Job responsibilities
Intensive care medicine and anaesthesia falls under the surgical
care group specifically within the anaesthetic department at Darlington
Memorial Hosptal with other anaesthetic sub-specialities including Chronic
Pain, Acute Pain, Pre-assessment and Day Surgery and obsterics. Care group
director for Anaesthetics, Theatres and Intensive Care Medicine is Dr James
Limb (trust wide). The lead clinician for the anaesthetic department at
Darlington Memorial Hospital is Dr Jothika Thimappa and the lead clinician for
the Intensive Care department is Dr Simone Carbert.
The successful applicant will primarily work at DMH but we
do provide anaesthetic cover for elective surgical lists at Bishop Aukland
Hospital. The anaesthetic departments
culture is one of mutual respect with collective responsibility for the
workload within the hospital.
DMH intensive care admits approximately 580 patient per year
with a mix of surgical and medical take.
DMH has an 11 bed combined ICU and high-dependency care
located near the theatre suite. This unit is used flexibly between level 2 and
3 beds. Three consultant sessions are allocated on each weekday to provide 15
sessions over the week with a rota based on continuity of care.
At DMH site surgery is provided within 11 operating theatres
covering Community Dental, ENT (Day case), General Surgery (including major
colorectal surgery, breast surgery and bariatric surgery), Orthopaedic and
Trauma Surgery, Obstetric and
Gynaecological Surgery,
Ophthalmology and Urology (Day case).
Plastic surgery team is based at University Hospital North Durham. Regional Anaesthesia is well established and
supported by a regional fellow post and an acute pain team.
Emergency lists are provided in routine hours for
Orthopaedic trauma, General surgery and Gynaecology, as well as an out of
hours emergency theatre. There is a Consultant-led pre-assessment service
with weekly clinics including CPEX
testing. Anaesthesia for CT scanning
and MRI services is available.
The majotiry of intensive care admissions are emergency
surgical patients and Monday to Thursday we have a PACU to provide Level 1 care
of elevtice patients under the support of the surgical and anaesthetic teams.
There is an obstetric department, located on the 6th floor
has its own theatre with dedicated elective lists in the main theatre suite. An
anaesthetic nurse provides assistance for all theatre cases.
Medical department consisits of in house acute internal
medicine, cardiology, respiratory (including 6 bedded ARU), haematology, endocrinology,
gastroenterology and care of the elderly.
Outpatient dermatology, rheumatology and psychiatry will provide virtual
and face to face consultations.
Palliative care provide face to face support with a team of consutlant
and specialist nurses.
Consultant led RaCI plus nurse led IV, renal outreach and
Acute Intervention Teams (critical care inreach) support our work. Weekend work is completed as part of the out
of hours commitment with 12 hour shifts.
The majority of specialist support is provided via in house referrals with
otherwise good relations with our tertiary referral hospitals. Renal and neurology specialities based at
James Cook University Hospital provide in house reviews. Our consultant group form a supportive team
and recent appointments include a job share with James Cook Hospital and with
Acute Internal Medicine. Trust wide
collaboration between the intensive care units and specialist support within
the trust occurs with regular Critical Care Delivery Group meetings chaired by
the Clinical Director for Anaesthetics and Critical Care.
At the weekend there are dedicated consultants who cover
critical care and orthopaedic trauma lists during daytime hours, as well as
other theatre emergencies.
Consultants and Speciality Doctors are actively encouraged
to support the weekly DMH teaching programme and attend our regualar M&M
and clinical governance sessions.
MAIN DUTIES AND
RESPONSIBILITIES
The post holder will undertake clinical work in conjunction
with their clinical colleagues (24 Consultants, 9 specialty / specialist
doctors and an average of 13 trainees) and other professional staff in order to
maintain and develop the intensive care service and develop specialist skills
in accordance with the needs of the department.
The post
holder will have a continuing responsibility for the care of patients in their charge and will contribute to the proper functioning of the department of
Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine. Furthermore, the post holder will be
required to undertake administrative duties directly associated with the care
of patients. The post holder will supervise junior medical staff and have
responsibility to ensure continuing patient care at all times. For management
purposes, the post holder will be accountable to the Lead Clinician for
ensuring the effective and efficient use of resources allocated.
The post
holder will have scheduled activity with regular sessions, fixed continuity
weeks and some flexible sessions. SPA activity will be timetabled within the
weekly job plan but can be completed flexibily and diarised for review. During
some working weeks, flexibility in the ratio of DCC:SPA may be required
although SPA time will always be paid back. As additional responsibilities
are acquired, the number of SPAs may alter with remuneration agreed through the
job planning process.
The post
holder must possess a UK driving license and be able to present for scheduled
list start times as required by the Trust.
The post
holder will be expected to participate in teaching.
Research
and clinical audit activities, which are considered to be an integral part of
normal duties, will be encouraged. Research funding may be available following
successful application to local committees.
The post
holder will be encouraged and supported to develop services, courses and to
undertake innovation.
The post
holder will be expected to deputise in the absence of colleagues.
The
post-holder will be expected to perform additional duties in emergency and
unforeseen circumstances as are essential for continuity of patient care.
The post
holder will be responsible for the professional management and supervision of
junior medical staff. The post holder will be expected to receive training and
participate in educational and clinical supervision.
The post
holder will be expected to participate in clinical governance arrangements in
line with national and local guidelines.
If you are
involved in the care of a patient who subsequently initiates a claim against
the Trust you will be expected to provide, free of charge, an opinion and
statement of facts about the case.
PROPOSED TIMETABLE AND JOB PLAN
A formal job plan will be agreed between the appointee and their
Clinical Director within 3-6 months, and
approved by the Medical Director. The job plan will then be reviewed annually
in accordance with the Trust policy on Consultant Job Planning.
Each session is 5.25 hours. Remuneration is 1.313 PAs per
working session (which includes pre and
post ward round care).
