Clinical Fellow in Palliative Medicine

Job responsibilities

Job Title: Clinical Fellow in Palliative Medicine

Salary: £43 923 with on call supplement.

Location: Bray Lake, Maidenhead

Hours: 40 hours per week

Reports to: Consultant Team

Responsible for: No direct line reports

JOB DESCRIPTION

The Role Summary

To be a member of a multidisciplinary team providing high quality, holistic care under the supervision

of palliative medicine consultants. It is expected that the post holder will work flexibly alongside

colleagues to provide the best possible service for patients and those close to them.

The post will provide an excellent opportunity to gain experience and skills in a supportive palliative

care setting, for those considering a career in palliative medicine, allied medical specialties or general

practice.

1. To provide a medical service to hospice inpatients

2. Opportunity to work alongside the palliative care response team and gain experience in

community specialist palliative care.

3. Opportunity to provide clinical and educational support to junior medical staff (Foundation

year doctors)

4. To contribute to wider MDT education and opportunity to work with the Medical Education

team to deliver teaching to a wider group of health care professionals.

The Hospice

Thames Hospice is charity providing specialist palliative and end of life care for adults and young

people over 16 years old with advanced life-limiting illnesses, as well as support for their loved ones

and carers. The Hospice serves the diverse population of East Berkshire and South Buckinghamshire,

and has developed excellent links with the local acute trust, Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust.

This is an exciting time for our service following our move to state-of-the-art hospice facilities by Bray

Lake, in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead. The new site allows us to further expand

and improve our inpatient, community, outpatient services and education facilities making our

hospice a hub for specialist palliative care services. We offer outstanding care and support for

patients and families in our inpatient services, outpatient wellbeing services and in their own homes.

March 2024

The clinical services consist of:

28 -bedded inpatient services (currently 20 beds)

Hospice Outpatients Service

Multidisciplinary outpatient clinics

Hospice at Home Team which includes a Rapid Response service

24/7 advice line

Single Point of Access (SPA) for specialist palliative care services in East Berkshire

Patient and Family Support team including counselling, bereavement services and pastoral

care

Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy

Complementary therapy including acupuncture

Lymphoedema service

The charity costs £19 million per year to run, of which approximately 26% is funded by the NHS. We

therefore rely on the support of our local community to fund the remainder of the costs to provide

our care. We have busy and passionate fundraising and retail directorates, with 23 charity shops

throughout the hospice catchment area. We have an incredible army of volunteers (c700) who

support the hospice across all sectors, without whom we could not operate.

The Care Quality Commission rated Thames Hospice as Outstanding after their last inspection in

September 2021.

Key Working Relationships

Chief of Clinical Services (Responsible Officer)

The consultant-led medical team comprising 5 consultants (3.5 WTE), 4 specialty doctors (2.1

WTE), 2 GP VTS doctors and 1 FY2 doctor.

The multi-professional team in the Inpatient Service

The multi-professional team in the Outpatients Service

The multi-professional Hospice at Home Service

The support staff and volunteers across the hospice services

Close working relationship with the hospital Palliative Care Teams of Frimley Health NHS

Foundation Trust and Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust, as well as other hospital-based

clinicians

Primary care colleagues, including GPs, District Nurses and Community Matrons

Disease-specific teams such as the AIR, Heart Failure and neurological teams

Main Responsibilities and Duties

CLINICAL - INPATIENT

1. To share in the provision of holistic medical care, working closely with other members of the

medical and wider multi-professional team. This will include:

contributing to the planning of admissions

clerking in of new patients

review of patients

constructing a management plan, seeking advice appropriately

planning discharges

facilitating advance care planning

March 2024

2. To attend and support daily ward handover meetings, carry out ward patient reviews and to

participate in consultant ward rounds

3. To support and supervise more junior medical staff (FY2) in their day to day practice on the

ward

4. To undertake interventions such as venepuncture, cannulation and catheterisation

5. To be a core member of the multi-disciplinary team (MDT) meetings

6. To support and meet with relatives and carers

7. To liaise with primary and secondary care colleagues, community palliative care nurses and

other community services as appropriate

CLINICAL - OUTPATIENT AND AT HOME

1. Opportunity to review patients attending the multiprofessional or medical outpatient clinic

2. Opportunity to provide medical support to patients at home, in conjunction with the Hospice

at Home team.

3. To share in providing medical advice and support to the 24/7 advice line CNS and Rapid

Response team, along with consultants during normal working hours (out-of-hours support

provided by consultants)

CLINICAL - GENERAL DUTIES

1. To keep accurate, clear and up-to-date medical records

2. To support and engage with the implementation of a new hospice electronic health record

and other electronic palliative care systems

3. To complete discharge summaries for primary care within 24 hours of discharge, and provide

other written communications to relevant teams as required

4. To inform senior medical staff of any clinical or management issues requiring consultant

review or advice

TEACHING

1. To support hospice junior medical staff (FY2) with informal and bedside teaching/training

2. To contribute to the educational programmes provided by the hospice for multidisciplinary

health professionals

3. To support any visiting health professionals (e.g. GP registrars; medical, nursing or paramedic

students) to benefit from their hospice visit or placement

March 2024

EDUCATIONAL / QUALITY IMPROVEMENT

1. To participate in regular team meetings, clinical and audit meetings

2. To contribute to weekly doctors educational sessions

3. To support departmental service improvement projects and audits.

4. To actively identify areas for service improvement and audit

5. To attend and contribute to relevant in-house educational meetings

6. To participate in continuing professional development activity as agreed at appraisal with

your consultant supervisor

OUT OF HOURS (OOH) SERVICE

The on call commitment is non-residential, covering the inpatient unit on a 1st on-call rota

