Specialist in Geriatric Medicine

Job responsibilities

Please see Job Description and proposed timetable attached.

General information

This is a full-time substantive Specialist appointment (10 PA), though a part time appointment can be offered to suitable candidates. An interest in a geriatric medicine subspecialty will be encouraged.

The appointee will join a team of 6 existing consultants who provide sessions in both the acute hospital and the community. We currently provide

• Care of older hospital inpatients on a 32 bedded ward at West Suffolk Hospital plus suitable patients outlying on surgical wards
• Weekly ward round and MDT of intermediate care beds in Newmarket and Bury St Edmunds
• Review of older in-patients under other specialties
• Outpatient clinics in general geriatric medicine and falls
• Early specialist frailty assessment of patients in ED and the acute admissions unit 5 days a week from 9am until 7pm
• Surgical liaison service
• Weekend post-take ward rounds on a rotational basis (1 in 7)

This post will consist of both acute hospital and community-based sessions.

Sessions at West Suffolk Hospital will include direct care of ward patients, seeing referrals from other specialties and contributing to the weekend geriatric medicine acute take. As we operate a ward based system the appointee will be responsible for a small number of younger patients placed on the ward so confidence in general internal medicine is a requirement for the post.

For the community sessions the appointee will be based in Newmarket Hospital,15 miles to the west of Bury St Edmunds, and will develop a model of working closely with the GP practices, community matron and community therapists to deliver comprehensive geriatric assessment to the local frail older population. Community based sessions will include a weekly MDT meeting and review of patients in intermediate care beds at Newmarket Hospital (32 patients), plus a twice monthly outpatient clinic at Newmarket Hospital or domiciliary assessments as deemed appropriate by the appointee.

The appointee will also be responsible for the supervision and training of assigned junior staff, and will contribute to the teaching of medical students attached to the department and training of nursing staff, physician associate students and allied health professionals within the department.

Timetable

A job plan will be agreed with the Clinical Director in the first instance and approved by the Medical Director on behalf of the Chief Executive.

The following will be incorporated within the job plan (see timetable). Indicative average numbers of patients are included in brackets, however as always medical workload depends on overall hospital activity and will be variable.

• Ward rounds on acute geriatric medicine ward at West Suffolk Hospital (11-20 patients)
• Weekly MDT (1hr) and patient review at Newmarket Hospital (2-4 patients)
• Once a week commitment covering acute frailty assessment unit
• Outpatient clinic at Newmarket Hospital (every 2 weeks, 4 patients)
• Weekly MDT with community matrons (1hr)
• Contribution to ward and departmental teaching programme
• Attendance at departmental management meetings monthly
• Weekend post-take ward rounds on a 1 in 7 basis (8-10 patients)
• 1.5 PAs for supporting professional activities for revalidation such as CPD, audit
• Additional PAs will be given for specific roles such as educational supervision, teaching and leadership as the appointee develops the skills to undertake these.

The initial job plan will be for 10 PA including weekend on call. Weekend work commitments will be offset by week time. However, the trust will be flexible to increase the number of PA by 0,5 to cover weekend hours if the candidate wishes to do so. The job plan will be reviewed after 3 months and will provide an opportunity for discussion of the individuals personal development plan and other subspecialty interest.

Mentoring

The new appointee will be supported and mentored by an existing consultant for the first six months of the post.

Experience

Essential

• 1. Clinical training and experience equivalent to that required for gaining UK CCT in General Medicine
• 2. Experience in management of acute medical inpatients and medical outpatients
• 3. Ability to take full and independent responsibility for clinical care of patients
• 4. At least 10 years General Medicine experience, minimum of 6 years in the Specialty Doctor grade (equivalent years experience in a relevant specialty from other medical grades including from overseas will also be accepted). Foundation and GM experience will equal a minimum of 12 years medical work since obtaining a primary medical qualification.
• 5. To have training and experience in appraisal systems

Desirable

• 1. Five years supervised training in an appropriate SpR training programme or equivalent

Qualifications

Essential

• 1. Full GMC registration
• 2. MRCP or equivalent

Desirable

• 1. MD or PhD or DNB or Equivalent

Knowledge & Skills & Clinical Governance

Essential

• 1. Depth and breadth of experience in acute ward based and out-patient medicine
• 2. 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 one of the following:
• - that applicants have undertaken undergraduate medical training in English; or
• - have the following scores in the academic International English Language Testing System (IELTS)-Overall 7.5. Speaking 7, Listening 7, Reading 7, Writing 7.
• 3. To have a broad understanding of all elements of, and a commitment to the principles of Clinical Governance
• If applicants believe that they have adequate communication skills, but do not fit into one of the examples they need to provide evidence

Management & Audit Training

Essential

• 1. Ability to organise and manage day to day service delivery e.g. out-patient priorities
• 2. Ability to manage and lead strategic developments in service delivery
• 3. Experience of audit management
• 4. Ability and willingness to work within the Trust and NHS performance framework and targets

Special Aptitudes

Essential

• 1. Self-motivated: able to act on own initiative
• 2. Enthusiasm and dynamism to improve, monitor and sustain the highest achievable clinical standards
• 3. To possess an enquiring mind, generally challenging the status quo to ensure clinically effective evidence-based best practice
• 4. To teach and train all human resources from a wide spectrum of skills, background, abilities and experience

Desirable

• 1. Capacity to accept full responsibility to lead a clinical team

Personal Skills & Qualities

Essential

• 1. Good personal interactive communications skills: clarity of expression and purpose
• 2. The ability to work as a team member
• 3. Acceptance of management and administrative duties by working within a structured hospital team for the greater good
• 4. Enquiring, critical approach to work
• 5. Caring attitude to patients
• 6. Ability to communicate effectively with patients, relatives, GPs, nurses and other agencies
• 7. Commitment to Continuing Medical Education and the requirements of Clinical Governance

Desirable

• Has own/current driving licence

Teaching, Training Research & Publications

Essential

• 1. Experience of supervising FY1s, FY2s StRs and SpRs
• 2. Ability to teach clinical skills
• 3. Ability to apply research outcomes to clinical problems

Desirable

• 1. Experience of teaching basic clinical skills to undergraduates
• 2. Experience of teaching other professional groups
• 3. Ability to supervise postgraduate research
• 4. Experience of conducting research projects
• 5. Publications in peer reviewed journals

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).