Job responsibilities
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
The appointee will be expected to develop a significant interest in both Sarcoma and Paedatric services delivering both radiotherapy, and systemic therapy. The appointee will be a member of the GMOSS Sarcoma and Alder Hay Paediatric Oncology MDT. The appointee will also be expected to attend clinics and other MDT/Peer Review (RTQA) meetings as described in the Job Plan.
Sarcoma
The post holder will be joining Drs J Wylie (50/50 Sarcoma and Urology), Dr D Saunders (50/50 Sarcoma and Paediatrics) and Dr W Croxford (50/50 Sarcoma and Urology) who share responsibility for the delivery of radiotherapy for bone and soft tissue sarcoma. There is a weekly multidisciplinary sarcoma clinic involving Consultant Onco-plastic surgeons (Mr D Mowatt and Mr Damir Kosutic). Approximately 100 cases per annum receive radical radiotherapy. Dr A Lee and Dr Hameed share responsibility for any chemotherapy delivered for sarcoma and they run a weekly parallel clinic. Approximately 150 new cases of sarcoma are currently seen at The Christie per year.
The Greater Manchester and Oswestry Sarcoma Service (GMOSS) is based primarily around three Hospitals, namely Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT), Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (RJAH), and The Christie NHS Foundation Trust. GMOSS provide specialist care for patients with all types and stages of soft tissue and bone sarcoma residing in the Greater Manchester, Cheshire, parts of Greater Midlands, and North Wales. Patients with bone sarcoma and teenage and young adult patients with sarcoma residing in the Lancashire and South Cumbria Cancer Network (LSCCN) are referred into GMOSS.
The core service comprises five sarcoma surgeons, two medical oncologists, four clinical oncologists, one dedicated TYA oncologist, three musculo-skeletal radiologists, two specialist sarcoma pathologists plus two clinical nurse specialists (CNS) at Christie as well as nurses at MFT and Oswestry all with a special interest in sarcoma. The sarcoma service screens and recruits patients to clinical trials and is assisted by a clinical trials nurse.
A core weekly multi-disciplinary team meeting (MDT) between the sites is held where all confirmed new, highly suspected or recurrent sarcoma cases are discussed to formulate a management plan. The MDT is video linked between the three sites
The team is also responsible for delivery of proton beam therapy (PBT) for TYA and adult patients fulfilling the NHS criteria for this treatment. Broadly this includes patients with para-spinal and spinal sarcomas, truncal and pelvic Ewings and complex head and neck sarcomas including rhabdomyosarcoma. The well supported team structure can provide training and mentorship in PBT planning and delivery and prior experience is not a pre-requisite.
The appointee will have office accommodation and access to secretarial support. They will also be expected to participate in the consultant on call rota.
Paediatric
The post holder will be one of 6 Clinical Oncology consultants specialising in Paediatric Radiation Oncology (joining Prof E Smith (100% Paediatrics), Dr G Whitfield (50/50 Paediatrics and Adults CNS), Dr N Thorp (100% Paediatrics), Dr D Saunders (50/50 Sarcoma and Paediatrics) and Dr S Pan (50/50 Paediatrics and Adult CNS) and will be an active member of the MDT. They will receive XRT referrals from Alder Hay Hospital, including Total Body Irradiation, and take PBT referrals from across the UK (and internationally). All paediatric radiation therapy plans (XRT and PBT) are peer reviewed in a weekly RTQA meeting. The post holder will be actively involved in the Proton Therapy Service at The Christie and the post holder will be an integral part of the paediatric radiation oncology multidisciplinary team. They will also be expected to be actively involved in the Childrens Cancer and Leukaemia Group as well as other national/international paediatric oncology groups.
Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
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. The Christie Hospital offers a mentoring scheme for all new consultants on appointment.
Job Planning
The job plan outlines the requirements of the post and may be altered by joint agreement with the Divisional Clinical Director and Service Manager and in response to service needs. Job Plans are also subject to an annual review as detailed in the Trusts Job Planning Policy. It is expected that the initial Job Plan discussion will take place within the first six months of employment at the Trust.
The annual review will examine all aspects of the job plan (including any Educational components) and will also include an assessment of professional development with defined goals for the future.
