Trainee Section Hosts Inaugural MDT Outreach Event

On 25th November, CLEFT’s Trainee Section held its first-ever outreach event at The Abbey School in Reading, bringing together over 200 enthusiastic attendees from local schools. The evening showcased the importance of teamwork in healthcare, focusing on the vital role of the multidisciplinary team (MDT) in cleft care.

The event opened with a keynote speech from Trainee Section Chair, Shonnelly Novintan, a former Abbey School student, who emphasised the significance of collaboration in healthcare. Shonnelly discussed how MDTs contribute to sustainable global healthcare solutions, while attendees also watched CLEFT’s impactful Nepal film, highlighting the charity’s work. A lively Q&A session followed, featuring a trainee MDT panel with orthodontist Daniel Stonehouse-Smith, speech and language therapy trainee Izzy Snape, maxillofacial trainee Will Raby-Smith, and doctor Alex Robinson, who shared their experiences and insights into cross-disciplinary teamwork.

The second half of the evening featured interactive workshops led by specialists in medicine, dentistry, speech and language therapy, and psychology. Attendees participated in hands-on activities, such as suturing, dental fillings, and speech assessments, while learning about career pathways and the day-to-day realities of each profession.

The event successfully raised over £300, with generous support from The Abbey School, and inspired several attendees to sign up as CLEFT ambassadors. It was a remarkable example of how the Trainee Section engages and educates others, promoting CLEFT’s mission of sustainable global cleft care.