Job responsibilities
Job Title: Consultant in Gastroenterology
Specialty: Gastroenterology
Dates of post: to start at the earliest opportunity
Base: Based at Stoke Mandeville Hospital and Wycombe Hospital
Remuneration (Salary Scale): £84,559 to £114,003
Full Time / Part Time: Full time
Standard Hours: The post is for 10.5 Programmed Activities (Pas) per week
Managerial Accountability & Professional Accountability: The post holders will be managerially accountable to the SDU Lead, Divisional Chair and the Chief Operating Officer, and professionally accountable to the Medical Director
Study Leave Arrangements: as per nationally agreed terms and conditions of service for Consultants (2003).
Annual Leave Arrangements: as per nationally agreed terms and conditions of service for Consultants (2003).
Departmental Consultants: Dr Ravi Sekhar, Dr Sue Cullen, Dr James Maggs, (Consultant Hepatologist), Dr Omar Herman, Dr Sujata Biswas, Dr Farid Hossain, Dr Victoria Blackwell, Dr David Gorard and Dr Emily Johns, Service Lead.
THIS POST IS GOVERNED BY THE MEDICAL AND DENTAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF SERVICE
MAIN PURPOSE OF THE POST
We are looking to appoint two consultant gastroenterologists to join our existing team. The Department of Gastroenterology provides a service to the county of Buckinghamshire and currently consists of 9 consultants working within a single management structure across three hospital sites.
We are looking for enthusiastic, motivated and highly skilled colleagues to help develop our existing services to provide the highest quality care for all patients. This recruitment is part of the planned expansion of the department to meet the increasing demand for Gastroenterology Services within Buckinghamshire. Each post will attract 10.5 PAs. If suitable applicants are interested, posts could be filled on a part-time, flexible or job-share appointment. Subspecialty interest in hepatobiliary medicine including ERCP or Inflammatory Bowel Disease will be encouraged where this contributes and complements the department and Trusts service needs.
The service currently has consultant offices/bases, outpatient services and Endoscopy Units at both Stoke Mandeville Hospital and Wycombe General. Outpatient clinics are also run from Amersham Hospital. There is a single inpatient bed base at Stoke Mandeville Hospital.
For further information about these posts contact Dr Emily Johns at Wycombe General Hospital on 01494 425267 or Dr Ravi Sekhar at Stoke Mandeville Hospital on 01296 315299.
Other Information
Clinical services at Buckinghamshire NHS Trust (BHT) are organised into three Divisions, incorporating several Service Delivery Units (SDUs).
The Gastroenterology SDU
The post holders will join the 9 current gastroenterology consultants and 2 associate specialists at BHT. The current team have special interests in hepatology, inflammatory bowel disease, nutrition, endoscopy and education. You will be expected to complement and enhance the current service.
In addition, the department employs and trains two Specialty trainees from the highly regarded Oxford Deanery Gastroenterology/GIM rotation, one IM trainee in medicine, and a total of four foundation trainees all from the Oxford Deanery. There are also three locally employed doctors, and two physicians assistants (PA) to support the needs of the gastroenterology service. The SDU enjoys excellent working relationships with our colleagues in radiology and in the surgical division.
Gastroenterology and Hepatology Senior staff
Dr Ravi Sekhar
Dr Sue Cullen
Dr Emily Johns, Service Lead
Dr James Maggs, Consultant Hepatologist
Dr Farid Hossain
Dr Victoria Blackwell
Dr Sujata Biswas
Dr David Gorard,
Dr Omar Herman
Dr Christine Helmer, Associate Specialist
Dr Rashid Khan, Associate Specialist
Senior Sister Ginalyn Castillo, Endoscopy Sister
Senior Sister Jill Roberts, Endoscopy Sister
Senior Sister Sally Clarke, Ward 17
Janet Hercules, Business Manager for Endoscopy
Sharon Elmidoro, Assistant General Manager for Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Additional endoscopy support is provided by four colorectal surgeons, one upper gastrointestinal surgeon, surgical associate specialists and three clinical endoscopists.
