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 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 the north west England with particular association with University of Liverpool as the pre-eminent medical school 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 to be had at The Walton Centre.  

Postgraduate medical education

There is a named Trust education lead for each specialty: 

Medicine  

Surgery 

Trust induction  

The Junior 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 – Megan Long
  • 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 multi-disciplinary 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 Harris/Amy Chapple  

The Walton Centre receives 4th year Medical Students for a 4-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 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 sub specialty within the main specialties of neurology, neurosurgery, neuroanesthetics and intensive care, pain, neuroradiology and neurophysiology. 

 

Educational events and programmes

Regional teaching – Medical Education coordinate 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. 

Junior 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 Trustwide weekly medical education programme taking place each Wednesday lunchtime. Due to COVID-19, this is currently delivered via MS Teams.  

Grand Round is chaired by a Consultant and the programme 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 is a long-running lecture programme drawing prominent speakers in the field of neurosciences from UK and beyond.  

Sutcliffe Kerr Neuroscience Lecture – 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. For more information visit https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/neurosciences-research-unit/education/neuropaces/ 

 

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 

1-2 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.   

 

 

 

Core Medical Education Team 

Director of Medical Education: Dr Rhys Davies 

Clinical Sub Dean: Dr Dave Smith  

Medical Education Development Manager: Liz Doherty  

Medical Education Officer: Megan Long 

Medical Education Officer: Yasmin Harris  

Medical Education Administrator: Amy Chapple  

Contact us 

wcf-tr.medical-education@nhs.net 

Page last updated: 28 December 2023