Job summary
County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust is one of
the largest integrated care providers in England, serving a population of
around 600,000 people. We are a high performing organisation with a track
record of success.
The palliative care service is looking to appoint a part
time (7 sessions initially) consultant to provide join our existing
consultants. We are keen to work with friendly enthusiastic people who would
relish the challenge of delivering excellent palliative care services within a
strong, cohesive and supportive team.
The post will be based in Derwentside and University
Hospital of North Durham and have elements of acute, community and care home
work.
The post holder will be joining an expanding dynamic service
with a great team of experienced Macmillan Specialist Nurses, and a Palliative
care support team. The successful post holder will work alongside our key
partners across County Durham and Darlington to deliver high quality specialist
palliative care.
The Specialist Palliative Care team consists of
a Macmillan Palliative Care Lead Nurse, Palliative Care Consultants; Macmillan
Clinical Nurse Specialists, Macmillan Discharge Facilitators, Hospice
Main duties of the job
The following job summary defines the scope of palliative
care consultant work in CDDFT rather than the responsibilities of a single
consultant. The exact nature of consultant duties will depend on the job plan
agreed with individual applicants. Some of the duties are clearly setting
specific.
Provide clinical leadership and expert knowledge in the
field of palliative medicine for County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation
Trust (CDDFT).
Specifically:
To work collaboratively with other palliative care
consultants and colleagues in primary and secondary care across the County to
ensure the provision of high quality palliative care consistent with national
and Northern England Clinical Strategic Network standards and guidelines.
To work as part of the Specialist Palliative Care Consultant
Team providing cover for all settings in County Durham and Darlington,
specifically:
Clinical
leadership for community based specialist palliative care teams and senior
nurses working into Care Homes.
Consultant support
and advice for
primary health care
teams and prisons as needed.
Consultant support and supervision to medical
staff and patients within the in-patient palliative.
About us
If you are being interviewed you must accept an interview slot in the system to continue, even if you have arranged with the manager
You must be able to produce ALL certificates stated essential in the person specification or you will not be able to complete pre-employment checks
We provide hospital services from two acute sites - Darlington Memorial Hospital and University Hospital of North Durham. We have a centre for planned care in Bishop Auckland and provide care from community hospitals in Chester-le-Street, Shotley Bridge, Barnard Castle, Sedgefield and Weardale as well as over 80 other community based settings and providing care in patients' homes.
We particularly welcome applications from disabled and Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) candidates as BAME and disabled people are currently under-represented
Full Job Descriptions can be found in the adverts supporting documents
Over reliance on
AI-generated content is discouraged and may diminish the applicant's chances of
success
For the most up-to-date information on visa requirements and eligibility, please check online to determine whether you can apply.
From April 9th 2025 - Healthcare assistants - You must have a minimum of two years
of experience working within the NHS as a HCA for the Trust to consider
sponsorship (we will only consider sponsorship if you meet this criteria and
have a current visa expiring within 3 months)
Job description
Job responsibilities
Duties across all settings
Function as an essential member of the specialist palliative
care teams throughout the county.
Provide expert advice and support regarding complex ethical
and clinical decision making.
Work collaboratively with other palliative care consultants
to provide consultant advice, support and clinical expertise to CDDFT Monday to
Friday 9-5pm including contributing to the trust wide palliative care telephone
advice rota.
Provide a 1 in seven commitment to the Out of Hours Advice
Service for professionals (all the senior doctors contribute).
Undertake administrative duties associated with the care of
patients (including activity data as required) in line with Trust Policy.
Setting specific Duties
Hospital
Provide expert advice and support to health care
professionals caring for patients with palliative and end of life care
needs.
Provide clinical leadership and support for the hospital
palliative care team
Community
Provide expert advice and support to health care
professionals providing care to patients with palliative and end of life care
needs e.g. specialist palliative care teams, primary care teams, community
nurses and care home staff.
Lead specialist palliative care multi-disciplinary team
(MDT) and clinical review meetings as required.
Undertake domiciliary visits to patients in their usual
place of residence (including community hospitals, care homes and prisons) as
required.
Work with community hospital clinicians to provide
appropriate identification, assessment and review of patients with palliative
care needs in community hospitals.
Support and attend as appropriate Primary Care Team
palliative care register meetings.
Hospice
Provide expert advice and support to the hospice
multidisciplinary team through weekly ward rounds and weekly in-patient unit MDTs.
6.2 Leadership
Provide leadership to the multi-professional specialist
palliative care team, including hospice teams and primary care colleagues.
