Meet the team

Meet the team bringing you the new south west bulletin for postgraduate doctors and dentists in training

We’ve worked with colleagues across training and education to bring you this bulletin. Introducing Jane Thurlow and Matthew Boissand-Cooke from the editorial team and this issue's contributors Eng Ong and Pippa Blacklock.   

You can contact members of the team via educationdoctorsintraining.southwest@hee.nhs.uk 

Eng Kwee Ong

Consultant Urologist, Royal Devon University Healthcare and Associate Dean EDI, HEE south west

I am a consultant urologist at the Royal Devon University Healthcare. As a member of Faculty of Surgical Trainers and RCS Academy of Surgical Educators, I am actively involved in education, training and examination. Other than looking after surgical doctors’ day to day training, I am the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (ED&I) Associate Dean at HEE south west. I also represent the royal college of physicians and surgeons of Glasgow at the intercollegiate committee for basic surgical examinations as the director of surgical examinations for the college.  

In my free time, I enjoy travelling, walking and hiking with my partner and our cocker spaniel.

Jane Thurlow

Associate Postgraduate Dean - Professional Education and Development Lead, HEE south west

I trained in anaesthesia in the south west before becoming a consultant anaesthetist at Musgrove Park Hospital, Taunton, Somerset Foundation Trust in 2003. I have worked as a general anaesthetist with a specialist interest in obstetric anaesthesia.   

I have had a keen interest in medical education for most of my medical career. Having initially been undergraduate tutor for medical students, I went on to concentrate on postgraduate medical education and became an assigned educational supervisor to anaesthetic trainees for a number of years before becoming college tutor for anaesthesia. I was appointed as Taunton & Somerset Foundation Trust’s director of postgraduate medical education in 2014, stepping down from this role in 2017 to become associate dean for education and faculty development in Severn Deanery. I then went on to become associate dean for professional education and development as south west lead in 2020.   

As associate dean I lead educational and faculty programmes on behalf of the regional postgraduate dean that support local and national developments and initiatives particularly supporting accreditation and ongoing continuing professional development of education and clinical supervisors alongside educational programmes for postgraduate doctors in training across the south west.  

Being part of this south west training bulletin is important in my role as associate dean as it will help to get information out to doctors and dentists in training of opportunities that are out there for them. 

Outside of work, I have reinvigorated my love for cooking again, with my current passion being making fresh pasta.

Matthew Boissaud- Cooke

Neurosurgery Registrar (ST5) and HEE Leadership Fellow 

I work as a neurosurgery registrar (ST5) at the Derriford Hospital. Alongside my training, I work as the south west HEE Leadership Fellow. I have been fortunate to have had interesting opportunities outside of my clinical training and spent a year working as a National Clinical Policy Lead at Specialised Commissioning (NHS England) in 2018-2019. I’m very keen to promote leadership development and opportunities for postgraduate doctors in training throughout the region.  

Outside of work, apart from spending time raising our 4 month old daughter, I enjoy baking bread, cooking and trying to complete the South West Coast Path in bitesize chunks. 

Pippa Blacklock

Associate Specialist in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University Hospitals Plymouth and Associate Dean QI, HEE south west

I am an associate dean for HEE south west and part of the professional education and development team, which is currently leading on Quality Improvement (QI). Currently, I am focusing on the development and delivery of training courses in QI, ensuring they are accessible for our postgraduate doctors in training and trainers. I am also responsible for updating the HEE south west QI web resources, and the development of a QI training network across the region. I am passionate about the multidisciplinary team being able to participate in and develop the competencies and confidence to use quality improvement methods as part of their daily professional practice 

Clinically, I am an associate specialist in oral and maxillofacial surgery at University Hospitals Plymouth, where I was also previously a Speciality doctor and Associate Specialist (SAS) tutor. I am a human factors trainer who regularly teaches multidisciplinary human factors courses for the trust's staff. I am also an honorary lecturer at the Universities of Plymouth and Bristol, where I teach and train postgraduates and undergraduates. I am a past president of the British Association of Oral Surgeons and sit on the Royal College of Surgeons Speciality Advisory Committee for oral surgery training. 

Outside of work, I love being outdoors and enjoying everything about the West Country. I enjoy canoeing, sailing, wild swimming, and cycling, especially with a cream tea at the end of each trip!