Job summary
We are inviting applications for a Consultant Anaesthetist to join our team at West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust.
The interview will be held on Thursday, 4th April 2024.
The successful candidate will be fully engaged in the diverse workload of our anaesthetic department, collaborating across various surgical specialties. This position primarily involves general anaesthesia, with opportunities for subspecialisation based on individual interests and training. The ideal candidate should hold a CCT in Anaesthesia or an equivalent qualification and possess a relevant higher medical qualification. A broad range of experience in both elective and emergency anaesthesia is essential. We actively encourage and support individual interests, including research and quality improvement initiatives, and facilitate ongoing professional development.
This is an exciting time to join our team, with recent renovations to our inpatient theatres and plans for a new hospital development slated for completion by 2030.
Main duties of the job
- Maintenance of the highest clinical standards of anaesthetic practice and continue to contribute and drive quality and safety
- To share with colleagues the responsibility for the delivery of anaesthetic services
- Teaching and training of junior staff, medical students, and the MDT.
- To actively participate in both departmental and Trust matters concerning Clinical Governance
- To have responsibility for ensuring active participation in continuing medical education.
About us
#BeKnown at West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust. By us. By our patients. By our community
We are a busy, friendly, rural NHS Trust providing high-quality care and compassion to more than a quarter of a million people across west Suffolk. We care for, treat and support people in hospital, at home and in various community settings.
The West Suffolk Hospital in Bury St Edmunds provides acute and secondary care services (emergency department, maternity and neonatal services, day surgery unit, eye treatment centre, Macmillan unit and children's ward). It has 500+ beds and is a partner teaching hospital of the University of Cambridge.
Adult and paediatric community services, provided in collaboration with West Suffolk Alliance partners, include a range of nursing, therapy, specialist, and ongoing temporary care and rehabilitation, some at our Newmarket Community Hospital.
We do our utmost to achieve outstanding clinical outcomes for patients and our values of fairness, inclusivity, respect, safety and team work guide how we work and behave as a team.
With nearly 5,000 staff, from all over the world, we strive to make our organisation a great place to work. Whatever your role or ambition, we want to help you be the best you can be.
We promote a diverse and inclusive community where everyones voice counts and you can #BeKnown for whoever you are.
Join us. What will you #BeKnown for?
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please see job description and personal specification attached for full detail.
The Anaesthetic Department at West Suffolk Hospital is staffed with 32 substantive consultants, 8 specialty doctors and a further 28 trust and trainee doctors. There are 2 anaesthesia associates working in theatres, with a further 2 students commencing training in March 2023, and an advanced critical care practitioner, with a further 3 in training based on the critical care unit. All consultants are expected to be able to provide mentoring and support for non-consultant grade doctors and anaesthesia associates. There is a 4-tier resident junior on-call rota allowing the provision of a minimum of two airway trained juniors on site 24 hours a day. Of the airway trained juniors, one is primarily responsible for obstetrics and the other the critical care unit.
Our surgical services include ENT, general surgery including upper GI, colorectal and breast, gynaecology, dental, plastics, orthopaedics (both upper and lower limb), trauma, and urology. We provide a 24 hour a day, 7 days a week consultant led service, providing elective and emergency cover, alongside obstetrics and the critical care unit.
As a training hospital there are trainees rotating through placements whereby they require teaching and supervision to complete their competencies for stage 1 (core or ACCS) or stage 3.1 anaesthesia training. There will be an expectation to participate in training of junior doctors and the MDT.
The successful applicant will be expected to take part in developing services within the department and the wider Trust, and to share the clinical, administrative, and teaching work with the other consultants in the department. Participation in clinical audit and quality improvement is a requirement. Clinical research projects are encouraged.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please see job description and personal specification attached for full detail.
The Anaesthetic Department at West Suffolk Hospital is staffed with 32 substantive consultants, 8 specialty doctors and a further 28 trust and trainee doctors. There are 2 anaesthesia associates working in theatres, with a further 2 students commencing training in March 2023, and an advanced critical care practitioner, with a further 3 in training based on the critical care unit. All consultants are expected to be able to provide mentoring and support for non-consultant grade doctors and anaesthesia associates. There is a 4-tier resident junior on-call rota allowing the provision of a minimum of two airway trained juniors on site 24 hours a day. Of the airway trained juniors, one is primarily responsible for obstetrics and the other the critical care unit.
Our surgical services include ENT, general surgery including upper GI, colorectal and breast, gynaecology, dental, plastics, orthopaedics (both upper and lower limb), trauma, and urology. We provide a 24 hour a day, 7 days a week consultant led service, providing elective and emergency cover, alongside obstetrics and the critical care unit.
As a training hospital there are trainees rotating through placements whereby they require teaching and supervision to complete their competencies for stage 1 (core or ACCS) or stage 3.1 anaesthesia training. There will be an expectation to participate in training of junior doctors and the MDT.
The successful applicant will be expected to take part in developing services within the department and the wider Trust, and to share the clinical, administrative, and teaching work with the other consultants in the department. Participation in clinical audit and quality improvement is a requirement. Clinical research projects are encouraged.
