St Helen’s & Knowsley

When you have been successful in your application to come to the St Helens & Knowsley Scheme you will be contacted by Dr Peter Johnson, the Training Programme Director for that area. He will ask you to name your ideal 4 hospital posts to enhance your GP training. You may consider your previous experience when describing this – more weight would be attached to post-foundation experience.

Dr Johnson will then try as much as possible, with the hospital posts available to him, to match your request. If there are not enough posts available in a particular speciality then priority will be given to the person with the higher recruitment score. We do our best when matching preferences.

You may be eligible for accreditation of transferable competencies. To qualify, you must be transferring into general practice from one of the RCGP Approved Speciality Training Programmes

If you intend to apply for less than full time training, you would need to apply formally using the HENW website.

Innovative Training Posts (ITPs) are an option offering exposure to and experience in other environments whilst continuing to work in General Practice. Fifty percent of the working week is in General Practice and the rest in the ITP. Out of hours (OOH) and formal assessments will continue during these posts. In St Helens and Knowsley we have the following ITP Posts available: Palliative Care – Based at Willowbrook Hospice and Elderly Care – Based at Sherdley Medical Centre

St Helens and Knowsley Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

St Helens and Knowsley Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust provides a full range of acute healthcare services across two sites, at Whiston and St Helens hospitals, including inpatient, outpatient, maternity and emergency services. The Mersey Regional Burns and Plastic Surgery Unit is also located at Whiston Hospital, providing treatment for over 4 million people across the North West, North Wales and the Isle of Man.

With a workforce of over 7,000, dedicated to providing the best possible care, staff are guided by the Trust’s vision to provide ‘5 star patient care’, striving to meet the best standards of professional care whilst being sensitive and responsive to the needs of individual patients.

The trust’s latest achievements include:

• Best Patient Experience in the NHS (CHKS Top Hospitals Awards 2015)
• Best in the NHS in the Patient Led Assessment of the Care Environment (PLACE 2014 and 2015)
• Cancer services rated 4th best in the country by Macmillan Cancer Support 2014
• Ranked one of the highest in the country for extremely positive feedback received from patients (Friends and Family Test, NHS England)
• Ranked highest in Cheshire and Merseyside for staff recommending the hospitals for the care of their friends and relatives (Staff Friends and Family Test, NHS England)
• Ranked in the top 100 places to work in the NHS (NHS Employers and Health Service Journal 2014 and 2015)
• Top in the North West and 7th nationally for staff recommending the Trust as a place to work (Staff Friends and Family Test, NHS England 2014

St Helen’s Training Practices

Four Acre Health Centre

Central Surgery

Garswood Surgery

Haydock Medical Centre

Dr James and partners

Mill Street Practice

Rainbow Medical Centre

The Spinney Medical Centre

Dinas Lane Medical Centre

Manor Farm PCRC

Newton Medical Centre

Prescot Medical Centre

Southdene PCRC

Stockbridge Village Health Centre

Wingate Medical Centre

Sherdeley Medical Centre

Camberley Medical Centre

St Helen’s

St Helen’s is Located midway between Liverpool and Manchester, St Helens is a good base from which to explore the whole of the North West and beyond.

The biggest St Helens attraction in every sense is Dream – the iconic 20-metre high internationally significant artwork by artist Jaume Plensa, situated on top of Sutton Manor overlooking the M62.

Sports enthusiasts can experience the excitement of premier year-round horseracing at Haydock Park Racecourse or enjoy action-packed rugby.

Located 11 miles to the east of Liverpool and 23 miles from the centre of Manchester and, having been significantly regenerated in the last 30 years, is now one of the finest towns in the North West. With its mix of glorious countryside, vibrant town centre culture and entertainment, first class sport and a year-round calendar of speciality events, St. Helens has something for everyone.

The town has direct access to the M6 and M62 motorways. Furthermore, a recent Virgin Money survey identified St. Helens as the most car friendly conurbation in the whole region – a significant accolade.

