There are a number of available options for additional training in obstetric anaesthesia at Specialist Registrar Year 3,4,5 level and ST 5,6,7 level in Cardiff, which include:
- Advanced level training (6 months), recommended for those trainees interested in undertaking a Lead Clinican role in obstetric anaesthesia as a Consultant or working in a tertiary referral unit with a greater case mix of complex maternal medicine.
- Obstetric Anaesthesia Research Fellow (6-12 months), 50% clinical : 50% research split. Recommended for those trainees interested in undertaking a Lead Clinican role in obstetric anaesthesia as a Consultant or working in a tertiary referral unit as above, but with greater emphasis on obstetric anaesthesia related research during the post.
This post is advertised nationally as off-rotation training to any NTN/VTN holder.
Maternity services in Cardiff reconfigured in July 2005. Approximately 5,500 deliveries are now divided between two low risk Midwifery Led Units at the University Hospital of Wales (UHW) and Llandough Hospital, and the high risk Consultant Led Unit based at UHW.
The day-to-day clinical training available in each post is similar. Plenty of opportunities exist to increase experience in the practical aspects of regional techniques for labour and operative delivery on the Consultant Led Unit at the University Hospital of Wales. In addition, invaluable experience can be gained in the management of mothers with complex maternal disease, who are referred for assessment and delivery from all over South Wales. Obstetric anaesthesia services are over-seen by six Consultant Obstetric Anaesthetists with daily teaching ward rounds and twice-weekly multi-disciplinary case review meetings. Attendance at the weekly high-risk obstetric anaesthesia clinic is encouraged whenever possible.
All trainees will be expected to participate in the teaching and training of junior anaesthetic trainees, midwives and medical students.
Both research and audit opportunities are available to all trainees rotating through the obstetric anaesthesia module. Current research themes are:
- Use of low dose combined spinal epidural technique for CS
- MRI scans to establish the anatomy of the epidural space
- Complex audit on the influence of age, BMI and parity on obstetric outcome
- Metabolic markers of labour
The advanced training post holder would be encouraged to complete at least one major research/audit project and 1-2 smaller projects. Presentation at national or international meetings would be strongly encouraged.
The obstetric anaesthetic research fellow would have a 50% clinical: 50% research based job plan. Therefore, the completion and presentation of at least 2 major projects and 2-3 smaller projects would be encouraged during the post.
