Clinical Fellow in Neurosurgery - Skull Base Fellowship

Job responsibilities

The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust

The Walton Centre (WCFT) is the only dedicated neuroscience trust in the UK, providing a high quality, integrated, multidisciplinary neurosciences service to Merseyside, North Wales, the Isle of Man and parts of Lancashire and Cheshire, covering a population of 3.5 million.

In July 1998, the Trust moved from an old site at the now demolished Walton Hospital to a new purpose-built facility on the University Hospitals Aintree campus at Fazakerley on the northern edge of Liverpool. This building provided new facilities for all wards and departments.

The building was awarded the NHS estates prize for the Best Managed Capital Project in 1998. WCFT achieved foundation trust status in 2009. Since then, a number of estates projects have modernised the building. In 2015, the Trust won two awards at the North West Construction Awards for Project Arizona which developed the new Chavasse Ward for neurology patients, provided a new staff room in theatre and expanded a refurbished Jefferson (day case) ward. In December of the same year The Princess Royal officially opened WCFTs £29m Sid Watkins Building, situated at the rear of the main hospital, which houses a large modernised Complex Rehabilitation Unit, another outpatient department, the Trusts Pain Management Programme and corporate offices.

Activity

There are almost 5000 neurosurgical admissions per annum and 4300 operations. There are now six fully equipped neurosurgical operating theatres following the opening of a new theatre in January 2013.

Outpatient clinics including specialised clinics are held within the Centre; Satellite clinics are held in Chester, Whiston, Wigan, Southport and at Aintree Hospital (skull base).

Neurosurgical Staff

In addition to the consultant staff, there are 10 higher surgical trainees, 7 Clinical Fellows (including this post) and 7 junior trainees (a mixture of CST/Run through and Trust Grade doctors).

Consultants currently in post and their special interests are:

Miss D Bhargava FUNCTIONAL NEUROSURGERY

Mr A Brodbelt GENERAL, NEURO-ONCOLOGY, CHIARI, SYRINGOMYELIA, NEUROVASCULAR, SRS AND SPINAL NEUROSUGERY

Mr N Buxton GENERAL, CHIARI, SYRINGOMYELIA, HYDROCEPHALUS AND SPINAL NEUROSURGERY

Mr N Carleton-Bland GENERAL NEUROSURGERY AND SPINAL SURGERY

Mr D Carter GENERAL NEUROSURGERY AND SPINAL SURGERY (Specialist in Neurosurgery) CLINICAL DIRECTOR

Mr E Chavredakis GENERAL NEUROSURGERY, NEURO-ONCOLOGY, NEUROVASCULAR AND HYDROCEPHALUS

Miss C Gilkes GENERAL, SKULL BASE AND PITUITARY

Professor M Jenkinson NEURO-ONCOLOGY

Mr D Lawson GENERAL NEUROSURGERY AND NEURO-ONCOLOGY

Miss M Lee GENERAL AND COMPLEX SPINAL NEUROSURGERY

Miss C McMahon GENERAL NEUROSURGERY, TRAUMA, HYDROCEPHA AND SPINAL NEUROSURGERY

Mr F Olubajo GENERAL NEUROSURGEON AND CRANIAL

Mr J Osman-Farah GENERAL, EPILEPSY, PAIN AND MOVEMENT DISORDERS

Mr N Rath ORTHOPAEDIC SPINAL SURGERY

Mr Z Sarsam GENERAL AND COMPLEX SPINAL NEUROSURGERY

Mr A Sinha GENERAL AND PITUITARY SURGERY, PAEDITRIC NEUROSURGERY (ALDER HEY)

Mr M Wilby GENERAL AND COMPLEX SPINAL NEUROSURGERY

Mr J Yousaf GENERAL AND SKULL BASE NEUROSURGERY

Mr R Zakaria GENERAL AND NEURO-ONCOLOGY SURGERY (SENIOR LECTURER)

Mr O Sobowale GENERAL AND COMPLEX SPINAL NEUROSURGERY

Mr N Srikandarajan GENERAL AND COMPLEX SPINAL NEUROSURGERY

Mr P Annis ORTHOPAEDIC SURGEON DEFORMITY (LUFT)

Mr R Popa ORTHOPAEDIC SURGEON MINIMALLY INVASIVE SURGERY

Mr M De Matas ORTHOPAEDIC SURGEON

Mr S Thambiraj ORTHOPAEDIC SURGEON

Skull Base Neurosurgery

The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust has a busy skull base service working in collaboration with the ENT, Maxillofacial surgeons and endocrine services at Aintree and the Royal Liverpool University Hospitals. Cases are mainly done at The Walton Centre. Over the course of one year, the fellowship is expected to provide exposure to surgical procedures for approximately 40 pituitary adenomas, 15 vestibular schwannomas, 25 skull base meningiomas and 12-15 extended endoscopic endonasal cases.