Person Specification
Research and Publications
Essential
- Willingness to practice evidence-based medicine.
- Critical appraisal skills
Desirable
- Research experience, presentations, publications, prizes, and honours
- Experience in development and implementation of guidelines
- Publications in anaesthesia
- Completion of GCP training
Education, Qualifications and Special Training
Essential
- Full GMC registration
- MBChB, FRCA or equivalent
- On Specialist register or CCT in Anaesthesia, within 6 months of date of interview
- Evidence of ongoing commitment to Anaesthesia and smooth career progression
Desirable
Experience
Essential
- Extensive UK experience
- Evidence of ability to make decisions at consultant level and to manage complex clinical problems across a range of surgical specialties to enable job programme to be successfully executed.
- Recent experience of out of hours and nights on call, including management of children over the age of 1 year
Desirable
- Experience of effective teaching of undergraduate and postgraduate students
- Experience of contributing and leading MDT with shared decision making
Management
Essential
- Formal training and experience in management relevant to anaesthesia in the NHS or equivalent training or experience elsewhere, for example Head of Department, or similar lead role
Desirable
- Training and experience in management relevant to Anaesthesia
- Experience of leading services or change
Standards
Essential
- Knowledge of and commitment to the principles of 'Good Medical Practice' guidance from the GMC
- Clear clinical and ethical principles
Desirable
- Membership of any relevant sub-specialist societies
Teaching and training
Essential
- Commitment to high standards of teaching and supervision of training grade staff
- Commitment to ongoing professional development
- Demonstrable ability to teach and train and engage other professionals
Desirable
- Presentation skills for a wide variety of audiences
- Evidence of commitment to postgraduate education e.g. Postgraduate Certificate
- Appraiser / Mentoring experience
Knowledge and skills
Essential
- To be able to work independently at consultant level and perform as a member of a team.
- Depth and breadth of recent experience in Anaesthesia
- Demonstration of a subspecialty interest relevant to this trust in which significant clinical experience gained.
- Ability to mentor staff both medical and associate professions
- All applicants to have demonstrable skills in written and spoken English that are adequate to enable effective communication about medical topics with patients and colleagues which could be demonstrated by the following:- PLAB 2
Desirable
- Understanding of ethical and medico-legal issues including confidentiality, consent, patient choice, data protection and documentation
- Advanced training in paediatric or obstetric anaesthesia
Clinical Governance
Essential
- Understand the essential tenets of clinical governance.
- Lead on QI or audit projects with demonstrated effect on patient outcome.
- A working knowledge of risk assessment and patient safety issues
Person Specification
Research and Publications
Essential
- Willingness to practice evidence-based medicine.
- Critical appraisal skills
Desirable
- Research experience, presentations, publications, prizes, and honours
- Experience in development and implementation of guidelines
- Publications in anaesthesia
- Completion of GCP training
Education, Qualifications and Special Training
Essential
- Full GMC registration
- MBChB, FRCA or equivalent
- On Specialist register or CCT in Anaesthesia, within 6 months of date of interview
- Evidence of ongoing commitment to Anaesthesia and smooth career progression
Desirable
Experience
Essential
- Extensive UK experience
- Evidence of ability to make decisions at consultant level and to manage complex clinical problems across a range of surgical specialties to enable job programme to be successfully executed.
- Recent experience of out of hours and nights on call, including management of children over the age of 1 year
Desirable
- Experience of effective teaching of undergraduate and postgraduate students
- Experience of contributing and leading MDT with shared decision making
Management
Essential
- Formal training and experience in management relevant to anaesthesia in the NHS or equivalent training or experience elsewhere, for example Head of Department, or similar lead role
Desirable
- Training and experience in management relevant to Anaesthesia
- Experience of leading services or change
Standards
Essential
- Knowledge of and commitment to the principles of 'Good Medical Practice' guidance from the GMC
- Clear clinical and ethical principles
Desirable
- Membership of any relevant sub-specialist societies
Teaching and training
Essential
- Commitment to high standards of teaching and supervision of training grade staff
- Commitment to ongoing professional development
- Demonstrable ability to teach and train and engage other professionals
Desirable
- Presentation skills for a wide variety of audiences
- Evidence of commitment to postgraduate education e.g. Postgraduate Certificate
- Appraiser / Mentoring experience
Knowledge and skills
Essential
- To be able to work independently at consultant level and perform as a member of a team.
- Depth and breadth of recent experience in Anaesthesia
- Demonstration of a subspecialty interest relevant to this trust in which significant clinical experience gained.
- Ability to mentor staff both medical and associate professions
- All applicants to have demonstrable skills in written and spoken English that are adequate to enable effective communication about medical topics with patients and colleagues which could be demonstrated by the following:- PLAB 2
Desirable
- Understanding of ethical and medico-legal issues including confidentiality, consent, patient choice, data protection and documentation
- Advanced training in paediatric or obstetric anaesthesia
Clinical Governance
Essential
- Understand the essential tenets of clinical governance.
- Lead on QI or audit projects with demonstrated effect on patient outcome.
- A working knowledge of risk assessment and patient safety issues
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.
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).
Additional information
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).
