Introduction
The Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust Oncology Visiting Professional Programme (VPP) is designed to provide international visiting professionals with the opportunity to experience our highly acclaimed Cancer Centre first hand. The programme offers a unique chance to be fully integrated within a cancer centre which is patient centred, research-driven and clinically-led. The programmes are designed by our clinical leads to provide unique development experiences which enable visiting professionals to enhance their clinical expertise to transfer back to their work place. Participants will have exclusive access to observe and work in our Cancer Centre and gain insight into our Trust and the role that our Cancer Centre and its staff play within the NHS.
Programme aims
The programme is aimed at those who wish to experience one of the UK’s leading cancer centres within Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust.
The aims of the programme include:
- Access to all aspects of oncology at Guy’s and St Thomas’ including chemotherapy, radiology, palliativecare, oncology pharmacy, survivorship, the Richard Dimbleby Laboratory of Cancer Research, outpatients,innovation (trials), acute oncology and more
- Direct experience and exposure to clinics and ward rounds, including the Grand round and Schwartz round
- Participation in multidisciplinary team meetings
- The opportunity to develop networks and close links for future close working relations through peermentorship throughout the programme from a named mentor
- Access to departmental seminar programmes and trust wide programmes (depending on availability)
- Individual weekly timetables will be created depending on each visiting professional’s requirements.
A Certificate of Attendance will be awarded to visitors upon the end of their programme.
Format
The Oncology programme is delivered within Guy’s brand new Cancer Centre and it includes exposure to clinics, inpatient ward rounds, multidisciplinary team meetings, and access to the departmental educational programme depending on the length of programme that visitors’ request.
Visiting professionals will be aligned with supervisors from within the clinical teams who will facilitate agreed learning and development needs. We would expect visiting professionals to be totally integrated in the day to day service within our Cancer Centre and Oncology department.
Visiting professionals on longer placements may also have the opportunity to undertake a speciality research project.
Who can apply
This programme is intended for non-UK consultants, clinicians and AHPs, with an established interest in oncology, as well as nurses with one to two years’ experience.
Visitors have the choice of applying for a practical attachment or observership programme. Those wishing to apply for a practical attachment must have GMC registration. You can apply for GMC registration directly through the main GMC website, alternatively The Royal College of Physicians run a medical training initiative which facilitates GMC registration and provides sponsorship for a Tier 5 visa. You can find out more about their Medical Training Initiative by visiting their website.
Programme duration
We are able to offer visiting professional programmes from four weeks to three months. The programme’s duration can be tailored to the specific learning requirements of those visiting the Trust.
Oncology service
Guy’s Cancer Centre
We are one of the UK’s leading providers of care and treatment for people with cancer.
We are home to some of the best specialists in the country and offer the very latest facilities and pioneering treatments, thanks to our extensive research programmes.
Our new, state-of-the-art Cancer Centre at Guy’s Hospital brings most of our services under one roof, helping us to give our patients seamless care. The Cancer Centre offers a welcoming, uplifting environment, designed with patients at its heart. The centre will treat more patients with cancer – about 6,500 patients per year and will deliver radiotherapy treatments across all of south east London.
Our vision is to provide the very best cancer service to our patients by combining first class clinical care with ground-breaking research and high quality training and development. Over the next five years we will:
- improve outcomes and experience for cancer patients with complex needs in part through earlier diagnosis and the provision of high quality survivorship care
- embed whole person care across the cancer pathway and strive to bring treatment programmes closer to home
- develop and test new biological and cellular therapies in a range of cancers
- transform the delivery of cancer services at our new £160 million integrated cancer centre so patients will receive the right treatment at the right time, delivered within fewer visits and tailored to their needs
Guy’s Cancer Centre aims to:
- increase life expectancy of individuals diagnosed with cancer in south east London and alleviate their suffering
- enhance the experience of patients and carers affected by cancer
- deepen knowledge and understanding of cancer by increasing the quality, quantity and profile of cancer-related research
- develop an internationally recognised pool of talented cancer clinicians, researchers and academics
Our ambitions are to:
- have no unnecessary waiting for patients
- have a single check-in per visit for patient appointments
- have a personalised service from the initial welcome through to any subsequent service
- improve support services with on-site complementary therapies and a patient information centre
- have an accessible service, open six days a week and for longer hours
- have an outstanding and uplifting experience when inside the building
Together we aspire to be not only one of the leading comprehensive cancer centres in the UK but also one of the best in the world. We have ambitious plans to improve our services by working closely together. Our new Cancer Centre, opened in 2016, brings together many of our hospital-based cancer services, innovation and core research activities under one roof.
