Trust Flexible Training Champions
NHS England is committed to providing postgraduate doctors in training doctors who wish to transition to LTFT training the necessary advice and assistance to ensure the process is relatively seamless, while at the same time also supporting those who have already transitioned to LTFT training.
The role of Trust Flexible training Champions have been appointed in each trust across the South West.
These champions will have an overview of all LTFT postgraduate doctors in training within their trust and will be available to advise and assist any postgraduate doctor in training within that trust regardless of grade and specialty on any concerns they have over the LTFT process and the LTFT experience.
It is important that postgraduate doctors in training are aware they will still be responsible for managing the process. They will however have a senior member of the trust onsite in an advisory role who has contact with all stakeholders to enable them to fully complete all aspects of the LTFT process, particularly interaction with Medical Staffing and Finance departments.
Trust |
LTFT Champion |
Biography |
|
Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust |
Appointment to be confirmed | |
| Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust | Ellen Wilkinson | I am an adult psychiatrist based in Cornwall. I have been a Clinical Tutor, an Educational Supervisor an appraiser and a mentor. I was Medical Director at CFT 2006-2019 and have held a number of national roles at The Royal College of Psychiatrists. I currently have a portfolio career: as Chief Clinical Information Officer at CFT, Associate at the Southwest Academic Health Science Network, Responsible Person for Fitness to Practise at Exeter University Medical School. I have two (now adult) children and enjoy travel, yoga, Park running and live music. |
| Devon Partnership NHS Trust | ||
| Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust | Sarah Greef | I am the LTFT Champion for Gloucestershire Health & Care NHS Foundation Trust (formerly 2gether NHS Foundation Trust). I am a General Adult Psychiatry Consultant working 3 days a week. I started working less than full time during my training (from ST5) and have continued this in to work as a consultant. I am pleased to be involved in supporting trainees who are working LTFT. |
| Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | Leena Nathwani | I am a LTFT paediatric consultant working and living in Gloucestershire.
I am passionate about improving support for doctors at all stages of their careers and the importance of achieving a healthy work/life balance. Outside of work I juggle family life and Margot, our miniature schnauzer. On a good week I manage to fit in some yoga, swimming and catching up with friends |
| Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | ||
| Livewell Southwest | ||
| North Bristol NHS Trust | Katie Samuel | |
| North Devon NDDH | Lottie Kindenham |
I am a LTFT ED consultant in North Devon, having been through CESR training. I am both the suppoRRT and the LTFT champion for North Devon, and I cover LEDs (of which we have a large proportion) as well as Doctors in Training. I also mentor consultants returning to work if they are flagged to me. I have 3 kids and first-hand experience of returning from 3 maternity leaves with subjectively bumpy returns to work. I am very keen to support LTFT doctors seeking good work-life balance and rota equity. |
| Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust | Jon Stratton | I have taken on the role of the Less Than Full Time champion which has also been combined with the RCHT SuppoRTT champion; many doctors need support in both areas. I have previously been the Guardian of Safe Working for the Trust for 6 years. During that appointment I have worked closely with the post graduate educational team and have many professional relationships with most areas in the hospital. As such I am well placed to resolve the challenges faced by junior doctors. As a development this year we also have 2 clinical fellows dedicated to your support |
| Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust | Sian Ludman |
I am a consultant Paediatric Allergist at the Royal Devon & Exeter NHS Foundation Trust and half of the LTFT champion role along with Sophie Welchman. I CCT’d in Paediatric Allergy, Immunology and Infectious Diseases and returned to work three times, twice from maternity leave and once from working as a research fellow in Switzerland. I have worked LTFT since 2009 and am the Chair of the LTFT committee for RCPCH. I am looking forward to supporting our junior doctors in this role. I will be covering the medical specialties including Radiology and Psychiatry would love to hear from LTFT doctors at any point. I am happy to answer any questions big or small. I feel very strongly that these roles can be an enormous help. |
| Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust | Sophie Welchman | I am a Consultant Vascular, Endovascular and Renal Access Surgeon. I previously trained in General Surgery so have experience of the training structure in large and small specialties, with varying on-call arrangements. I had my children during my training and I also took a prolonged period out of training to complete a research degree. I decided, at the time of my first return to work, that when I became a trainer I would focus on making improvements to the process of supporting trainees back to the workplace. I remember the challenges of that stage of my life very clearly! The skills and tricks that I learnt at that time have been useful in the ongoing balancing act that is achieving a work-life balance!
