In this section...

  1. About The Walton Centre
  2. Council of Governors
  3. Education and learning
  4. Equality, diversity and inclusion
  5. Events
  6. Finance
  7. Governance
  8. Innovation at The Walton Centre
  9. Meet the Board
  10. Meetings and Committees
  11. Membership
  12. News
  13. Procurement
  14. Reports and publications
  15. The Walton Centre Charity
  16. The Walton Centre Strategy 2022-2025

Medical education

 

The Walton Centre is the UK’s only standalone specialist hospital dedicated to neurology, neurosurgery, spinal, rehabilitation medicine and pain management services. The Trust is widely acknowledged as being a centre of clinical and educational excellence having been twice rated Outstanding by the regulators CQC. There is a thriving culture of learning built on the Trust’s strategic goal to lead in research, education and innovation.  

Medical education at The Walton Centre is led by a team of knowledgeable and enthusiastic educationalists and administration staff. We’re proud to deliver high-quality teaching and training across a wide range of undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. Many of our consultants have honorary positions with the University of Liverpool and are active within research, further enhancing the richly erudite environment of the hospital. 

We have strong links with stakeholders in health education across north west England with particular association with University of Liverpool and Edge Hill University as the two medical schools in the Liverpool region as well as leading strategic bodies such as Liverpool Health Partners and the North West Innovation Agency.

The Trust is proud to host a full range of postgraduate training programmes covering the neuro affiliated specialties and subspecialties. We have a sought after elective and clinical attachment programme attracting students and doctors from the UK and around the world to unique clinical experiences at The Walton Centre.  

Postgraduate medical education

There is a named Trust education lead for each specialty: 

Medicine  

  • Neurology HST TPD - Dr Michael Bonello
    https://www.nwpgmd.nhs.uk/Specialty_Schools/Medicine/Neurology/Mersey 
  • Neurology IMT 1-2 - Dr Dinesh Damodaran 
    https://www.nwpgmd.nhs.uk/Specialty_Schools/Medicine/Core_Medical_Training 
  • Neurophysiology - Dr Brython Hywel Educational Supervisor 
    https://nwpgmd.nhs.uk/Specialty_Schools/Medicine/Clinical_Neurophysiology 
  • Neuropathology - Dr Nitika Rathi, Educational Supervisor 
    https://nwpgmd.nhs.uk/Specialty_Schools/Pathology/Neuropathology 
  • Rehabilitation Medicine - Dr Helen Banks TPD 
    https://nwpgmd.nhs.uk/Specialty_Schools/Medicine/Rehabilitation_Medicine  

Surgery 

  • Neurosurgery HST TPD - Mr Nick Carleton-Bland
    https://www.nwpgmd.nhs.uk/Specialty_Schools/Surgery/Neurosurgery/West 
  • Neurosurgery Core - Mr Farouk Olubajo, RCS College Tutor 
    https://www.nwpgmd.nhs.uk/Specialty_Schools/Surgery/Core_Surgical_Training/West 
  • Neuroanaesthetics ICM - Dr Elaine Anderson, RCoA college Tutor 
    https://nwpgmd.nhs.uk/Specialty_Schools/Anaesthetics 
  • Pain Medicine 
  • Neuroradiology TSTL - Dr Maneesh Bhojak 
    https://nwpgmd.nhs.uk/Specialty_Schools/Radiology  
     

Trust induction  

The Resident Doctor induction runs throughout the year and is designed to provide new starters with a comprehensive welcome to the trust. This is a one-day programme with a blend of face-to-face training and e-learning components. New starters meet key members of staff and carry out general housekeeping e.g. IT training and issuing of ID cards to enable a swift start clinical duties without unnecessary delay.  

Useful contacts/links: 

  • Medical Education Officer – Donna Brennan
  • Medical Staffing Manager – Heather Doyle
  • Guardian of Safe Working – Dr Chrissie Burness 
     

Undergraduate

The Trust provides the University of Liverpool MBChB degree programme with clinical learning placements for Years 4 and 5 respectively. We strive to continuously develop, deliver and evaluate a portfolio of education and training promoting a culture of multidisciplinary learning.   

We continue to anticipate and respond to the changing demands of local and national healthcare systems, ensuring our future workforce are trained in the latest evidence-based practice. 