St Helens is also served by two main railway lines with excellent connections to neighbouring towns and further afield. In addition, Manchester Airport is equally accessible.

St Helens was created in the early 19th century and was at the forefront of the Industrial Revolution. Due to the availability of sand and coal, the glass industry became an integral part of the local community. To this day, the large Pilkington plant is a still a major employer in the town.

It is also known for having one of the most splendid railway station façades in England.

But St Helens has its sights very much on the future. Victoria Square, the location of the imposing Victorian Town Hall, has been pedestrianised and the Theatre Royal has undergone renovation with the inclusion of a glass exterior. The St Helens Canal has been cleaned up, now attracting a plethora of wildlife.The St Helens Transport Museum, opened originally in 1980, has also been redeveloped.

The town of St Helens is a popular shopping centre – with three indoor malls and a great selection of retail stores. Over the last ten years, the town has really become known for its nightlife, with new bars and quality restaurants opening up, attracting people from far and wide.

For sports fans, the town is famous for being home to one the most successful Rugby League sides in the country, the Saints, and there is also top class horse racing at nearby Haydock Park.

In terms of places to visit, St Helens’ biggest attraction – literally – is Dream, the iconic 20-metre high internationally significant artwork by artist Jaume Plensa, situated on top of Sutton Manor, overlooking the M62.

Delve into the borough’s unique heritage at the multi-award winning attraction, The World of Glass, or visit the fascinating North West Museum of Road Transport with its extensive collection of vintage road vehicles.

Those looking for a more cultural experience can take in a performance at the Theatre Royal or visit the Citadel Arts Centre, voted by the Independent as one of the UK’s top 10 jazz and blues venues.

Knowsley

Knowsley offers visitors a unique experience, from wildflowers to wildebeests. Easily reached from Liverpool city centre by train or by car along the M57, the borough is home to award-winning, spectacular attractions.

Spend a day at Knowsley Safari Park; where else in Liverpool city region can you spend a day with lions and tigers or watch a sea lion show? You can also go wild on the world’s biggest urban high ropes adventure course.

Knowsley is superbly connected to the north west motorway network, easily reached from Liverpool city centre by train or by car along the M57. A place full of opportunity, the borough has a population of around 140,000 and is within easy access of a wide variety of work, entertainment, leisure, shopping and cultural opportunities.

With two thirds of the area being green space, Knowsley has its share of award-winning parks which has helped create an attractive, safe and clean environment in which to live and work.

Home to the famous Knowsley Hall and Safari Park, the town has a proud industrial and manufacturing heritage and is a well-established home for internationally successful businesses and big brand names like Jaguar Land Rover, Matalan and QVC.

With access to good schools and job opportunities and with a variety of shopping and leisure facilities, it really is a place that people can call ‘home’. Knowsley’s neighbourhoods offer a warm welcome to new residents and there is a great sense of community, with plenty of year-round activities and events in which to become immersed.

The Safari Park is a major attraction in the area. It’s certainly the only place in the Liverpool city region where can you spend a day with lions and tigers. If you have a head for heights, why not try the world’s biggest urban high ropes adventure course.

Animals of a tamer nature can be found at nearby Acorn Farm, which also boasts two children’s play areas, a sensory garden and a woodland walk.

Alternatively, Knowsley provides challenging off-road driving days at LandRover Experience, a purpose-built course where you can be put through your paces under the guidance of one of the centre’s experts.

If peace and tranquillity are your preferences, then Knowsley’s parks and open spaces are a must and The National Wildflower Centre is the perfect place to reconnect with nature.

Being on the doorstep of Liverpool and Manchester, Knowsley also offers up an alluring selection of lifestyle choices. From a day shopping in city centre boutiques or department stores, to an evening at the theatre; from dinner at a top quality restaurant to a visit to one of the many museums and galleries in the area; or how about a day trip to the North West’s wonderful coastline – the choice is endless. Added to this, there’s the opportunity to watch Premiership football, championship golf or a day at the races – all within easy travelling distance.