Frimley Park Hospital's paediatrics department has won an award for the Best Training Unit in the Kent, Surrey and Sussex deanery, 2024. 

Trevor Hedges, Frimley Park Hospital paediatric consultant, college tutor and departmental teaching lead, said; “We are thrilled to receive this prestigious award from the KSS Deanery, recognising the excellence of paediatric training at Frimley Park. This award is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our entire department. 

Our mission is to prioritise our role as a training department, ensuring that education and service provision go hand-in-hand. Nominated by paediatric trainees, this award highlights our commitment to training not only our trainees but also non-trainee doctors. 

“The COVID-19 pandemic has transformed training methods, but we have adapted by creating an online archive of departmental teaching sessions from the past five years. We have also established strong connections with regional and tertiary hospitals to enhance our training. 

"We extend our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who has contributed to the teaching and training efforts in our paediatric unit. We are committed to continuously improving the training experience for our team.” 

Some of the comments from the citations that helped them win the award read as: “I had the privilege of having my final rotation as a trainee at Frimley Park Hospital, and I cannot express enough gratitude to the entire team for making this experience truly exceptional. From the moment I arrived, I was met with an environment that fostered outstanding learning opportunities, unwavering support, and an incredible sense of teamwork. 

“The team’s approachability, consistent feedback, and genuine appreciation for each individual’s contributions created a positive and enriching atmosphere that exceeded all my expectations....(and went) above and beyond to ensure my journey has been as smooth as possible, addressing every learning need with care and dedication. I am deeply thankful for the kindness, encouragement, and professionalism I encountered here, and it has been an absolute pleasure and honour to work alongside such an exceptional group of people.” 
 
Another citation read; “I am thoroughly enjoying my job at Frimley! Not only is it a very friendly department with a great relationship between doctors/nurses/ANNPs etc, the consultants are very supportive and approachable. It is also very inclusive with fellows from overseas. Frequently consultants will take the time to teach on ward rounds and there are lots of other teaching opportunities available throughout the week. All of the consultants are grateful for the hard work put in by staff and make this known. There is a great link between neonates and general paeds, meaning staff on either side will often support the other team overnight or during a resuscitation. In general I feel that it is a very supportive and welcoming department which is allowing me to grow as a trainee.”