A NORTH-East hospital has been recognised as one of the country’s “flagship centres” for training up hundreds of junior doctors to further their careers.

A prestigious award was handed to South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust staff for overseeing 270 junior doctors taking clinical practice exams at the James Cook University Hospital, in Middlesbrough.

The Practical Assessment of Clinical Examination (PACES) enables junior doctors to progress to registrar level, following four years of clinical practice after graduation.

Dr Mahir Hamad, consultant physician and clinical director for acute medicine, said: “Registrars are vital to the running of all NHS trusts, so by providing the opportunity to take this examination in Middlesbrough, we are helping to create the next generation of these vital senior doctors and benefitting the health service across the country.”

Dr Hamad took over the management of the examinations at the North-East site three years ago, however he has now been honoured with a UK PACES Champion Award during its inaugural prize-giving.

Dr Hamad added: “Increasing the number of PACES candidates that take the examination here has been a team effort and we have been providing the examinations at the hospital for 15 years now.

“I will accept this award as recognition for the team as a whole, not just for me as a personal accolade.

“It would not be possible to have achieved this without the input of numerous other consultants and staff from the South Tees Institute for Learning Research and Innovation (LRI), who are responsible for ensuring the exams run smoothly.

“It is very nice for all the consultants involved and the LRI to receive this recognition.”