Consultant Cardiac Surgeon

Job responsibilities

CONSULTANT CARDIAC SURGEON - RCS Approved

INTRODUCTION The Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital NHS Foundation Trust provide medical and surgical adult cardiothoracic services to the people of Merseyside, North Wales, Isle of Man, parts of Lancashire and Cheshire; this catchment area has a population of 2.8 million people.

The unit is one of the largest of its kind in the country. Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital is configured to perform up to 2,000 heart procedures and 1,500 thoracic procedures, including in the region of 700 major thoracic operations. The full range of services for adult cardiothoracic surgical patients (except for transplantation) is provided. The thoracic aortic aneurysm service provides a comprehensive service with annual activities of 150-180 major aortic cases; a dedicated on-call service is provided by this group.

Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital is an NHS Foundation Trust, which has seen a great deal of development in the last few years. As a result of major capital investment the hospital is able to provide:

• 245 Medical and Surgical beds (4 surgical wards)
• 8 dedicated Cardiothoracic Surgical Operating Theatres, including a Hybrid Theatre
• Endoscopy Suite
• Recovery Room
• 36 bedded Critical Care Unit
• X-Ray department with a multi-channel spiral CT Scanner and MRI
• Pulmonary function and Oesophageal laboratory
• Dedicated cystic fibrosis unit
• 5 Cardiac Catheterisation Laboratories and one pacing theatre

A private wing also forms an important part of the Centre.

MEDICAL STAFF

Consultants

Thoracic Surgeons

• Mr R D Page
• Mr M. Shackcloth
• Mr S Woolley
• Mr J Asante-Siaw (Clinical Lead for Thoracic Surgery)
• Ms Susannah Love
• Mr Matt Smith

Cardiothoracic Surgeon

• Mr N Mediratta

Cardiac and Aortic Surgeons

• Mr D M Pullan
• Mr P Modi
• Mr M Kuduvalli (Associate Medical Director for Surgery)
• Prof M Field (Clinical Lead Aortic Surgery)
• Mr A Muir
• Miss D Harrington
• Mr B Kirmani
• Mr O Nawaytou
• Mr I Wilson(Clinical Lead for Cardiac Surgery)
• Mr M Zeinah
• Mr A Othman
• Mr Gopal Soppa
• Mr S Shanmuganathan
• Mr A Khosravi
• Mr A Kenawy

ACHD Surgery

• Mr R Guerrero (Clinical Lead for ACHD Surgery)

Junior SurgicalStaff

• 4 National ST3+ trainees (Rotation via through the North West Deanery)
• 13 Clinical Fellows (SpR Equivalent)
• 2 Specialty Doctors (SpR Level)
• 1 Vascular Fellow
• 1 Aortic Fellow
• 6 Trust Doctors (Senior House Officer or F2 Equivalent)

Most consultants have a SpR/Clinical Fellow allocated to his/her practice with rotation every 6 12 months. Tier 1 doctors provide flexible cover for the service.

JOB PLAN

The job is intended to be a full time (12.25 PA) post in general cardiac surgery at Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital. This post will commence as a generic cardiac surgical practice with the potential for further sub-specialty development, in line with future advances and requirements of the Trust.

This post will not include Aortic Surgery, as the Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital team have a very well developed Aortic Surgical team already in place.

The draft job plan is outlined under the terms and conditions section. On-call for Cardiac Surgery is a 1 in 10 rota with a category B frequency payment.

The successful candidate will have full secretarial support, a personal computer and office accommodation, in line with other consultants in the unit.

There is a significant commitment to research and audit and a training commitment to the SpRs. Development of academic interests will be actively encouraged.

The trust supports the annual appraisal process and routine GMC revalidation for all consultants and all consultants undergo an annual job plan. The appointee will be expected to work flexibly based on the needs of the Surgical Division and the Trust. The workload will be driven by the job planning process and be reviewed and changed appropriate to the requirements of the Trust by the Surgical Clinical Lead with the Divisional Head of Operations, with ratification by the Medical Director. It should be noted that full mentorship / preceptorship will be provided to the successful candidate. The Trust supports the requirements for continuing professional development (CPD) as laid down by the GMC and surgical colleges and is committed to providing time and financial support for these activities.

