We wish you a warm welcome back after the long and hot summer and hope you are feeling refreshed and recharged. The sad passing of Queen Elizabeth II last week has certainly made an impact on our lives as we return to school and work after the holidays. We will all feel a deep loss by the news.
September is often a time for renewal and reflection – and here at Kent ENT Partnership we are no exception.
We are pleased to report that our clinic capacity has increased again. Robert Hone continues to be very busy at One Ashford Hospital and now offers weekly clinics at KIMS Hospital Maidstone. Ali Al-lami now often has two clinics a week at KIMS and a regular fortnightly operating list. His paediatric clinics at Spencer Private Hospital in Ashford start at the end of September. He is also working closely with the manager at Sevenoaks Medical Centre and hopes to announce the start of his ENT service there soon.
We often report on the extensive educational training that we undertake and provide. We are fully committed to furthering our skills and education on a regular basis; this is both as students ourselves but also as educational supervisors in our capacity as teachers. Mr Hone has received Certificates of Commendation as Educational Supervisor of the Year and for Consultant Teacher/Trainer of the year. To reflect this valued commitment to education, East Kent University Hospitals NHS Trust has been voted as the 2nd best training centre for ENT in the country, with Kent, Surrey and Sussex coming top as a training region.
Robert Hone and Ali Al-lami recently attended the surgical training committee that discusses regional training and the overall national offering. This reported large staff shortages, predicted to worsen due to the under-training of new consultants. However, there is going to be an increase in trainees in Kent, Surrey and Sussex, and in Ashford particularly, we are expecting at least one more trainee.
Ali Al-lami has been busy teaching A&E doctors and has completed the second robotic surgery component for Kent & Medway Medical School. He is also pleased to report that he has been appointed the robotic surgery Quality Improvement Project Supervisor for King’s Medical School students for the second year running in 2023. He has recently successfully organised the Rhinology Registrars teaching day, helping to keep him up to date with the latest guidelines on the management of chronic rhinosinusitis amongst other nose and sinus related problems.
Ali Al-lami performed his first Eustachian Tube Balloon Dilation procedure at KIMS Hospital recently. He reports good satisfaction and outcomes from patients who have undergone this procedure under his care both under the NHS and privately.
We look forward to seeing you soon.
Picture captions: Ali Al-lami performing Eustachian Tube Balloon Dilation Picture caption; Robert Hone with his Certificates of Commendation