Provide supervision of other doctors within the service
including appraisal.
Provide strategic leadership within local Network groups as
appropriate.
Provide leadership and support in the development of
generalist and specialist palliative care services across all settings
including leadership of service developments and change initiatives.
Contribute to CDDFT, local, and regional Network initiatives
to support the development and improvement of palliative care and end of life
care services.
6.3 Clinical
Governance
Contribute to the clinical governance activities of the
specialist palliative care team, including regular audit, development of
appropriate trust-wide standards and annual appraisal.
Participate and lead on local and national audit as agreed
with the service.
Participate and lead on quality improvement initiatives.
Provide significant contribution to the management of
clinical risk and patient safety.
Contribute to the development, implementation and response
to local and national policy and guidance.
Lead on governance issues relating to the appraisal and
revalidation for palliative medicine colleagues.
6.4 Education
Maintain continuing professional development in accordance
with the requirements of the Royal College of Physicians/the Royal College of
General Practitioners.
Contribute to the planning and delivery of undergraduate
medical education and GP trainees in all aspects of palliative, end of life
care, communication skills and ethics.
Contribute to Specialty training in Palliative medicine as
appropriate
Contribute to the development and implementation of a
palliative and end of life
Care education strategy for CDDFT and partner organisations.
Support the continuing professional development of
specialist palliative care nurses.
Support the continuing professional development of
specialist palliative care medical staff.
Participate inundergraduate,
postgraduate and multi-professional education programmes across primary care
and within the Trust.
Lead on and/or participate in Specialist Palliative Care
Service education sessions
6.5 Research
Identify research proposals applicable to palliative care.
Develop links with academic centres and Trust Leads to
support local research studies as appropriate.
Develop and implement research projects and
programmes as appropriate.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Duties across all settings
Function as an essential member of the specialist palliative
care teams throughout the county.
Provide expert advice and support regarding complex ethical
and clinical decision making.
Work collaboratively with other palliative care consultants
to provide consultant advice, support and clinical expertise to CDDFT Monday to
Friday 9-5pm including contributing to the trust wide palliative care telephone
advice rota.
Provide a 1 in seven commitment to the Out of Hours Advice
Service for professionals (all the senior doctors contribute).
Undertake administrative duties associated with the care of
patients (including activity data as required) in line with Trust Policy.
Setting specific Duties
Hospital
Provide expert advice and support to health care
professionals caring for patients with palliative and end of life care
needs.
Provide clinical leadership and support for the hospital
palliative care team
Community
Provide expert advice and support to health care
professionals providing care to patients with palliative and end of life care
needs e.g. specialist palliative care teams, primary care teams, community
nurses and care home staff.
Lead specialist palliative care multi-disciplinary team
(MDT) and clinical review meetings as required.
Undertake domiciliary visits to patients in their usual
place of residence (including community hospitals, care homes and prisons) as
required.
Work with community hospital clinicians to provide
appropriate identification, assessment and review of patients with palliative
care needs in community hospitals.
Support and attend as appropriate Primary Care Team
palliative care register meetings.
Hospice
Provide expert advice and support to the hospice
multidisciplinary team through weekly ward rounds and weekly in-patient unit MDTs.
6.2 Leadership
Provide leadership to the multi-professional specialist
palliative care team, including hospice teams and primary care colleagues.
Provide supervision of other doctors within the service
including appraisal.
Provide strategic leadership within local Network groups as
appropriate.
Provide leadership and support in the development of
generalist and specialist palliative care services across all settings
including leadership of service developments and change initiatives.
Contribute to CDDFT, local, and regional Network initiatives
to support the development and improvement of palliative care and end of life
care services.
6.3 Clinical
Governance
Contribute to the clinical governance activities of the
specialist palliative care team, including regular audit, development of
appropriate trust-wide standards and annual appraisal.
Participate and lead on local and national audit as agreed
with the service.
Participate and lead on quality improvement initiatives.
Provide significant contribution to the management of
clinical risk and patient safety.
Contribute to the development, implementation and response
to local and national policy and guidance.
Lead on governance issues relating to the appraisal and
revalidation for palliative medicine colleagues.
6.4 Education
Maintain continuing professional development in accordance
with the requirements of the Royal College of Physicians/the Royal College of
General Practitioners.
Contribute to the planning and delivery of undergraduate
medical education and GP trainees in all aspects of palliative, end of life
care, communication skills and ethics.