The diagnostic process is supported by good quality radiology. MR imaging and spiral CT are available on site, including facilities for MR and CT perfusion imaging, MR spectroscopy and functional MR. A limited PET and SPECT facility is available at the Royal Liverpool.

There are good facilities for undertaking surgical resections including image guidance, endoscopy, operating microscopes, intra-operative ultrasound, and ultrasonic aspirators. An intra-operative neurophysiological monitoring service and a new intra-operative MRI is available. A molecular biology laboratory is available at the Clatterbridge Cancer Centre.

Pituitary patients are seen in the joint pituitary clinics, with endocrinology and there is a joint skull base clinic at Aintree hospital with audiology and ENT support.

There are two clinical neuro-oncologists all based at Clatterbridge Cancer Centre (Dr Shenoy and Dr May), who provide adjuvant treatment for skull base pathologies. The neurooncologists run regular clinics at both Clatterbridge and The Walton Centre and participate in the Skull base and pituitary MDTs.

In addition to conventional radiotherapy, a LINAC based stereotactic radiosurgery service is delivered by collaboration between the neurosurgeons and neuro-oncologists at a satellite radiotherapy unit adjacent to The Walton Centre.

There are two skull base Clinical nurse specialists.

The Post

The neurosurgeons work in teams. The post holder will work with a team of Skull Base surgeons. The post holder will be expected to attend twice monthly Skull Base MDTs and monthly pituitary MDT. The fellow is expected to participate in both the clinical activity of the firm, audit, including the updating of the skull base and pituitary databases, and research.

AM

PM

Monday

CEG list every week

JY List alternate week

CEG list every week

JY list

alternate week

Tuesday

CEG clinic

JY clinic

AJS Cranial reconstruction clinic every 3rdTuesday

Wednesday

Skull base MDT 1st/3rdweek

Pituitary MDT 1st week

AJS JPC 2ndweek

Weekly skull base clinic

Admin/Research

Thursday

Joint lateral Skull Base Theatre every week

AKS theatre alternate week

Joint lateral Skull Base Theatre every week

AKS theatre alternate week

Friday

JY list alternate week

JY list alternate week

The proposed timetable for the post holder is as follows:

On Call

The postholder will take part in the registrar on call for adult (WCFT) neurosurgery. On call for The Walton Centre is a two-tier system with the resident shift based system for the junior registrar and a non resident on call system for the senior tier. On call is compliant with both EWTD and BMA guidelines on junior doctors hours of work. The second-tier senior registrar positions are decided by the consultants based on seniority.

Educational Approval

The 10 Specialist Registrar posts in neurosurgery have been approved for Higher Surgical Training in Neurological Surgery by the Specialist Advisory Committee in Neurological Surgery and Joint Committee on Higher Surgical Training of the Royal College of Surgeons.

Qualifications

Essential

• MBChB or equivalent
• GMC registered
• MRCS (or approved overseas equivalent)

Desirable

• FRCS(SN)
• Higher or other degree
• Awards, distinctions, prizes, scholarships

Research

Desirable

• previous experience
• Publications
• Presentations

Experience

Essential

• Basic surgical training must be completed as required by the Royal Colleges or approved overseas equivalent.
• Year 4 or 5 of neurosurgical training.
• Equivalent overseas training will be considered.

Desirable

• Intercollegiate examination in Neurosurgery.
• Some experience in Skull Base/Vascular neurosurgery

Knowledge/ Clinical & Technical Skills

Essential

• Appropriate to experience with evidence of understanding and the ability to apply it in clinical practice.
• Competent in managing patients including note keeping, and in undertaking surgical procedures.
• Physically able to participate in long neurosurgical procedures
• Evidence of potential to develop.

Desirable

• Some experience in skull base/Vascular neurosurgery

Motivation

Essential

• Commitment to gaining sufficient experience and training to develop a sub-specialist interest in skull base neurosurgery.

Desirable

• Critical enquiring approach to acquisition of knowledge

Audit

Essential

• Understanding of principles

Desirable

• Understanding of principles

Personality

Essential

• Trustworthy, reliable, caring attitude and initiative.
• Cope with pressure.
• Able to take responsibility.
• Good communication.
• Ability to work as part of a team

Desirable

• Outside interests

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

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