Our services
There are two endoscopy units within the Trust, one at each of the acute sites. Each unit has two rooms with plans to increase the number of rooms within the trust over the next two years. The endoscopy units undertake both diagnostic and therapeutic endoscopic procedures: including gastroscopy, colonoscopy, flexible sigmoidoscopy and ERCP. The unit at Stoke Mandeville Hospital has X-ray screening facilities. There is a video capsule endoscopy service and bowel cancer screening lists at both the endoscopy units. Endoscopy services at BHT are fully JAG accredited.
There are full investigation facilities including radiology, providing routine and emergency CT, MRI, nuclear imaging, angiography and excellent laboratory services.
Outpatient clinics are held regularly at all three sites of the Trust by the consultant gastroenterologists and associated medical staff. Hepatology clinics are held at Amersham Hospital and Stoke Mandeville Hospital.
The gastroenterology ward (ward 17) is at Stoke Mandeville Hospital and it is expected that the consultants will take it in turn to cover the gastroenterology ward on a 1 in 10 rota with prospective cover. Ward 17 currently has 24 beds and the team is also responsible for a small number of medical outliers. The total inpatient load is usually less than 30 patients. There is no acute medical commitment for the Gastroenterologists although this can be arranged if preferred.
The Gastroenterologist of the week (GOW) is responsible for all gastroenterology and general medical patients triaged to the gastro team. The GOW week currently includes a ward round of patients on ward 17 on Saturday morning and an endoscopy list on Saturday afternoon. As national requirements for 7-day services develop then weekend working may involve more time with consequent reduction in PAs/days programmed in the week (ie. a form of time off in lieu).
During the week on the wards, there is a single admission avoidance clinic on Friday afternoon. All other routine commitments are cancelled.
It is anticipated that the postholders may have outpatient clinics and/or endoscopy sessions at all sites during the other weeks. All referrals to gastroenterology are assessed prior to an appointment being made. Some of the consultant team also participate in this review service.
There will be a requirement to take part in an oncall rota for primarily GI bleeds with a current frequency of 1 in 9. Participation in the GI bleed on call rota is paid as Category A work, ie 5% for medium frequency availability (1 in 5 to 1 in 8), and at 3% for low frequency (1 in 9 or less frequent).
The job plans are constructed using an online tool. The typical full time job is a 10.5 PA job plan of which 8.5 are DCC and 2 are SPA.
Our current standard clinic template is for 3.5 hours to allow for 0.5 hours of additional clinic related administration. A typical clinic will include 4 new patients and 5 follow up patients. Following the global covid19 pandemic, we continue to adjust our ways of working in an outpatient setting and are renewing and redesigning in line with recent guidance from the BSG.
Administration arrangements will be in line with the current consultant staff. There is office space for consultants to use at both Stoke Mandeville Hospital and High Wycombe Hospital. All newly appointed consultants are supported by the trust mentoring scheme and allocated a mentor.
Sample weekly timetable when Gastroenterologist of the week (1 in 10 weeks)
Please note that timings may vary depending on individual and Trust requirements
Day
time
Location
Monday
AM
PM
Ward round
Inpatient referrals/seeing relatives
Stoke Mandeville
Hospital
Tuesday
AM
PM
Ward round
Inpatient referrals/seeing relatives
Stoke Mandeville
Hospital
Wednesday
AM
PM
Ward round
Inpatient referrals/seeing relatives
Stoke Mandeville
Hospital
Thursday
AM
PM
Ward round
Inpatient referrals/seeing relatives
Stoke Mandeville
Hospital
Friday
AM
PM
Ward round
Admission avoidance clinic
Stoke Mandeville
Hospital
Saturday
AM
PM
Ward Round
Endoscopy List
Stoke Mandeville
Hospital
Sample Current Weekly timetable when off the ward (9 in 10 weeks, not including time in lieu)
Day
time
Location
Monday
AM
PM
Endoscopy List
SPA
To be confirmed
Tuesday
AM
PM
Endoscopy List
Clinical admin
To be confirmed
Wednesday
AM
PM
Outpatient clinic
SPA (core activities)
To be confirmed
Thursday
AM
PM
Outpatient clinic
Clinical admin
To be confirmed
Friday
AM
PM
Endoscopy List
Clinical admin
To be confirmed