Contribute to Specialty training in Palliative medicine as
appropriate
Contribute to the development and implementation of a
palliative and end of life
Care education strategy for CDDFT and partner organisations.
Support the continuing professional development of
specialist palliative care nurses.
Support the continuing professional development of
specialist palliative care medical staff.
Participate inundergraduate,
postgraduate and multi-professional education programmes across primary care
and within the Trust.
Lead on and/or participate in Specialist Palliative Care
Service education sessions
6.5 Research
Identify research proposals applicable to palliative care.
Develop links with academic centres and Trust Leads to
support local research studies as appropriate.
Develop and implement research projects and
programmes as appropriate.
Person Specification
Special Skills & Knowledge
Essential
- Clinical Skills
- Expert clinician in the specialised field of palliative medicine.
- Ability to work autonomously in all care settings
- Excellent diagnostic and clinical skills.
- Management/ Leadership Skills.
- Supervision and mentorship skills of undergraduate students and post graduate trainees.
- Ability to lead and motivate a multidisciplinary team.
- Ability to prioritise workload in changing environment.
- Ability to work in a team with sensitivity and diplomacy.
- Analytical and evaluative with critical appraisal skills.
- In depth knowledge of NHS agenda for palliative and end of life care.
- Clinical Governance/Audit Skills
- Thorough understanding of clinical governance and its place in clinical practice.
- Experience of initiating and conducting clinical audit.
- Evidence of undertaking audit in line with national and local requirements for palliative and end of life care.
- Experience of teaching palliative care at undergraduate and post graduate level and to multidisciplinary audiences.
- Teaching and education of junior staff.
- Supervisory skills for the MDT teams.
- Mentorship and assessment skills.
- Excellent presentation skills.
- Team player.
- Enhanced communication skills both interpersonal and with wider stakeholders.
- Ability to demonstrate leadership and management qualities to deliver this challenging role.
- Excellent time management.
- Ability to manage people in difficult and emotional situations.
- IT Literate.
Desirable
- Evidence of innovative service development.
- Senior management experience.
- Experience of initiating and conducting clinical audit within a foundation trust setting.
- Teaching qualification.
- Publication.
- In relevant journal.
- Original research or working towards.
Special Requirements
Essential
- Capable of independent travel across the county.
Qualifications
Essential
- Full GMC Registration
- MRCP or MRCGP or equivalent
- Right to work in the UK
Experience
Essential
- On the GMC specialist register or within 9 months of registration for attaining CCT in palliative medicine at time of interview.
- Training in palliative medicine including experience in hospice, hospital and community settings
Statutory Registration
Essential
Person Specification
Special Skills & Knowledge
Essential
- Clinical Skills
- Expert clinician in the specialised field of palliative medicine.
- Ability to work autonomously in all care settings
- Excellent diagnostic and clinical skills.
- Management/ Leadership Skills.
- Supervision and mentorship skills of undergraduate students and post graduate trainees.
- Ability to lead and motivate a multidisciplinary team.
- Ability to prioritise workload in changing environment.
- Ability to work in a team with sensitivity and diplomacy.
- Analytical and evaluative with critical appraisal skills.
- In depth knowledge of NHS agenda for palliative and end of life care.
- Clinical Governance/Audit Skills
- Thorough understanding of clinical governance and its place in clinical practice.
- Experience of initiating and conducting clinical audit.
- Evidence of undertaking audit in line with national and local requirements for palliative and end of life care.
- Experience of teaching palliative care at undergraduate and post graduate level and to multidisciplinary audiences.
- Teaching and education of junior staff.
- Supervisory skills for the MDT teams.
- Mentorship and assessment skills.
- Excellent presentation skills.
- Team player.
- Enhanced communication skills both interpersonal and with wider stakeholders.
- Ability to demonstrate leadership and management qualities to deliver this challenging role.
- Excellent time management.
- Ability to manage people in difficult and emotional situations.
- IT Literate.
Desirable
- Evidence of innovative service development.
- Senior management experience.
- Experience of initiating and conducting clinical audit within a foundation trust setting.
- Teaching qualification.
- Publication.
- In relevant journal.
- Original research or working towards.
Special Requirements
Essential
- Capable of independent travel across the county.
Qualifications
Essential
- Full GMC Registration
- MRCP or MRCGP or equivalent
- Right to work in the UK
Experience
Essential
- On the GMC specialist register or within 9 months of registration for attaining CCT in palliative medicine at time of interview.
- Training in palliative medicine including experience in hospice, hospital and community settings
Statutory Registration
Essential
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.
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).
Additional information
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.
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).
