Implementation

The Leadership and Social Medicine programme in the Midlands is a pilot programme as part of Health Education England’s ‘Enhance’ programme. A select number of IMT trainees will be part of the Leadership and Social Medicine programme which will supplement their training.

Initially, a scoping exercise was undertaken by RSM Consulting LLP, looking at stakeholder engagement and potential organisations. This was followed by an extensive literature search looking at immersive community placements worldwide, both in postgraduate and undergraduate medical education. Virtual interviews were then held with key people identified from the literature search to understand more about how they developed their programme, organised the community placements, including choosing community organisations, and any challenges they had faced.

Potential community partners were found, and work is ongoing to secure the best quality community placements for trainees in a variety of fields. Doctors in training will have the opportunity to spend time with the organisations chosen before deciding which organisation they would like to partner with for their community placement. Alongside the immersive community placement, they will have specific teaching on aspects that are rarely taught in IMT, such as social determinants of healthcare and population health. This is led by a public health advisor.

Doctors in training will spend one of their rotations in their local Community Trust, focusing on community healthcare including community clinics, community ward rounds, and working with allied health professionals.

Initially, the programme will be trialled in the East Midlands in Derby and Chesterfield, before expanding to Lincolnshire and Coventry.