Southern Trust Launches New Development Programme for Doctors

The Southern Trust is launching a new multi-year rotational programme designed to support locally employed doctors and address workforce challenges across its hospitals.

The programme was developed by two doctors employed directly by the Trust, Dr Georgia Moore and Dr Sarah Glover, following feedback from their peers. It offers structured rotational posts, supervised development, portfolio support and clear progression pathways, alongside the security of a multi-year contract, providing an alternative for early-career doctors who are not in a formal national training programme.

Dr Moore, a clinical fellow in general medicine at Daisy Hill Hospital in Newry, explained the pressures that prompted the idea: "Working in medicine is highly rewarding but also quite challenging, with huge demand for limited places, leaving many early-career doctors without structured training posts and creating critical workforce gaps. Those of us who opt for the clinical fellow route, will typically secure a one-year contract which really can limit your chance to establish and develop a career in any one hospital or Trust. Our colleagues are thinking about visas, mortgages, families and long-term plans. They would like the confidence to commit to a job for two to three years not just a few months at a time, with the constant worry of securing their next placement."

Dr Sarah Glover, currently a foundation doctor in the intensive care unit at Craigavon Area Hospital, highlighted the broader benefits for patients: "This programme has been shaped directly by doctors' experiences and priorities. It offers structured rotational posts, protected development time, portfolio support and clear progression pathways alongside the security of a multi-year contract. More importantly, there are real benefits to the service when doctors can build strong knowledge of the local health and social care system, improving patient flow through the hospital and overall patient safety and experience."

The programme is being delivered through the Southern Trust's Academy structure, which supports doctor development across the organisation. Deputy Medical Director for Education and Workforce, Dr Aisling Diamond, said: "A highly skilled workforce is absolutely essential for the delivery of safe and effective health care. With growing demand for services and ongoing workforce challenges across all professions, we want to stabilise and develop staffing across the organisation. We have a really enthusiastic team of locally employed doctors who make an invaluable contribution to our medical workforce. Through this programme, we aim to attract, retain, invest and cultivate this talent to develop long term careers here, ultimately for the greater benefit of our patients."

The programme has already drawn interest from doctors keen to build a career in the area. Dr Haider Khan, who is completing an Internal Medicine Training post in another Trust but lives in Craigavon, said: "The Southern Trust is a great place to live and work, with a manageable cost of living compared to some other areas. It is really tough to get into training posts and when you do, quite demanding to maintain studying and developing a CV in addition to working. The rotational programme for two to three years is a really attractive opportunity for doctors like me to establish a career and contribute to their local community."

The experience of internationally recruited doctors has also informed the programme's development. Dr Abdelazem Elsherbeny joined the Southern Trust through an overseas recruitment exercise in India in 2023 and went on to become a Consultant Urologist at Craigavon Area Hospital. He said: "The very practical support from the medical recruitment team has been crucial in helping international colleagues to settle in. Everything from organising taxis from the airport, providing welcome kits, guiding us to accommodation and around our new surroundings, and navigating all the challenges of living and working in a different country. The support from colleagues and managers in the Southern Trust is fantastic. Having invested so much time and effort to set up a life and establish an overseas career, I do feel that both the doctors and the organisation will really benefit from a longer development programme for these colleagues."

Doctors interested in finding out more about the programme can contact the Trust by emailing Medical.Recruitment@southerntrust.hscni.net