Updated for 2024 Applicants

The North West Foundation School is one of the largest deaneries in the UK, stretching from Leighton in the south to Barrow-in-Furness in the north and the Isle of Man to the west. It covers the dynamic and vibrant cities of Manchester and Liverpool, and has a large variety of foundation programmes on offer. It is part of Health Education England North West.

The large teaching hospitals are Blackpool Victoria Hospital (provides specialist cardiology and cardiothoracic services), Salford Royal Hospital (specialist dermatology, renal, stroke and rheumatology), Manchester Royal Infirmary (pancreas and renal transplant centre), The Christie Hospital (specialist cancer centre), Aintree University Hospital (major trauma centre) and the Royal Liverpool University Hospital (tropical/infectious diseases centre, renal transplants, vascular surgery, specialist ophthalmology).

The North-West deanery is a varied place to live, with a diverse mix of urban and rural placements – and with good train and road links, getting around is easy.

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Foundation School Statistics

2023 F1 Places: 901
2023 F1 Applicants: 1112
2023 Competition Ratio: 1.23

2022 F1 Places: 826
2022 F1 Applicants: 966
2022 Competition Ratio: 1.17

2021 F1 Places: 786
2021 F1 Applicants: 810
2021 Competition Ratio: 1.03

Below is an interactive bar chart displaying the competition ratios, and the number of posts over the past 5 years.

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How Does North West of England Compare To Other Foundation Schools?

Check out our article "What are the most competitive foundations schools?" for a full breakdown.

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Hospitals, Rotation Scores, CQC Ratings

In the chart below you'll find a list of hospitals attached to the North West of England Foundation School, and an average of their Rotation Scores from Messly’s Training Navigator. Each rotation is given a score out of 100, which is based on a weighted average of ratings given by Foundation Trainees in the 2023 GMC NTS. The national average Rotation Score is 57 for reference.

Colours correspond to the latest CQC rating of that hospital.

Disclaimer: Please note that hospitals are unscored when there are insufficient responses by Foundation Trainees to the GMC’s NTS survey.

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Need Help Ranking Your Foundation Programmes?

Rank your Foundation Programme rotations with confidence with Messly’s Training Navigator. See how rotations are rated by last year’s foundation trainees to make smarter decisions about where you’ll spend your Foundation Training.

You can use it to answer questions like:‍

👉  Which are the best-rated and worst-rated rotations in my Foundation School?
👉  How do the rotations compare for Workload, Learning and Satisfaction?
👉  Which is the best hospital for my favourite specialties?
👉  Within a hospital, which rotations are best-rated?

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A Doctor’s View

“The North-West deanery is a varied place to live, with a diverse mix of urban and rural placements – and with good train and road links, getting around is easy. Having lived happily in the vibrant North-West for 6 years, I wasn’t keen to leave anytime soon. I experienced the lively city of Liverpool as a student; bustling, conveniently compact & dotted with large green parks, it was the ideal location. Up and coming events were always in walking distance, and when needed, the bus network was always extremely reliable. Liverpool was once again ranked ‘the kindest city’ in the UK this year, and it shows; the people really are fantastic and I would highly recommend living here if you’re keen for a wholesome, relaxed & arty experience.

For my FY, I chose to move to the more expansive, sprawling city of Manchester. Living smack bang in the city centre means that I have had the pleasure of experiencing city-life to its fullest, and at a reasonable price the tram will get you everywhere you need to go. Manchester is bursting with live music, amazing food & endless marketplaces. Whether you’re visiting the Northern Quarter for some alternative coffee spots, or heading down to Salford Quays to have dinner by the waterside, Manchester is never lacking in things to see or places to be. The North-West Deanery has been very supportive throughout my time here, and I now plan to settle in the city long-term. Overall I would highly recommend choosing the North-West deanery; as a junior doctor, you really can’t go wrong! ”

Chloe Barnes, Doctor, Foundation Year 1 at Royal Blackburn Hospital

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