 

UG Education Faculty 

  • Clinical Sub Dean/ Honorary Senior Lecturer - Dr Dave Smith, Consultant Neurologist
  • Year 5 Lead - Dr Mona Ghadiri-Sani, Consultant Neurologist)
  • Lead for Neurosensory System/Neurology/senior lecturer/ Honorary Senior Lecturer - Dr Rhys Davies, Director of Medical Education and Consultant Neurologist  
  • Speciality Lead for Neurosurgery/Honorary Senior Lecturer - Mr Nick Carleton-Bland, Consultant Neurosurgeon  

Year 4 Admin - Yasmin Doswell

The Walton Centre receives fourth year Medical Students for a four-week placement. Students have a comprehensive range of learning opportunities including neurology and neurosurgery lectures, case-based learning, neurosurgical on-call shadowing, attending clinics and ward days. For their duration of their placement, they have a named Consultant educational supervisor responsible for overseeing the students’ educational progression. 

Year 5 Admin – The Walton Centre Medical Education Team 

We offer Year 5 SAMPs in all specialties at the Trust and allow individual students, the option of choosing to be attached to a subspecialty within the main specialties of neurology, neurosurgery, neuroanesthetics and intensive care, pain, neuroradiology and neurophysiology. 

 

Educational events and programmes

  • Regional teaching – Medical Education co-ordinate teaching for the main postgraduate training programmes running on site. Dates vary, please contact the team/education lead for more information pertaining to your own programme.
  • Resident Doctor Weekly Teaching – A comprehensive rolling programme of neuroscience topics aimed at lower specialty and foundation training grades coordinated by the Trusts RCP College Tutor.  
  • PGME Grand Round and Lunchtime Lecture Series – This is an established weekly medical education programme taking place each Wednesday lunchtime.
  • Grand Round - Chaired by a Consultant, the programme is coordinated by the neurology higher specialty trainee cohort. It follows a hot case/cold case format with opportunity for audience interaction and discussion.  
  • Lunchtime Lecture Series - A long-running lecture programme drawing prominent speakers in the field of neurosciences from UK and beyond.  
  • Sutcliffe Kerr Neuroscience Lecture – An annual showcase event for The Walton Centre named after one of WCFT founders, renowned neurosurgeon Alan Sutcliffe Kerr. This event has been reinvigorated in recent years and is held in conjunction with Liverpool Neuroscience Group (LNG). The event follows a conference format with lectures and when conditions permit, interactive workshops.  
  • NeuroPaces - This is an intensive one-day course for candidates preparing for the MRCP PACES examination. Now in its 12th year the course receives consistently outstanding feedback, with 90-96% candidates rating 'excellent' or 'very good'. The programme consists of a wide range of neurology cases likely to be encountered in the exam. Candidates are tutored in small groups ensuring that each has adequate examination practice. The NeuroPACES Course supports our programme of neurological education in LMICs, NeuroACCESS, for which the team were Royal College of Physicians Finalists 2020 and BMA commended 2019. More information about NeuroPaces.
  • Liverpool Neurosurgery Masterclass Series - An annual three-day course held at The Walton Centre, where our world-class faculty informs, challenges, and delves deep into the nuances of core topics such as oncology approaches, clinical anatomy, and pathological correlation. More information about Liverpool Neurosurgery Masterclass Series..
     

Medical electives and observers  

We offer a range of placements for Undergraduate students and Postgraduate doctors. You will be allocated a named supervisor for the duration of your placement and have access to educational experiences as appropriate to your placement. There is no placement fee however there is a standard admin charge of £200 per application (n/a to taster placements). Standard health checks and other risk assessments will be carried out in line with current government advice. 

Tasters 

One to two week taster weeks are available to Foundation doctors seeking experience of Neurology or Neurosurgery.  

Postgraduate observerships and clinical attachments 

Postgraduate doctors are welcome to apply for observer-ships and clinical attachments to gain insight into cutting edge practice taking place at the Trust.  

Undergraduate medical electives 

The Walton Centre offers medical elective placements of up to four weeks in any of the specialties at the Trust. We invite applications from the UK and international students.   

For more information including any fees or charges please email wcf-tr.medical-education@nhs.net  
 

Core Medical Education Team 

  • Director of Medical Education: Dr Rhys Davies 
  • Clinical Sub Dean: Dr Dave Smith  
  • Medical Education Development Manager: Nicky Loftus
  • Medical Education Officer: Yasmin Doswell
  • Medical Education Officer: Donna Brennan

 

Contact us 

wcf-tr.medical-education@nhs.net