Specialist Grade Doctor in Palliative Medicine

Job responsibilities

Clinical: To share responsibility with the senior medical team for the advisory support offered to the hospice community services (including domiciliary visiting, attending and leading multi-disciplinary team meetings and outpatient appointments). To share responsibility and engage with the clinical community engagement work which seeks to achieve fair access to clinical services, which includes an approach based on need rather than diagnosis, with a focus on palliative care in non-cancer conditions. To participate in the senior medical cover for the 24-hr Advice Line. To take part in 1 in 5 second on-call rota, defined as a Category B (medium frequency, low intensity) providing senior cover to the inpatient unit and 24 /7 advice line To provide cross-cover for members of the senior medical team annual, study and short-term sick leave, which may include review of and leading medical management of hospice inpatients to undertake additional duties in exceptional circumstances in the case of emergencies and unforeseen circumstances as necessary for the continuity of patient care. To work at all times within the GMC codes of practice Quality Improvement: to take part in the hospice clinical audit programme coordinated by the Patient Safety and Quality Team, which may include participation in local, network wide and national audit. To be aware of and compliant with clinical and information governance policies, procedures and frameworks and to recognises and report incidents as required To be part of a learning and safety culture, learning from both what we do well and from incidents that have occurred To contribute to the writing of clinical policies and guidelines that are evidence-based and in line with best practice To participate in relevant clinical meetings where governance, service development or improvement may be discussed To engage with hospice research activity if appropriate, within the boundaries of your skills and competence, in liaison with the Medical Director, the Research Nurse and the hospice Research Advisory Group Communication To demonstrate effective communication skills with patients (and their significant others), which includes being able to elicit the key concerns from their perspective, and to handle difficult conversations with empathy and sensitivity To communicate clearly with colleagues, being respectful at all times, even where differences of opinion may exist To maintain patient confidentiality in line with professional guidance To follow hospice policy and procedure in terms of dealing with concerns and complaints from service users Teamwork To champion equality, diversity and inclusion To contribute to a culture that is respectful and supportive, celebrating success and fostering reflection and learning To value the contribution of the multi-professional team in delivering services to patients and carers To act as a role model and ambassador for the medical team and the hospice Personal and Professional development To engage fully with an appropriate framework of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) e.g. the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) CPD diary, which will demonstrate appropriate learning targeted to your needs, and the impact of the learning on yourself, colleagues and the organisation To engage fully with appraisal and revalidation requirements as set out by the GMC and the NHS revalidation team Teaching, Training and Supervision of others To clinically supervise and manage junior medical staff working at the hospice in training and non-training grade roles, and support their orientation To act as clinical or educational supervisor for training grade doctors as needed To contribute to the teaching and supervision of medical students and other professional visitors who may be placed at the hospice To take part in the delivery of external education sessions for other professionals in liaison with the hospice education department Management In liaison with the Medical Director, to take on appropriate areas of management and leadership, which may include a specific medical link role with other departments and services or require attendance at relevant management meetings

Qualifications

Essential

• Maintenance of full registration and licence to practise with the GMC.
• MRCP or MRCGP

Desirable

• Higher academic degree e.g. MD, MSc, PhD
• Additional qualification in Palliative Care
• Qualification in teaching

Experience

Essential

• Recent experience and familiarity of UK healthcare systems and practices (or equivalent).
• Completion of a minimum of 12 years medical work (either continuous or in aggregate since obtaining a primary medical qualification, with a minimum of 6 years working in the field of Palliative Medicine
• Total of 6 months experience of practising medicine in the community
• Can demonstrate achievement of relevant competencies in management of patients with specialist palliative care needs with evidence of appropriate professional development
• Experience of the management of both malignant and non-malignant disease
• Knowledge of contemporary NHS and voluntary sector management issues
• Knowledge of political context within which we operate
• Awareness of core principles and guidelines in relation to research in clinical practice

Desirable

• Clinical experience in the hospice inpatient and community settings

Additional Criteria

Essential

• Appropriate clinical skills and able to work at Specialist Grade level, being able to demonstrate they meet the generic capabilities framework for the Specialist Grade
• Proven teaching ability with experience of large and small group teaching
• Willingness to undertake teaching for medical undergraduates and postgraduates + all grades of nursing staff and AHPs
• Experience and skills in undertaking audit projects and evidence of completed audit.
• Good IT skills, word-processing, presentations and spreadsheets
• Good written and verbal communication skills. Evidence of the ability to communicate with patients, colleagues, staff and hospice supporters at all levels.

Desirable

• Proven track record in research and willingness to undertake further research
• Evidence of relevant publications in peer reviewed journals
• Evidence of some management and leadership skills
• Advanced communication skills training
• Educational or Clinical Supervisor Training

Additional Criteria

Essential

• Ability to lead a team and form effective working relationships with and among team members of all disciplines
• Ability to inspire, motivate and develop junior medical staff
• Ability to work independently as well as part of the Medical Directorate and hospice Senior Medical Team, to balance individual requirements against those of the Senior Medical Team and hospice organisation as a whole
• A passion for palliative care and for the work of the Hospice
• Driving license and own transport
• Good level of self-awareness and strategies to maintain wellbeing
• Aware of limits of own competence and able to identify areas for personal and professional development

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).