Professor Arnie Purushotham, Director of King’s Health Partners Cancer Centre
Services
Guy’s Cancer Centre treats many types of cancer, and each is treated in different ways, by our specialist teams with expertise in their field. Types of cancer we treat include:
- Breast
- Colorectal (bowel)
- Geriatric oncology
- Gynaecological
- Head and neck
- Hepatobiliary and pancreas – includes liver, pancreas and neuroendocrine cancers
- Lung
- Neurological (brain)
- Skin
- Oesophago-gastric – includes stomach and oesophageal cancers
- Urological
We also work closely with the palliative care service.
Research leading to new treatments
We’re one of the UK’s biggest and most productive cancer centres linking laboratory research with the way we deliver cancer care.
Our researchers work closely with researchers at other organisations, such as King’s College London, to find better ways to treat cancer. As part of King’s Health Partners, one of the UK’s six Academic Health Science Centres, our patient care is supported by teams of researchers who carry out pioneering studies to help improve the prevention, detection and treatment of a wide variety of cancers.
Recognised for excellence
Our partnership was awarded Comprehensive Cancer Centre status by the Organisation of European Cancer Institutes in 2015 in recognition of our excellence in patient care, research and training.
Once we identify treatments that could work, we need to test them to see if they are safe and effective. Many of our patients for whom treatment has not worked so far are eager to be involved in these clinical trials, so that they can access the latest treatments.
As soon as positive research findings emerge, our healthcare staff can put these new methods into practice, to ensure patients benefit can from the new learning without delay.
Part of nationally funded research centres
We have several nationally funded research centres, including:
- Breakthrough Breast Cancer Research Unit
- Cicely Saunders Institute
- Comprehensive Cancer Image Centre
- Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre
- Institute of Cancer Policy
- NIHR Biomedical Research Centre at Guy’s and St Thomas’
- Richard Dimbleby Laboratory
- St John’s Institute of Dermatology
These networks keep us up to date with the very latest findings in cancer research.
Preparing for the future
We also have a cancer biobank, which collects tissue and blood samples gathered from patients. These are used for research that helps us to understand what causes cancer, which treatment options are likely to be effective, and how to improve patient care.
Innovation Hub at Guy’s Cancer
Our Cancer Centre at Guy’s includes a new Innovation Hub with state-of-the art facilities.
Benefits for our patients
For patients, these two sides of our work – care and research – complete the circle of healthcare. The care we provide draws on the latest research findings, while our facilities also help develop the cancer treatments of tomorrow.
Oncology and haematology research
Our clinical trials team works closely with the oncology and haematology medical teams to recruit patients to our trials and to ensure patients are monitored closely throughout. Please watch the videos below to learn more about our oncology and haematology clinical trials.
We have a large portfolio of phase II and III trials that are split into teams for specific tumour groups. We also have a team dedicated to early phase trials and we run weekly early phase clinics in the clinical research facility. We attract commercial and non-commercial trials, ranging from interventional drug or radiotherapy trials to observational studies.
Clinical trials
Every year, more than 1500 of our cancer patients decide to take part in clinical trials.
Example Timetable
Fees
A course fee per week will be applied; this fee excludes accommodation and travelling expenses. To find out the fee amount please email vpp@gstt.nhs.uk.
Please note
Clinicians are able to offer bursaries or discounted placements on an individual basis. This is at the discretion of the Directorates of GSTT and does not affect the terms and conditions of the Visiting Professional Programme agreements.