This is currently a 1 in 6 on call rota with prospective cover, involving one weekday night in 5

and one in 5 weekends (Fri pm to Mon am)

OOH work includes inpatient ward reviews and clerking new admissions, and it is expected

that the doctor will be on-site on both Saturdays and Sundays (9am-5pm, or until the jobs are

completed)

Bank holidays are shared amongst the rota participants

This on call work attracts an on-call supplement as per the NHS Specialty Registrar contract,

as well as rostered TOIL (time-off-in-lieu)

The 1st on call doctor is supported by a 2nd on call consultant

PROFESSIONAL SUPPORT AND DEVELOPMENT

It is essential that the candidate participates in annual appraisal, which will allow discussion

of professional development and training needs

Mandatory training must be completed and kept up to date as per the hospice requirements

All medical staff will have regular one-to-one meetings with their line manager

The medical team is supported by a visiting Counsellor who offers individual sessions for

doctors

The hospice runs regular reflective sessions for all staff, and reflective sessions for clinical

staff as needed

The post holder will have opportunity to attend specialist clinics in the local acute hospital

trust

Although this not a training post the post holder will be have opportunity to be trained and

supervised by palliative medicine consultants (accredited clinical supervisor) and

opportunities to enhance their training portfolio.

March 2024

CONDITIONS OF SERVICE

The post holder will have a Thames Hospice contract of employment.

1. The post holder must be fully registered with the General Medical Council

2. The post holder must have adequate and appropriate medical indemnity cover the hospice

will contribute to a proportion of any medical defence/protection costs for the period of

employment

3. The salary will be guided by the NHS junior doctor salary scales

4. The post holder may be able to continue with the NHS superannuation scheme

5. Annual leave entitlement is 6 weeks per year plus bank holidays pro rata

6. Study leave and a study budget is provided

7. Thames Hospice is committed to being an equal opportunities organisation. It is committed

to promoting equal opportunities and preventing discrimination. This policy applies to both

its service delivery and to its own employment practices. You will be willing and able to

demonstrate commitment to Thames Hospice Equal Opportunities Policy

Please note this job description is intended as an outline of the duties of the post other duties may

be required according to the needs of the service. The job description may be subject to agreed

amendment depending on the experience or training needs of the post holder.

Job planning will take place with a member of the Consultant Team at the start of the post, taking

into account both your developmental needs and what the service needs.

Experience

Essential

• Evidence of achievement of foundation competencies from a UKFPO-affiliated foundation programme or equivalent
• Competence in common medical ward based practical procedures
• including venepuncture, cannula insertion, , basic CPR, urethral catheterisation, naso-gastric tube placement
• Evidence of experience in clinical audit

Desirable

• Experience of palliative medicine in various settings (e.g. hospital, community, hospice inpatient)
• Evidence of leading an audit project
• Research experience
• Publication / Conference presentation

Qualifications

Essential

• Have MBBS or equivalent medical qualification
• Be eligible for full registration with, and hold current licence to practice from, the GMC at intended start date
• To be up to date and fit to practice safely

Language and Teaching Skills

Essential

• Demonstrate adequate written and spoken English to enable effective communication about medical topics with patients and colleagues
• Evidence may include: undergraduate medical training undertaken in English; or IELTS results with minimum of 7.0 in each domain, and overall score of at least 7.5 achieved in the last 24 months; or alternative supporting evidence of language skills
• Experience of teaching to various audiences

Desirable

• Experience of supervising junior medical staff

Administrative and Management

Essential

• IT skills (including Microsoft Word / Excel / Powerpoint)
• Ability to work effectively within a multidisciplinary team and recognise when the need for medical leadership arises

Desirable

• Experience of supporting junior medical staff

Employment History

Essential

• Be able to provide complete details of employment history
• Evidence of interest in Palliative Medicine

Desirable

• 4 months + in a palliative medicine placement

Personal Attributes

Essential

• Ability to organise time effectively, create work schedules, prioritise workload and meet deadlines
• Experience of taking responsibility for own actions and know when to seek advice appropriately
• Ability to remain calm under pressure
• Be a skilled communicator, with a commitment to continuous improvement
• Ability to develop effective and supportive relationships with colleagues with a commitment to multidisciplinary working

Desirable

• Advanced Communication Skills training

Special Conditions

Essential

• Ability to reach the hospice within 45 minutes when 1st on call
• Appointment is subject to an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check including Barred Lists
• Post holder immunised for Covid -19, Hepatitis B, MMR, Tuberculosis and Chickenpox

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).