NHS Trust awarded prestigious Associated Teaching Status from University of Leeds
The Trust has been awarded Associated Teaching Status by the Faculty of Medicine and Health at the University of Leeds.
The Trust has been offering placements to students studying at the University for a number of years and the official teaching status recognises the quality of the training placements and the good working relationship with the University.
South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust provides community, mental health and learning disability services to the people of Barnsley, Calderdale, Kirklees and Wakefield as well as some medium secure (forensic) services to the whole of Yorkshire and the Humber.
Dr Nisreen Booya, medical director at the Trust explained, “Professor Cottrell, dean of medicine at the University, approached the Trust with the offer of being designated an Associated Teaching Trust of the University of Leeds and I was thrilled to accept this on behalf of the organisation.
“Our Trust has been working with students from the University for a number of years with very positive student feedback. The medical students highlight the excellent organisation of their placement, the care and attention they receive from the staff and the high quality of training as key factors.
“Being granted this status will allow us to accept more students from the University to work within our services during their second and third years of study, in addition to those in their fourth year. Continuous developments to our educational profile will ensure that the Trust can maintain its reputation as a provider of quality training for future medical professionals.”
Staff at the Trust are also working closely with the medical school to develop the educational materials they use. The Trust aims to raise the profile of mental health and encourage more future doctors to join this speciality.
Dr Booya continued, “This partnership with Leeds University and our efforts as a Trust to provide high quality education and support for the medical professionals of the future, also fits well with our Trust’s continued progress in research and development. A recent poll showed that the Trust has the highest number of national portfolio studies underway in the Yorkshire region and we are the second largest recruiter for patient involvement in studies.”
Professor Cottrell said, “I was delighted to offer the Trust the opportunity to be formally designated as an Associated Teaching Trust with our University in light of its reputation for providing excellent teaching to our students and their engagement with the School of Medicine around research as well as learning and teaching.”