Providing a breadth of experience to facilitate development of all medical professions

We are responsible for undergraduate medical students and postgraduate doctors in training within our Trust, which is led by a number of consultants, a strong team of teachers and experienced and well qualified support staff. Their roles and responsibilities include faculty development and support (including training the trainers) as well as organisation of undergraduate and postgraduate education.

We have strong links with Newcastle University for medical students on placement, and other Trusts within the Northern Region for specialty rotations.

We also have links to Northern Foundation School, NHS England (formerly Health Education England North East and Cumbria) and the Lead Employer Trust (LET).

Our objectives

We have a number of objectives, including:

  • To continue to improve the education of medical students within our Trust and to increase the number of medical students we take, as well as to encourage these students to apply for junior doctor posts within our hospitals.
  • To make sure that our Foundation Doctors are well trained and have a varied and happy experience in the two years of Foundation Programmes across our main hospital sites.  We hope to give our Foundation Doctors a variety of experiences in different specialties, in conjunction with opportunities within our general practices in County Durham and Darlington and our partners in  mental health Trusts.
  • To develop high quality core and higher specialty training rotations across our Trust, in the hope that the education and training we provide for our trainees and trainers will improve the quality of care that we provide for our patients, and to give all of our junior doctors the experience they require to progress in their careers.
  • To encourage and sustain medical education as part of our multi-disciplinary education and learning department, and we will actively encourage multi-professional training events, experiences and courses so that all professionals who support patient care will work together as a team to improve the quality of care we provide for our patients.

Clinical attachments are periods of work experience arranged for trained doctors, often International Medical Graduates (IMGs), who need unpaid work experience to shadow doctors working in the NHS, science graduates applying for medicine without university indemnity who are making career choices and individuals over the age of 18 who require work experience in medicine.

All individuals undertaking such attachments must act as observers and are not permitted to undertake any procedures. Individuals on such attachments have the same access to patients as medical students across the Trust, and must be supervised at all times.

Clinical attachés are required to pay £250 for their attachment, which can only last a minimum of 4 weeks and a maximum of 6 weeks. If you wish to apply for an attachment at CDDFT please read the clinical attachment policy to ensure a Clinical Attachment is right for you, and email: cddft.clinicalattachments@nhs.net with any questions you may have or to begin your application.

More information coming soon!

Dr Heather Weir (SAS doctor in Obstetrics and Gynaecology based at University Hospital North Durham) is the Trusts SAS Tutor.

Medical Education run regular courses for SAS Doctors and Consultants on various topics! We regularly receive brilliant feedback and have in the past facilitated courses on important professional development skills such as Time Management, Collaborative Leadership, Assertiveness and Courageous Conversations.

Current courses are circulated regularly, please email: cdda-tr.mededpostgradtraining@nhs.net if you wish to book a place.

The SAS Charter is set out to inform employers of what an SAS doctor is entitled to in terms of Job planning, study leave and support for career development. All SAS doctors are entitled to Job planning for their working week and annual appraisal.

Find out more about the SAS Charter and where you can access copies of the Charter. The Charter is set out to inform employers of what an SAS doctor is entitled to in terms of Job planning, study leave and support for career development.  

Where to find us

Medical Education are located across three sites: Bishop Auckland Hospital, Darlington Memorial Hospital and Prospect House in Durham.

Bishop Auckland Hospital

We’re located within the Clinical Simulation Centre (old ward 5) on the ground floor of the hospital.

Address: Bishop Auckland Hospital, Cockton Hill Rd, Bishop Auckland DL14 6AD

Contact: 01388 455725

Darlington Memorial Hospital

We’re located on the ground floor of the hospital in the Medical Education Centre near to the main lifts.

Address: Darlington Memorial Hospital, Hollyhurst Rd, Darlington DL3 6HX

Contact: 01325 743539

Prospect House (Durham)

We’re located in a separate building only a short walk away from the University Hospital of North Durham. Medical Education are based in the offices on the first floor of the building.

Address: Prospect House, Aykley Heads, Durham DH1 5AN

Contact: 0191 3332160