NES Medical Directorate Awards 2023

Collaborative Education

Winner: Dr Praveen Kumar

Runner Up: Dr. Ishaku Bitrus

 

Dr Praveen Kumar was instrumental in setting delivering Psychological First Aid training for school based teachers and guidance staff to helpful them support Ukrainian children who had been placed in their schools, through the Scottish refugee placement programme. Praveen tailored the programme, led all the training and recruited support from colleagues to help.

 

The evaluation showed enormous appreciation for the training. Praveen pitched the material at the right level without overwhelming staff and the sessions were reported to be very engaging, and professional. Praveen also led a post-training assessment which showed benefits to these profoundly vulnerable child and adolescent refugees.

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

Winner: Dr Snehashish Banik

 

As lead on a portfolio of EDI initiatives across NHS Grampian, Aberdeen University & North region, Sneh conducted a survey of Foundation Doctors that revealed experiences of racism and concerns about speaking out due to fear of reprisals. 

 

In response, Sneh has worked tirelessly and collaboratively with the executive team in NHS Grampian and Aberdeen Medical School with an aim of eradicating racism from the NHS & beyond. 

 

Sneh has led, empowered and supported a very wide range of changes in Grampian, from clinical departments to NHS Grampian Board. He has co-authored the NHSG EDI & Human Rights Policy & helped develop a rapid reporting system for victims of discrimination. His article entitled ‘It’s OK to talk about race’ is published in the NES newsletter in April.  

 

Dr Banik also actively supports  medical students & trainees with protected characteristics through a number of initiatives. He is a confidential contact for medical/dental students & trainees who are willing to speak in confidence about discrimination. He is a regular speaker at the Professional Practice Block for Undergraduates, and is acknowledged as the driving force behind the NHS Grampian pledge to embed principles of anti-discrimination at the heart of their strategic & operational processes. 

Innovation in Training

Winners: Dr Lesley Arends and Dr Isa Ouwehand

Runners Up: Michelle Thornton, Aidan Cahill, Catherine (Karen) Boylan

 

As a Foundation Year 2 doctors in the West of Scotland, they set up a teaching series called the Glasgow Series. This was a series of 20 podcasts featuring inspirational Consultants and General Practitioners nominated by FY 2 doctors. Each podcast includes a description of the interviewee’s training and career path, presentation of a memorable case with learning points and discussion about what a career in their specialty would involve.  It was done as a response to the training challenges facing everyone during COVID-19. 

 

Lesley and Isa arranged the whole project themselves, including recording, editing and publicity.  Lesley and Isa have now gifted the series to NES – it is planned to host the series through the Scotland Deanery website and continue to highlight to all FY 1 and FY 2 trainees.  Informal and formal feedback of this learner-driven teaching resource has been excellent.

Environmental Sustainability

Winners: Dr Rory Gibson, Dr Adelaide Fisher, Dr Siddharth Basetti in NHS Highland

Runner Up: Eleanor Murray and the Renal sustainability team

 

This team developed and delivered an innovative weeklong programme of Climate Awareness education for all NHS Highland staff coinciding with the Scottish Governments National Climate Week 2022. The aim was to address the Climate emergency through medical education. They sourced funding, liaised with third sector organisations, and delivered a considered, wide ranging and thought-provoking programme.  

 

Their programme introduced staff and students to local initiatives to reduce waste, save energy, to develop active travel habits and support, and to aid incorporation of Sustainability into the curriculum. They collaborated with colleagues in NHS Grampian and coordinated talks and teaching sessions to be delivered across the north of Scotland.   Yoga lessons, walks and garden visits were mixed with inhaler discussions, the National Green Theatre project talks and students discussing their involvement in the Planetary Health Report card. It was accessible, inclusive, and highly educational week.  

 

The event enthused junior and senior doctors and medical students to form groups and develop projects addressing different aspects of climate change on the Inverness Raigmore site. Sustainability is now embedded into Quality improvement teaching and training in NHS Highland and many further resources have been developed.

Staff Support

Runner Up: Wendy Cooper

Winners: Ayan Osman, Sam Boyd and Sam Doonan, who are the medical rota team at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, Glasgow

 

They have worked above and beyond to ensure ensuring safe staffing during the COVID pandemic and the current NHS pressures over the last few years. In a very challenging and fast-paced environment, they work tirelessly day-in and day-out to ensure that medical staffing is safe to deal with current pressures. In addition to their day-to-day job, they also organise the departmental induction for all new trainees joining the QEUH campus. 

 

They attend handovers to address any trainee concerns about staffing or unforeseen acute gaps that may impact junior doctors wellbeing and will make plans in place to ensure that cover is sought and provide continency plans. They are actively involved in ensuring that junior doctors have their breaks. They are also very supportive of the Junior Doctors Forum and establish rapport with all trainees by organising rota drop-in sessions for all trainees which happens fortnightly.

 

They are truly the unsung heroes of the General Internal Medicine Management Department due to the tremendous amount of work they are required to do daily.

Scholarship and Research in Medical Education

Runners Up: Dr Scott Oliver and Dr Kathleen Collins

Winner: Dr Joanne Kerins, Acute Medicine trainee, West of Scotland and part time IMT Simulation Research Fellow, Scottish Centre for Simulation and Clinical Human Factors

 

Dr Kerins has developed and led extensive research on the impact of the Internal Medicine Training Simulation. Having entered the field as a research novice, she has produced research that is having a major impact on both the simulation and wider medical education communities. Since 2020, she has published eight manuscripts as first author, and co-authored an additional seven papers. Joanne's work has been published in the most esteemed medical education journals. Her publication output exceeds the expectations of a full-time researcher and is particularly impressive given the intensity of her clinical work over the corresponding pandemic period.

 

In addition to establishing international research collaborations, Joanne has co-led a collaboration between the Scottish Centre for Simulation and NHS Lothian to develop and deliver the monnthly Scottish Simulation Journal Club. These monthly online meetings have brought together a community of practice extending beyond Scotland, to include participants from other areas of the UK, as well as internationally.

Outstanding Role Model

Runners Up: Professor Kim Ah-See, Dr. Laura McGregor

Winner: Professor Alastair McLellan

 

Professor McLellan has held a large number of leadership roles in clinical practice and in medical education. As the longest serving Postgraduate Dean in Scotland, Alastair has always led from the front and has had a major role in developing the Quality agenda across NES. He has also demonstrated sustained strategic thinking in the planning and then delivery of 30 new postgraduate medical curricula, much of which occurred during the pandemic. Although initially based in the West of Scotland, as Lead Dean, he has developed a very close-knit management team across the four regions.

 

Scotland is considered an excellent country to train. This is in no short measure down to the attention to detail, leadership and clarity of thought shown by Alastair in his role.