Specialised Foundation Programme in the North West of England

***IMPORTANT***

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The North West of England Foundation School wants to ensure that applicants have access to the most up to date and accurate information. Any queries directed to the school for which the answer can be found on this website or in the UKFPO Applicants Handbook  may not be prioritised. In the first instance we strongly recommend all applicants to thoroughly review the guidance.

 

Welcome to the 2027 – 2029 application process for Specialised Foundation Programmes (SFPs) at the North West of England Foundation School

 

SFPs are an opportunity for doctors to develop their research and/or teaching skills and/or medical and management capabilities.  There is great variety between specialised programmes with some focusing on more traditional pathways while others focus on quality improvement and even health informatics.

 

All programmes have one common purpose and SFPs are designed to ensure that all trainees achieve the core competencies of foundation training whilst simultaneously supporting the development of key skills in other areas of medicine. 

 

 

Applying for a Specialised Foundation Programme

Applications for SFPs can only be made via the national Foundation Programme website and the recruitment portal, Oriel.  The application window is the same as the application window for FP. Applicants are advised to follow the guidance published by the UKFPO for further information on how to preference these programmes.

 

 

Specialised Foundation Programmes Available to 2027-29 Applicants

Where to find additional information on our SFP trusts/programmes

 

If you would like to know more about the tracks, specialised foundation programmes and supervisors on offer at individual trusts then please use the links and contact details provided below. We recommend that you read the additional programme information contained within the highlighted links first before you contact the academic leads with any queries. If visitors notice any programme information that appears out of date, we advise applicants to contact the SFP trust directly for an updated set of guidance.

 

Alder Hey 

Academic Lead: Dr Melissa Gladstone

 

Bolton

Please click the following links to access additional information about the academic opportunities at Bolton : Education / Leadership

Academic Lead: Dr Natalie Walker

 

East Lancashire

Please click here to access additional information about the academic opportunities at East Lancashire.

Academic Lead: Dr Thanos Konstantinidis

 

Lancashire Teaching Hospitals

Please click here to access additional information about the academic opportunities at Lancashire Teaching Hospitals. Meet the team here.

 

Academic Lead:  Dr Aashih Vyas

 

Liverpool University

Aintree University Hospital Site & Royal Liverpool Hospital Site

Please click here to access additional information about the academic opportunities. 

Academic Lead: Dr Cecilia Jukka

 

Manchester University

Please click here to access additional information about the academic opportunities at Manchester University FT

Academic Lead: Dr Easwari Kothandaraman

 

Morecambe Bay

Please click here to access additional information about the academic opportunities at Morecambe Bay.

Academic Lead and honorary senior lecturer in Manchester & honorary clinical lecturer in Lancaster: Dr Marwan Bukhari

 

NCA - Bury, Rochdale and Oldham / Salford Care Organisation

Please click here to access additional information about the academic opportunities at NCA.

Academic Lead : Dr Peter Kilgour

 

 

If applicants are having difficulty contacting an academic lead we advise that they contact the relevant Postgraduate Administrator / Foundation Administrator with any queries - click here. 

 

 

Integrated Clinical Academic Training (ICAT) 

 

The aim of the The Integrated Clinical Academic Training programme is to facilitate and support the academic development of both undergraduate and postgraduate clinical trainees who are interested in following a clinical academic career path.

 Liverpool ICAT Overview

The Liverpool ICAT is a part of the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences at the University of Liverpool. The governance of ICAT is through the Executive Group and the Board, both of which has representations from the University Research and Teaching Institutes, HENW, NHS Trusts and also includes academic trainee members. The nominated ICAT academic lead and local SFP lead for Foundation Years is Professor Paul May, Director of Clinical Academic Development at the University of Liverpool.  The local lead for Aintree University Hospitals NHS Trust is Dr Nicola Goodson, Senior Lecturer in Rheumatology. Liverpool ICAT website address www.liv.ac.uk/icat

Manchester ICAT overview
The Manchester Academic Health Science Centre (MAHSC) hosts the Manchester Integrated Clinical Academic Training (ICAT) programme. The aim of the ICAT programme is to facilitate and support the academic development of both undergraduate and postgraduate clinical trainees who aspire to follow a clinical academic career path. All aspects of the ICAT programme are overseen by the ICAT Operations Group.
 

To achieve this aim, the ICAT programme is managed as a partnership between The University of Manchester and NHS England - North West and in close liaison with the NIHR Trainees Coordinating Centre (NIHR TCC), which oversees ‘Integrated Academic Training’ nationally and is responsible for the allocation of funding to support programmes.

Specialised Foundation doctors in the North West benefit from this integrated and coordinated approach to academic training via:

Access to research supervisor’s research within world-class facilities that cover the full healthcare continuum

Attendance at dedicated Manchester ICAT training and networking days held in the University

Access to a University-based academic teaching programme designed and delivered by the Faculty of Medical and Human Sciences training team. Individual SFP programmes across the Manchester hospital sites (MRI, SRFT, Wythenshawe) also offer their own bespoke teaching and support schedules that utilise local clinical researchers and dedicated Clinical Research Facilities.

Further information can be found on the Manchester ICAT website: http://www.mhs.manchester.ac.uk/icat/

 

ICAT Contacts

 

Professor Paul May (Director of Clinical Academic Development - University of Liverpool ICAT)

 

Professor Calum Semple (Deputy Director - University of Liverpool ICAT)

 

Dr Cecilia Jukka (Liverpool University Hospitals, ICAT SFP Lead)

 

Debbie Sweeney (University of Liverpool ICAT Project Officer)

 

Laura Skinkis (University of Manchester ICAT SFP Lead)

 

UoM ICAT Programme Enquiries

 

UoM ICAT Website

 

Edge Hill University - ICAT Website

 

Dr Amy Gadoud (Lancaster University - ICAT Lead)

 

Beth Whittaker (Lancaster University - ICAT Officer)

 

Lancaster University ICAT Website