Job responsibilities
The post comprises a 4 PA clinical role, 9am-5pm on two days each week. There is some flexibility in the exact days / distribution of hours. The post supports the development and delivery of the Enhanced Supportive Care service. This involves working alongside specialist palliative care and designated cancer site specific nurse specialists, upskilling them in palliative care and supporting and enabling their delivery of palliative care together with providing palliative medicine clinical guidance and patient reviews (Face to face / video / telephone / domiciliary visits). ESC is an expanding service and utilisation of screening tools and collection of key data are required. The service is supported by a specific multidisciplinary team and close liaison with this team and with the members of the oncology department to whom the patients are known will be essential.
The ESC service exists within the Specialist Palliative Care Team which provides a multidisciplinary approach to patient care and the doctor will work alongside the Palliative Medicine Consultants/Speciality Doctors, Lead Nurse and Band 7/6 Clinical Nurse Specialists and Specialist Psychologist. Consultant support will be available at all times.
The team provides substantial amounts of education, governance and service development work and the appointee will be expected to contribute to this as appropriate to their interests, skills and experience and as agreed with the Palliative Medicine Consultants.
The appointee will be required to work with the Palliative Care Team at either hospital site and well as in the community and may also be required to work on the hospital wards. They may also be required to work remotely e.g. from home and will be supported with respect to the technology needed to enable them to do this.
Education, training and development
Day to day clinical supervision of the appointee will be provided by the GHNHSFT consultants and s/he will report to the Cheltenham General Hospital and the Community Consultants in Palliative Medicine. It is recognised that the appointee is likely to require upskilling and this developmental support will be provided by the team and overseen by the palliative medicine consultants
The appointee will be encouraged to take advantage of the educational opportunities provided for the team both in-house and by the Trust. An induction, development plan and regular reviews will be provided.
Integral to the responsibilities of all Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust posts are the following objectives:
- to ensure the delivery of a high quality patient-centred clinical service
- to provide effective leadership to all staff engaged in that same task
- to sustain and develop teaching and research wherever appropriate
- to work in accordance with our trusts procedures and operating policies
- to support the business plans and development strategies formulated for the specialty, the Division and our Trust
- to work within the framework of team decisions
- to take a whole systems approach to working with the wider health community both NHS and social services
- to show initiative, enthusiasm and flexibility
Important information for candidates
If successful, you will have access to vulnerable adults and may have access to children under the provision of Joint Circular No HC(88) 9 HOC8/88 WHC (88) 10. Criminal Records clearance is a job requirement. Therefore, applicants are advised that the appointment will be subject to disclosure of any convictions, bind-over orders or cautions. Attention is also drawn to the provisions of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) (Amendment) Order 1986, which allows convictions that are spent to be disclosed for this purpose by the police and to be taken into account in deciding whether to engage an applicant.
Candidates are asked to note that canvassing of any member of the Advisory Appointment Committee or Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Board will disqualify them from appointment. This should not deter candidates from approaching any person for further information about this post.
Contract Appointment will be offered on a Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust contract. General Terms and Conditions of Service are contained in the Terms and Conditions, Consultants (England) 2003. Copies of this are available on-line on the Department of Health website or from the Human Resources Department. Any locally agreed terms, conditions, policies and procedures applicable to this post are available from the Human Resources Department or through the LNC or Human Resources intranet sites.
Relocation The appointee will be required to live within a reasonable travelling distance (normally 10 miles) of the Base Hospital. Reasonable traveling distance will be determined by the Specialty Director. Candidates will be eligible to claim relocation expenses under the terms of the Trust policy.
Example Job Plan
Programmed activity
Number
Direct clinical care (including unpredictable on-call)
3.6
Supporting professional activities
0.4
TOTAL PROGRAMMED ACTIVITIES
4
Day
Location
Activity
PAs
Day 1 am
CGH
Clinical work
DCC 1
Day 1 pm
CGH
Clinical work
DCC 1
Day 2 am
CGH
Clinical Work
DCC 1
Day 2 pm
CGH
Grand Round / Audit / education / CPD
Team meeting Case load review meeting
SPA 0.4
DCC 0.6
PERSON SPECIFICATION
Specialty Doctor in Palliative Medicine
Based at: Primarily Cheltenham General Hospital based but may be required to work on either site including on wards and undertake domiciliary visits
Education and Qualifications
Essential
Desirable
To be evidenced by
Q1
GMC full registration with licence to practice
A
Q2
MB BS (or equivalent)
A
Q3
Eligible to work at core level
A
Q4
Formal teaching courses / qualifications
A
Knowledge and Experience
Essential
Desirable
To be evidenced by
E1
Demonstrable previous NHS experience
A&I
E2
Experience in Palliative Care
A&I
E3
Demonstrable experience of successful multidisciplinary team working
A&I
E4
Experience of clinical audit and governance
A&I
Skills and Abilities
Essential
Desirable
To be evidenced by
S1
Excellent communication skills
A&I
S2
Ability to work collaboratively with colleagues within and outside the palliative care team and with patients and those important to them
A&I
S3
Ability to recognise limits of own competence and seek help appropriately
A&I
S4
Flexibility and adaptability
A&I
S5
Desire to provide excellent patient and family centred holistic care
A&I
Behaviours and Values
B1 Respecting everyone I
B2 Embracing change I
B3 Recognising success I
B4 Working together I
Public Sector Language Competency
Be able to speak fluent English to an appropriate standard I
A=Application form, I=Interview, P=Presentation
