Consultant in Acute & General Medicine

Job description

Job responsibilities

AAU shifts for this post will comprise working part or whole weeks on a frequency of 1:3 weeks (5 out of every 15 days). Shifts 08.00 14.00. The morning of an AAU day is spent conducting a ward round (16-18 patients) on one of the AAU wards. The consultant will supervise the team, teach and perform work-based assessments for the junior doctors.

There are 2 acute medicine wards, each has an acute medical consultant working Mondays to Fridays.

The 2 wards have a minimum staffing of at least 5 healthcare professionals, which consists of a team of IMT/ACCS/SHO equivalent, 1 registrar, FY2 equivalent/clinical fellow and advanced clinical practitioners. They work between 0800-1800.

The Medical Take Period

One acute medicine consultant reviews the medical patient admitted through the medical take, from 14.00 until 20.00 on weekdays. After 20.00, there will be a different general medical consultant on call from home, until 0800 the following day. The general medical consultant reviews patients admitted after 2000.

The Acute Take Team admits 20-30 medical patients over a 24 hour period. It is supported by:

Day 1 medical registrar, 1 SHO, 1 late SHO (from 1400), 1 FY1

Night 1 medical registrar, 1 SHO for the medical take, 1 SHO for ward cover.

At weekends and bank holidays, there is a larger pool of medical consultants who cover the medical take from 08.00 20.00, and then on call from home, from 20.00 to 08.00 the following morning. This is currently a 1:17 rota. The appointee will be expected join the general medical consultants rota.

Time in Lieu

Following a weekend, there is an entitlement to a week off. Working a bank holiday will attract a day in lieu. These arrangements are by local negotiation and will be revised if the national consultant contract is changed.

Ambulatory Emergency Care (AEC)

The appointee will work in the ambulatory care centre (on rota basis) reviewing recent AAU discharges and seeing new patients referred to the service from GPs and ED. Ambulatory care sessions will take place during the 2 weeks when not working an AAU week and the commitment will be between 4-5 DCC for each of these 2 weeks. Ambulatory Emergency Care team will see approximately 30-40 patients per day, with consultant oversight via twice daily board round.

AEC is supported daily by a minimum staffing of at least 5 healthcare professionals, which consists of a team of IMT/ACCS/SHO equivalent, 1 registrar, FY2 equivalent/clinical fellow and advanced clinical practitioners. Their work patterns mirror Emergency Departments activity; 0800-1400, 1000-1800, 1200-2000.

In future, consultants may be required to adjust their job plans, including working out of hours in AEC or work short days at weekends, as part of our Pan London acute medicine commitment to deliver 7 day working. Any changes to our jobs will be discussed at future job plannings to we meet contractual requirements.

Please refer to the attached job description and person specification for full and further details and a sample timetable.

Person Specification

Qualifications/Training

Essential

• Full GMC Registration
• MBBS, MRCP or equivalent
• Entry on Specialist Register in Acute Medicine or General (Internal) Medicine (or entry expected within 6 months from the date of interview)

Desirable

• MSc, PhD
• CCT in Acute Medicine
• Consideration will also be given to applicants with Specialty Training in General (Internal) Medicine who have demonstrated a firm commitment to a career in Acute Medicine

Relevant Experience

Essential

• Ability to organise and prioritise workload effectively.
• Ability to organise research and work within research governance procedures
• Ability to plan strategically and to exercise sound judgements when faced with conflicting pressures.
• Ability to motivate and develop the multi-disciplinary team, balancing departmental and personal objectives

Desirable

• Formal training in educational and clinical supervision of junior Drs

Skills & Abilities

Essential

• Ability to offer expert clinical opinion in a range of problems within speciality.
• Ability to take full and independent responsibility for the care of patients.

Management, resource use and audit

Essential

• Ability to use the evidence base and clinical audit to support decision-making.
• Experience of conducting clinical audit.

Desirable

• Formal training in management and administration
• Guideline and pathway development

Academic Achievements/Research/ Publications

Essential

• Participated in research

Desirable

• Experience in organising educational activities
• Published papers in peer reviewed journals

Other Requirements

Essential

• Excellent communication skills, both oral and written, and an ability to relate to staff and patients.
• Be able to work in a multi-professional and multi-disciplinary framework.
• Knowledge of resource management issues.
• Ability to stay calm under pressure.
• Team Player

Desirable

• Ability to support and motivate staff during periods of pressure
• Previous participation in quality initiatives
• Computer literate

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).

Employer details

Employer name

Whittington Hospital NHS Trust

Address

Whittington Hospital

London

N19 5NF

Employer's website

https://www.whittington.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)