About STFS

What is a Foundation School?

Foundation training is a two year programme acting as the bridge between undergraduate medical education and further training to become a general practitioner or specialist. Foundation schools oversee the training of the foundation doctors in that school.

They bring together local medical schools, deaneries, trusts and other organisations involved in training doctors.

Overview of STFS

The South Thames Foundation School was established in 2007 following the merger of the former South East Thames and South West Thames Foundation Schools. It is a collaboration between the KSS and London Postgraduate Deaneries and King’s College, London, St George’s University of London and Brighton and Sussex Medical Schools. KSS Deanery has day-to-day administrative management and strategic overview of the School, covered by a service level agreement with London Deanery.

The school manages all F1 and F2 trainees in NHS trusts in the South London and KSS regions (approximately 1700) and is based in three offices: London Bridge Office, Brighton Office and Tooting Office.

Dr Jan Welch is the Director of the South Thames Foundation School and is based at the London Bridge Office.  Two Associate Directors, Dr Martin Parry, Brighton Office and Dr Mark Cottee, Tooting Office, provide local leadership.  Three Foundation School Managers support the Director/Associate Directors.

Please click here for details of the STFS team.

The UK Foundation Programme Office

The UK Foundation Programme Office provides a central information point for medical schools, foundation schools, foundation trainees and the faculty involved in foundation training.  The aim of the UKFPO is to develop and promote innovative training methods, such as e-learning and the electronic portfolio, as well as to develop and administer the recruitment and programme allocation system throughout England, Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland.

 For more information, please visit http://www.foundationprogramme.nhs.uk.