Job summary
The role of the Frailty Specialty Doctor / GP Fellowship is highly flexible (210 PAs) and well suited to GPs seeking portfolio development, career transition, or expansion into geriatric medicine while retaining core generalist skills. The post holder will contribute to service development, lead and participate in MDT meetings, support education and training, and engage in family discussions and wider hospital MDTs as required, helping to shape a responsive and patient-centred frailty service.
Main duties of the job
Our Older Persons Assessment and Liaison (OPAL) service represents a forward-thinking approach to managing frailty and complexity in older adults. This new Specialty Doctor role offers a unique opportunity for a CCT GP to:
Bridge the primary-secondary care interface using your generalist skills in a specialist setting
Work flexibly with a minimum commitment of 2 PA (up to 10PA), allowing portfolio career development
Shape a new service and influence care pathways for older persons
Apply comprehensive geriatric assessment principles in a dynamic, supportive environment
Make a real difference to patient outcomes, experience, and system flow
About us
The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust (PAHT) is proud to care for the communities of West Essex, delivering safe, compassionate, and high-quality services. We are part of the Neighbourhood Wave; a national programme thats changing how care is delivered by focusing on prevention, early support, and more joined-up services across health, social care, and the voluntary sector.
This means were working more closely with local partners to bring care closer to home and support people to live healthier, more independent lives.
Were a supportive and inclusive organisation that values its people. We offer development opportunities, flexible working, and a strong focus on wellbeing. As a Disability Confident and equal opportunities employer, we welcome applicants from all backgrounds and experiences.
Join us and help shape the future of care in West Essex.
Job description
Job responsibilities
This is an ideal role for GPs seeking to expand their expertise in geriatric medicine, work in a varied clinical environment, or transition between career stages while maintaining their generalist skills.
The aim of the unit is for early identification of patients attending the Emergency Department (ED) with a frailty score 5 and above (Rockwood) to enable a multi-disciplinary team of frailty specialists (OPAL) to be mobilised that will support the assessment of an individual’s needs, through a frailty specific lens, to identify and co-ordinate the sourcing of additional care needs in the right place and the right time, safely returning individuals back into community-led care plans as quickly as possible.
The post holder has the opportunity to lead multidisciplinary team meetings and contribute to training programmes and service development. Where indicated they participate in and/or lead family meetings and attend relevant multidisciplinary team meetings within the hospital, for example the Nutrition MDT.
Job description
Job responsibilities
This is an ideal role for GPs seeking to expand their expertise in geriatric medicine, work in a varied clinical environment, or transition between career stages while maintaining their generalist skills.
The aim of the unit is for early identification of patients attending the Emergency Department (ED) with a frailty score 5 and above (Rockwood) to enable a multi-disciplinary team of frailty specialists (OPAL) to be mobilised that will support the assessment of an individual’s needs, through a frailty specific lens, to identify and co-ordinate the sourcing of additional care needs in the right place and the right time, safely returning individuals back into community-led care plans as quickly as possible.
The post holder has the opportunity to lead multidisciplinary team meetings and contribute to training programmes and service development. Where indicated they participate in and/or lead family meetings and attend relevant multidisciplinary team meetings within the hospital, for example the Nutrition MDT.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- GMC registration with license to practice
- Training and experience equivalent to that required for UK CCT in General Practice (or within 6 months of CCT/CESR being issued)
- ALS or equivalent
Desirable
- MRCP diploma
- MD, PHD, SCE relevant to geriatric medicine
Experience
Essential
- Evidence of personal practice in areas described by the RCP curriculum in General Practice, Geriatrics and General Medicine
- Experience of guideline appraisals
- Participation in relevant audits
- Experience of literature appraisal and report writing
- Experience of working in multi-specialty teams in hospital
- Evidence of management experience or training
- Experience in teaching at multiple levels and across disciplines
Desirable
- Implementation of evidence based guidelines
- Participation in relevant national audits
- Recent published clinical research in peer reviewed journal
- Peer-reviewed publications
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- GMC registration with license to practice
- Training and experience equivalent to that required for UK CCT in General Practice (or within 6 months of CCT/CESR being issued)
- ALS or equivalent
Desirable
- MRCP diploma
- MD, PHD, SCE relevant to geriatric medicine
Experience
Essential
- Evidence of personal practice in areas described by the RCP curriculum in General Practice, Geriatrics and General Medicine
- Experience of guideline appraisals
- Participation in relevant audits
- Experience of literature appraisal and report writing
- Experience of working in multi-specialty teams in hospital
- Evidence of management experience or training
- Experience in teaching at multiple levels and across disciplines
Desirable
- Implementation of evidence based guidelines
- Participation in relevant national audits
- Recent published clinical research in peer reviewed journal
- Peer-reviewed publications
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.
