Training
at FGMC
At Frimley Green Medical Centre, we have been involved in training for GP's for more than 20 years. Currently, there are two Trainers (Dr Peter Cureton and Dr Richard de Ferrars). We frequently have 2 GPR's in post. On the "teaching team", we also have Dr Paula Roberts, who is one of the GP Tutors at Frimley Park Hospital. Dr de Ferrars also works as one of the local Course Organisers - mainly working with the Foundation Programme and the Trainer Group.
We very much enjoy and value the contribution that GP Registrars bring to the surgery and we would be more than happy to discuss training informally.
Premises
Treatment Room Teaching Room
The Medical Centre is a modern, recently extended building owned by the partnership. The Registrar has their own consulting room and there is a dedicated teaching room / library with internet access. We use the popular EMIS computer system and have been "paperless" for several years - with direct links to the hospital pathology service and scanning of hospital letters into the computerised patient record.
Location
The practice area covers the Surrey side of the Surrey - Hampshire border between Frimley in the north and the A31 Hog's Back in the south. FGMC is situated in the northern part and AVHC in the southern part. There is easy access to both the A3 and the M3. There are large DGH's within a few miles at Frimley (Frimley Park Hospital) and at Guildford (Royal Surrey County Hospital). The population is mainly suburban with some rural areas. Most patients are Social Class 2 and 3 with some areas of higher need. There are two Army barracks within the practice area and we provide Primary Care for the family quarters. We dispense to approximately one quarter of patients at each surgery. West Surrey is an area of outstanding countryside. There are large areas of open access heathland and pine forests as well as the North Downs.
Teaching
We arrange a flexible teaching plan adapted to suit the Registrar's individual needs. There is protected teaching time each day and at least one tutorial per week. Our Registrars attend the half-day course at Frimley Park Hospital (FPH), with residential courses at Cumberland Lodge in Windsor Great Park. There is an active Trainer-Registrar Group at FPH. All of our Registrars have successfully completed Summative Assessment and most take the Royal College Examination. We encourage applicants to speak to our current or previous Registrars.
Time-table
The basic weekly time-table is 4 days in the surgery, ½ day at the FPH course and one half day off. The annual leave entitlement is five weeks per year. A normal working day is morning surgery from 08:30 to 11:30 (then a 30 minute coffee break / discussion slot) and an afternoon surgery either 15:00 to 17:00 or 16:00 to 18:30. The Registrar is usually on call until 18:30 one day per week. Routine appointments are 10 minute consultations. Out of hours care is organised through our local Out of Hours Centre which covers most of West Surrey. The Registrar is expected to work one evening duty or weekend duty at the Out of Hours centre every month. All this work is supervised by a Partner, usually the Trainer. The surgery no longer opens on Saturday mornings.
Primary Health Care Team
The doctors comprise six Partners (two part-time), one Retainee and usually one Registrar. We are supported by four Practice Nurses and the usual complement of Practice Manager, secretaries, dispenser, receptionists and office staff. In addition, we have a team of Health Visitors and District Nurses based at the surgery and our Community Midwife. See Who's Who? for more details.
Further Information
All applications for General Practice Training are made through the local Deaneries. Vacancies are advertised and filled twice a year. Further details can be obtained from the KSS Deanery. Our vacancies are all advertised and filled through the Deanery. KSS Deanery is divided into districts. This surgery in the Frimley Park district. GP Training regulations are complicated and very different from the regulations governing Hospital Training. We strongly recommend that non-EU applicants discuss their position with the KSS Deanery. Local accommodation is not provided but we do not believe that it is essential for the Registrar to live inside the Practice Area. Several recent Registrars have successfully commuted from West London.