I hope that my experience as a trainee and trainer within a craft speciality will be useful to trainees within related disciplines. I aspire to offer a supportive and interested ear to trainees, as well as help guide them in achieving a smooth, safe return to training and a productive and sustainable working pattern. |
| Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust | Abigail Wignberg | I am the Champion of Flexible Training at the Royal United Hospital, Bath. I completed my higher specialist training LTFT and now work LTFT as a Consultant Physician in Acute Frailty since 2022. As well as my Champion role I am Frailty SDEC Lead. I’ve had a varied pathway to my current position, working in the Severn, Trent and Thames Valley Deaneries, combined with a few years in Sydney, Australia. I was in the second cohort of the Royal College of Physicians Chief Registrar Programme which gave me the opportunity to experience balancing clinical and non-clinical roles and the benefits that LTFT working can bring. I am LTFT for childcare reasons but also because I’ve found this is the right balance for me (and allows me time to get to my allotment which I adore). I am a passionate advocate for those wishing to work more flexibly and I hope my role as Champion develops the individual and organisational benefits that LTFT working can bring. |
| Somerset NHS Foundation Trust | Rebecca Pugsley | I am a Consultant Anaesthetist and th the suppoRTT and LTFT champion for Somerset Foundation Trust. Having returned to training 4 times at 60%,80% and full time I have personal experience of the processes with it’s benefits and hurdles to negotiate. I’m keen to help others maximise their opportunities to feel safe, supported and confident coming back to work. Outside of work I have 3 small children and enjoy ceramics, running and veg gardening. |
| Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust | Helen Saxby | I am a Consultant Clinical Oncologist working at Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust. I graduated from the University of Bristol and completed my Clinical Oncology training in the North and South West Thames deaneries. During Oncology training I completed a fellowship in Stereotactic Ablative Body Radiotherapy. I have worked less than full time as a registrar and consultant and am aware of the benefits and challenges flexible working can present. |
| University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust | Jane-Claire Sconce | I am the LTFT Champion at UHBW. I am committed to supporting those already working in a LTFT fashion in all aspects of their work and learning as well as informing those that are considering a change to their working patterns. I work closely with our DME, tutors, suppoRTT champion as well HR and I am easily contactable via my email, Please do get in touch! |
| University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust | Zoe Warwick | I have been a consultant in Sexual Health and HIV at University Hospitals Plymouth since 2008. I took on the role of LTFT/Flexible working and training Champion in Plymouth in August 2022 and have been pleased to see what creativity is being used in Plymouth to support trainees and senior medical staff achieve the work life balance they are looking for. However, we can always find ways to improve, so if there are questions or challenges you face training flexibly, I am here to help, so get in touch. No matter what we chose to do outside of our working lives, whether it be being a present parent, competing in sports or just taking a day for ourselves to walk the dog on the moors, flexible working enables us to be our best at work for our team and patients. I trained flexibly from 2002, to become a parent, to be able to work abroad and have worked both full time and part time as a consultant, currently working an annualised rota. |
| Yeovil District Hospital NHS Foundation Trust | Katie Smith | I am a Consultant Gastroenterologist working in Yeovil District Hospital and enjoy all aspects of my job here. I am a unit tutor for 3rd year Bristol university students, an educational supervisor and have also supported a few trust grade junior doctors en-route to the formal training system.
I have 3 children and spend a lot of my spare time looking after horses and battling an overgrown garden. |