GENERAL PROVISION AND SUMMARY OF MAIN CONDITIONS OF SERVICES

1.General Provisions

1.1The appointee will be expected to work with local managers and professional colleagues in the efficient running of services and will share with consultant colleagues in the medical contribution to management. Subject to the provisions of the Consultant Terms and Conditions of Services, he/she is expected to observe the Centres agreed policies and procedures, drawn up in the consultation with the profession on clinical matters and to follow the standing orders and financial instructions of the Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital. The appointee will be expected to follow the local and national employment and personnel policies and procedures. He/she will be expected to make sure there are adequate arrangements for hospital staff involved in the care of their patients to be able to contact a Consultant Cardiothoracic Surgeon when necessary.

1.2 All medical and dental staffs employed by the hospital are expected to comply with the agreed health and safety policies.

1.3 The appointee will have responsibility for the training and supervision of junior medical staffs who work with him/her and will devote time to this on a regular basis. If appropriate he/she will be named in the contracts of junior doctors in training grades as the person responsible for overseeing their training and as a main source of advice to such doctors on their careers.

2.Main Conditions of Service

2.1 The successful candidate(s) will normally be required to live within 30 minutes drive of the hospital.

2.2 Where, however the successful candidate already resides within 45 minutes drive of the hospital, he/she will not be required to remove his/her home nearer to the hospital.

2.3 Where the successful candidates present residence is more than 45 minutes drive from the hospital, he/she will be required to move his/her home to meet the residential clauses of his/her contract, unless he/she has the written consent of the Authority to the contrary.

2.4 The Terms and Conditions of Service state that the removal expenses shall be reimbursed, and grants paid only when the employing authority is satisfied that the removal of the practitioners home is required and the arrangements proposed are reasonable. Therefore, successful candidates are advised not to enter into contractual arrangements for the removal of their home until such a time as the formal approval of the hospital is confirmed in writing.

2.5 If the appointment is on a part-time basis (9 PAs or less) the successful candidate will not be eligible under the Terms and Conditions of Services for the reimbursement of removal and associated expenses.

Please see attached documents for a copy of the full job description including job plan.

Qualifications

Essential

• Full GMC Registration
• Entry on the GMC Specialist Register via:
• -CCT (proposed CCT date must be within 6 months of interview) or
• -CESR
• Or an appropriate higher Cardiothoracic Specialist surgical qualification

Desirable

• Postgraduate degree
• (eg MSc, MD, PhD).

Management and Administrative Experience

Essential

• Ability to organise and manage outpatient priorities, surgical waiting lists and operating lists.
• Ability to manage and lead a surgical firm.

Personal attributes

Essential

• Ability to work in a team and engage in innovation.
• Good interpersonal skills.
• Enquiring, critical approach to work.
• Caring attitude to patients.
• Ability to communicate effectively with patients, relatives, GPs, nurses and other agencies.
• Commitment to Continuing Medical Education.

Teaching Experience

Essential

• Experience of teaching at Postgraduate level.
• Ability to teach clinical and operative skills.
• Attendance of Training the Trainer Course.

Desirable

• Experience of teaching basic clinical skills to undergraduates.
• Experience of supervising SPRs

Clinical Experience

Essential

• Clinical training and experience equivalent to that required for gaining UK CCST in Cardiothoracic Surgery.
• Ability to offer expert clinical opinion on a range of problems in cardiac for emergency and elective situations.
• Ability to take full and independent responsibility for clinical care of patients.

Desirable

• A willingness to develop clinical skills and lead innovation in line with future cardiac surgical unit advances.

Audit and Research Experience

Essential

• Experience of audit management.
• Ability to apply research outcomes to clinical and surgical problems.
• Peer reviewed publications.

Desirable

• Prior experience of leading in research projects.
• Willing to actively participate in clinical research.

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).