Substantive Consultant Paediatrician with an interest in Epilepsy

Job responsibilities

The Epilepsy Service:

The paediatric epilepsy service in the Trust currently includes 2 paediatricians with epilepsy interest in Hinchingbrooke, and three Epilepsy Specialist Nurses (working cross site in PCH and HH).

The local service is supported by the tertiary epilepsy service based in Addenbrookes Hospital in Cambridge and there are eight annual outreach clinics in Peterborough. The local epilepsy service meets the standards to attract the epilepsy best practice tariff and is part of the East of England Paediatric Epilepsy Network (EPEN) which meets on a regular four monthly basis and is a platform for peer review, governance, and continuing professional development. The post-holder will also be supported to develop other interests within their role.

There are approximately 400 paediatric epilepsy patients in Peterborough and 200 in Huntingdon. We run consultant led 2 epilepsy clinics a week seeing new and follow up patients and there is one epilepsy specialist nurse clinic a week. In addition, we have support from one of the Consultants in Hinchingbrooke who does one clinic a month seeing Peterborough patients.

There are 8 Tertiary Outreach Clinics a year supported by the Addenbrookes Hospital Epilepsy and Neurology Service.

Paediatric Department Peterborough

Greater Peterborough has a population of approximately 200,000 people. Peterborough and Stamford Hospitals Foundation Trust also provides a service to the adjacent areas of South Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire, Leicestershire and Rutland and so has a catchment population in excess of 390,000.

Peterborough became a new town in 1969. The population grew rapidly over the next 40 years and is continuing to grow. There is a higher than average population of children in the city. The city has excellent transport links to London, the Midlands and the North of England. There is a wide variety of excellent housing in the area, in urban and rural settings. There is easy access to good schools.

Paediatric Unit (inpatient and outpatient)

The Amazon Ward Children's Unit is a purpose-built 30 bedded ward situated immediately adjacent to the Emergency Centre. Across the corridor are the Rainforest Outpatient Department and the offices of the consultant staff and secretaries. The NICU and Delivery Suite are immediately above on the first floor. Amazon ward benefits from a dedicated 2 bed High Dependency Unit, with state-of-the-art non-invasive ventilation capability, monitoring, and dedicated nursing capacity. There are 12 video-monitored cubicles, 4 of which are equipped with sophisticated positive/negative pressure laminar flow isolation systems. Children requiring intensive care are admitted to the adult intensive care unit under joint care with the anaesthetists prior to transfer although where appropriate, isolation facilities within the NICU may be used.

The Paediatric Assessment Unit is staffed by paediatric nurses is immediately adjacent to the childrens ward. It provides a controlled environment for ambulatory care where children are initially assessed and observed. There is a separate childrens area within the emergency department. This is staffed by paediatric emergency department nurses and the emergency department doctors.

In 2022/23 there were 3360 admissions to the childrens ward, 2339 of which were emergency admissions. There were 2273 high dependency days over the same time period.

Peterborough has a culturally and economically diverse population and this contributes to an extremely varied mix of general paediatric and paediatric neurological conditions.

The Rainforest Paediatric Outpatient Department has 10 clinic rooms, 3 treatment rooms, and a larger space for therapy sessions. There is a full phlebotomy service, and daily nurse led procedures including delivery of transfusions, infusions of antibiotics, skin-prick testing, and endocrine stimulation tests. All outpatient appointments are supported by a team of dedicated nursing staff who obtain the necessary anthropometry data, observations and urine tests. The outpatient facilities are adjacent to the paediatric ward and consultant/secretarial offices. We have over 15000 outpatient attendances a year.

There are tertiary outreach clinics in a number of subspecialty areas including neurology, respiratory/cystic fibrosis, cardiology, endocrinology, paediatric surgery, oncology, rheumatology, nephrology and genetics. In addition, we have excellent in house paediatric orthopaedic services and support from adult services for other specialties including ophthalmology and ENT. Out-Patient clinics are also held at Stamford Hospital.

We have a dedicated Childrens Community Nursing Team which provides treatment and support for children and families. This helps to prevent unnecessary admission and facilitates early discharge.

Neonatal Unit

There are approximately 4800 deliveries a year in Peterborough. The neonatal unit is situated within the Women and Child wing of Peterborough City Hospital. It has 20 cots including 8 configured for Intensive Care/ High Dependency. There is a separate 14 cot transitional care unit adjacent to the neonatal unit where babies requiring IV antibiotics, nasogastric tube feeding, phototherapy etc. are cared for.

The unit is a local neonatal unit (Level 2) and is part of the Eastern Neonatal ODN. Our regional Network Intensive Care Unit (Level 3) is based at Addenbrookes Hospital in Cambridge. We deliver care to neonates 27 weeks gestation and stabilise other neonates prior to transfer to the Level 3 unit.

There are 6 substantive neonatal consultants who share a 1:6 weekly rota during normal working hours. There is 1 Neonatal Registrar and 1 Specialty Doctor on the middle grade rota, 5 ST 1-3 trainee doctors and 3 ANNPs on the first on call rota together with an experienced and dedicated team of neonatal nurses.

Teaching and Research

The department has a major commitment to undergraduate teaching, with 4 students from Cambridge attached for 4 weeks clinical training and two students from Leicester for a 6 week module.

There is an extensive departmental educational programme including joint meetings with obstetric and radiology colleagues

There is an active Postgraduate Medical Centre on site, with a regular programme of educational activities. The library in the Centre holds major paediatric journals. Online medical resources are also available.

The post holder will be expected to take part in the undergraduate and postgraduate teaching programmes and will be encouraged to initiate, supervise and carry out research activities within the department.

Clinical Governance

The post holder will be expected to have a self-critical approach to clinical practice and to participate in the departmental audit programme. He or she will be expected to keep up to date with continuing professional development and in particular, to fulfil the RCPCH requirements for continuing medical education.

Facilities

Suitable office accommodation including computer with internet access and adequate secretarial support will be available.

Education & Qualifications

Essential

• Entry on Specialist Register (or entry expected within 6 months)
• MRCP or MRCPCH or equivalent

Desirable

• Other relevant qualification e.g. MD or MSc.

Clinical Experience

Essential

• Clinical training and experience equivalent to that required for gaining UK CCT in paediatrics
• Level 3 (or equivalent) training in safeguarding and experience of safeguarding work
• Ability to take full and independent responsibility for clinical care of patients
• Up to date APLS and NLS

Desirable

• Experience in developing clinical guidelines
• Sub-speciality interest to complement the needs of the department

Management and Administration Experience

Essential

• Excellent verbal & non verbal communication skills
• Excellent organisational skills
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Ability to work in a multidisciplinary team
• Basic I.T. literacy skills
• Knowledge and experience of Clinical Audit

Teaching Experience

Essential

• Experience of clinical teaching at undergraduate and postgraduate level
• Aptitude and enthusiasm for teaching

Desirable

• Teaching qualification
• APLS/NLS Instructor
• Training the Trainers Course

Research Experience

Essential

• Understanding of research techniques and design
• Ability to apply research outcomes to clinical problems

Desirable

• Published research

Clinical Governance

Essential

• Evidence of participation in audit and clinical governance activities

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).