Welcome to the homepage of Severn Postgraduate Medical Education (PGME) School of Primary Care. The school was formed in April 2007 and is part of the educational arm of South West Strategic Health Authority.
We are responsible for the delivery of General Practice education in the counties of Avon (Bristol, Bath and Weston), Somerset, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire. Our main workload relates to second year foundation placements in primary care, all aspects of GP specialist training, retainer programmes and CPD for established GPs within the school's footprint. This is an exciting time to be involved in medical education and the school is working hard to develop additional expertise in new areas such as NHS appraisal, returner programmes, assessment and quality assurance within the primary care setting.
The Head of School and administrative team are based in our offices at Vantage park, Hambrook, Bristol and are supported by an experienced team of associate GP directors and Patch Managers.
Why train in Severn?
Great cities: Bristol, Bath, Swindon and Gloucester, beautiful countryside like the Cotswolds, the Forest and Dean and the Somerset levels are all that makes Severn a vibrant and attractive place to live and work.
There’s a diverse range of living options from chic city living to cosy countryside cottage. And many of the schools in the area rank as some of the best in the country, which include both state and independent education.
You can easily access the coastal towns of Weston-Super-Mare, Minehead, Burnham-on-Sea and Brean to enjoy beach life and water sports. And if you are lucky you may even be able to get to the beach for evening surf! There are many great local attractions and highlights include the Clifton Suspension Bridge, the Roman Baths, Cheddar Gorge, Glastonbury Tor and Longleat.
The transport links of the M4 and M5 make many places very accessible and the area benefits from a good rail network. We have world class events including the legendary Glastonbury Festival, Cheltenham’s Jump Festival, Bristol Balloon Fiesta, Cheltenham Jazz Festival and Bath Literature Festival.
There are lots of recreational activities with team sports like rugby and hockey, Taunton race course and Cheltenham race course, the nightlife in the major cities and outdoor activities of kayaking and cycling in the Forest of Dean. If culture and arts are your thing then Bristol, Bath, Cheltenham, Frome and Glastonbury have these in abundance.
Whether you would like to live in the countryside or city you will have easy access to the amenities of both and enjoy a great quality of life. Some major brands have Severn as their headquarters including Intel, Yeo Valley, Aardman Animation, Thatcher’s Cider, Airbus, Honda and Lloyds Bank, so you’ll be in great company if you decide to live and work here. You just need to be prepared to get a warm west-country welcome!
On this website you will find the information, links and documents covering most areas of GP education in the Severn area. Every page is updated regularly. If you have further queries please contact us.