Consultant - Cardiac Imaging & Management of Structural Heart Disease

Job responsibilities

In relation to this post, Leeds Teaching Hospitals is appointing a full-time consultant Cardiologist with a specialist interest in cardiac imaging and management of structural heart disease including aortic and valve pathology. This is a replacement post following retirement of a colleague.

There are currently 33 consultant cardiologists working part or full-time in Leeds. All consultants are based at the Yorkshire Heart Centre on the Leeds General Infirmary site. There are 4 consultants working in the Valve team and 4 in the Echo Imaging team. The CMR service currently is supported by 9 consultants (3 NHS consultants, 3 academics and 3 visiting). There are 5 consultants working within the inherited cardiac conditions service that also includes the aortopathy service.

The structural heart disease service in LTHT delivers specialist assessment, management and follow up of patients with heart valve disease (HVD) and aortic disease (also called the aortopathy service) for Leeds and West Yorkshire with a catchment area of 2.5-3 million.

The management of aortic disease is an area of national strategic importance, the implementation of which is an NHS E&I priority. Key priority areas include timely diagnosis, treatment, prevention, and genetic screening. The national strategy also is encouraging development of a regional pan-aortic service with collaborative team working between cardiologists, cardiac and vascular surgeons. The Leeds Aortopathy Service leads a regional approach to aortic disease provides integrated coordinated care to patients and relatives with aortic disease including diagnosis, surveillance, referral for surgery, genetic screening, and family assessment. Leeds has a well-established aortopathy service developed by a senior consultant who is due to retire.

The echocardiography department is led by Dr Dominik Schlosshan. The echo department covers 5 sites across the trust with the main sites being located in the LGI and SJUH staffed by over 22 cardiac physiologists. The echo department performs over 15000 transthoracic scans, 2000 stress echos and 500 transoesophageal echos per annum over and offers specialist echo support to the valve clinic, heart failure clinic and inherited cardiac conditions clinic as well as the electrophysiology and endocarditis service. There is also an established interventional transoesophageal service supporting a range of trans-catheter interventions including left atrial appendage occlusion and trans-catheter edge to edge repair.

The cardiac MR (CMR) department in LTHT performs approximately 3000 scans per annum and is led by Prof Sven Plein. There are three dedicated cardiac MRI scanners at the LGI. There are strong academic links with the university of Leeds with a research portfolio of international reputation.

The cardiac CT service is delivered by the Radiology department supported by Cardiology. Approximately 1500 coronary CTs and 600 structural CTs are performed annually.

Leeds is a tertiary cardiac centre and provides one of the largest valve services in the UK. It offers all streams of a heart valve centre of excellence including valve surveillance, assessment of complex valve disease, surgical and trans-catheter treatment of valve disease within a multidisciplinary team. Leeds receives region wide referrals for valve disease management, collaborating with interventional colleagues, Cardiac Surgery and Valve teams.

Cardiology Outpatients are currently held at Leeds General Infirmary, St Jamess University Hospital, Seacroft Hospital and Wharfedale Hospital.

There are active Teaching and Research links with the Leeds School of Medicine and the University of Leeds, both well situated on adjacent sites.

Training, Research, Teaching & Audit

Essential

• Should have completed a recognised training programme in Cardiology.
• Should have completed a subspecialty training in cardiac imaging.
• Should have level 3 accreditation/certification in Cardiac MRI.
• BSE accreditation or equivalent.
• Formal training programme in additional subspecialty.
• Evidence of the ability to carry out medical research.
• Experience in training undergraduate medical students and postgraduate doctors.
• Experience of participation in regular clinical audit.

Desirable

• Level 2 accreditation in cardiac CT
• Previous experience of supervising research by junior staff.
• Previous attendance on Appraisal Techniques and Small Group Teaching Workshops.

Management, Interpersonal Skills & Other Requirements

Essential

• Understanding of current issues in the NHS.
• *Well organised and skilled in good time management.
• *Effective interpersonal skills.
• *Demonstrate ability to relate to and work within a team.
• *Hold full GMC Registration with a license to practice.
• *Entry on the GMC Specialist Register via:
• -CCT (proposed CCT date must be within 6 months of interview) CESR (or) international applicants should comply with the GMC specialty registration process

Desirable

• Attendance at recognised management course.

Qualifications

Essential

• MRCP or equivalent qualification.
• Eligible for full registration with the GMC at time of appointment and hold a current licence to practice.
• YOU MUST STATE YOUR GMC NUMBER ON YOUR APPLICATION FORM.
• Eligibility to work in the UK.
• Is up to date and fit to practise safely.

Desirable

• Relevant higher degree.

Experience

Essential

• Must be able to demonstrate a high level of clinical experience and competence in general cardiology.
• Specifically, must demonstrate higher cardiology training in cardiac imaging. Evidence of continuous career progression consistent with personal circumstances.

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).