Leading eye health provider SpaMedica has officially launched its industry-leading training programme as the ‘STEPS’ scheme, formalising the company’s commitment to developing the next generation of ophthalmologists.
STEPS – SpaMedica Training and Education Programme for Surgeons – aims to exceed The Royal College of Ophthalmologists’ training blueprint, creating an unprecedented number of nationwide placements for NHS registrars.
Offering more cataract training placements than any other independent service provider, the company has 19 training sites nationwide, with more locations set to follow.
Dr Alex Silvester, SpaMedica’s Chief Medical Officer, said: “We’re extremely proud of our training provision, which gives registrars the opportunity to treat complex cataracts as well as more routine cases, often managing their own lists within a busy theatre environment.
“As STEPS rolls out further, we’re looking forward to working in partnership with the NHS, with the ultimate aim to raise the bar for excellence in eye care and reach 100 trainees later this year.”
Two of the registrars on placements at SpaMedica hospitals, supervised by the company’s highly-skilled consultants and theatre teams, have now shared their experiences, hailing the training as ‘invaluable’ and ‘confidence boosting’.
‘You really feel like you’re progressing’
Zheng Yang Xu is currently an ST2 NHS Ophthalmology Registrar at Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust, but began an initial training placement with SpaMedica as an ST1 trainee. He is now benefiting from his second placement with the organisation, at the SpaMedica hospital near his Birmingham home.
Yang credits the scheme as integral to his professional development, allowing access to a high number of surgeries with senior consultant support – he has now completed more than 130 cases.
Yang said: “I really look forward to a day of operating at SpaMedica. Knowing you're going to get four to six cases gives you a lot of satisfaction. You really feel like you're progressing because you're achieving those repetitions.
“The team is relaxed, well-organised and safe, which makes it easy to slot in as a trainee. And the patients seem to be very happy with the efficiency of the service they're receiving.”
Addressing preconceptions of independent service providers, Yang commented: “There can be a sense that the independent sector cherry picks easy cases and doesn’t manage their own complications. I was pleasantly surprised to see the continuity of care at SpaMedica and the availability of surgeon follow-ups for patients who may not have had a completely straightforward surgery.
“I would say as an ST1 or an ST2 - or really at any stage of training - if you have the opportunity to train with SpaMedica, you should definitely take it.”
‘A mixed caseload’
Current trainee Dr Jonathan Marler will soon be entering his fifth year of specialty training in ophthalmology; he has worked at University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust since August 2022. Jonathan began his placement at SpaMedica Brighton almost a year ago and is hoping to extend into a second year.
Jonathan said: “It’s been a tremendously positive experience. Within six months of being at SpaMedica, I was operating my own list and I’ve now completed well over 200 surgeries. And my PCR rate is very low, less than 0.01%, which I’m proud of.
“The placement has been invaluable, and it’s challenged the preconceptions I had. I admit, I assumed all the cases I’d be operating on would be straightforward, but the caseload is more mixed than I expected.
“There are usually at least one or two cases on a list where there's something that may be a bit tricky - whether it's a shallow anterior chamber (AC), or the pupil is not particularly well dilated, or the patient is vitrectomised. I’ve put in iris hooks and pupil expanding rings, and operated on very dense cataracts.
“It has given me the biggest jump in confidence, knowing I’m able to tackle more complex cases”.
Commitment to the future
Dr Alex Silvester added: “We’re delighted to help progress the careers of future ophthalmologists like Jonathan and Yang, and it’s wonderful to hear they are gaining so much from their placements.
“We pride ourselves on offering a nurturing environment and we’re looking forward to supporting more trainees, as the STEPS scheme grows.”
NHS deaneries interested in partnering with SpaMedica to provide ophthalmology training, or requiring additional information on STEPS, are encouraged to contact SpaMedica directly.
For further information on SpaMedica’s training provision, visit www.spamedica.co.uk.
