ‘Although private sector support has helped to reduce surgical wait times, which is a great success, it means that a high percentage of cataract cases are now completed by independent providers, so naturally there are fewer cases within the NHS for junior doctors to work on.
‘We want to offer training in the same way as the NHS would, so if someone is a trainee in an NHS hospital and there are not enough cataract procedures, they can approach their educational supervisor and ask for a placement at their nearest Optegra.
‘We offer high-volume cataract lists across 12 of our 13 UK hospitals and clinics. We are keen to welcome trainees to all our sites and are proud of the way Optegra works. We have first-class facilities and excellent surgical outcomes, so why not pass those skills on and ensure a high supply of surgeons for the NHS or Optegra itself in the future?
‘Along with our varied training offering from the Fellowship to continuing profession development events, we are fully committed to meeting our financial and ethical responsibilities.’
Mr Adams joined the eye hospital group last January and specialises in cornea and cataract cases.