Consultant Anaesthetist and Intensive Care

Job description

Job responsibilities

Duties of the post

The ICU utilises a 6-week rolling schedule for the in hours duty consultant between the hours of 08:00 & 18:00.

All 6 current post holders undertake anaesthetic sessions & have string links to the anaesthetic department. Should the applicant prefer to undertake sessions in an alternative department (eg medicine) this can also be considered.

The anaesthetic Department utilises a 12-week rolling schedule. It is expected that the successful applicant would undertake theatre lists in a wide range of specialities including colorectal surgery, trauma, ophthalmic theatre, and maternity. As well as the pre-assessment clinic & daytime on call consultant rota (bleep 062).

The anaesthetic & ICU consultants provide out of hours non-resident consultant cover for anaesthesia for emergency surgery, obstetric anaesthesia, and the management of the intensive care unit; on a 1:12 prospective cover basis.

The anaesthetic department have recently strengthened our in hours anaesthetic senior cover, with the provision of daytime resident consultant sessions to undertake emergency work and ensure the smooth running of theatres.

Additional daytime anaesthetic/ICU cover is provided at weekends to allow specialist staff to undertake the ICU ward round and to facilitate emergency work. Some consultants undertake weekend emergency anaesthetic/trauma sessions or an ICU ward round in lieu of participation in the OOH ICU and anaesthetic on call rota. This is agreed at job planning.

Intensive Care Unit (ICU)

We have daily multidisciplinary ward rounds with colleagues from pharmacy, microbiology, dietitians, and physiotherapists. The unit admits about 400 patients a year. The majority (70%) are critically ill adult medical patients.

We have up to date equipment, monitoring and ventilators that can be expected from a general high quality intensive care unit.

The Trust is currently developing an ICU follow up service and enhanced care provision for level 1+ patients. There is ample opportunity for the post holder to be involved in these developments.

Critical care outreach is well established, and this nurse delivered service also leads the hospital at night team, providing 24/7 cover in supporting amongst other things the referring teams in timely assessment and referral of critically ill patients. This team has strong links to ICU as well as an expanded role throughout the hospital and is playing a pivotal role in many aspects of keeping patients safe.

Tertiary ICU services including paediatric the regional neurological unit are based in Southampton. Initial assessment, resuscitation and stabilisation of these patients involves the anaesthetic team. Due to the remote location the anaesthetic team may also be involved in transfer by helicopter or ferry to mainland services.

Medical staffing consists of 7 consultants (including this post), each of whom undertake weeks on ICU. There is a resident SAS doctor 24/7 as well as an FY2 trainee post. Out of hours the consultant support is shared with the anaesthetic department. To strengthen the ICU specialist advice OOH, there are weekend morning ICU consultant ward rounds and consideration is being given to OOH telephone advice to the non-ICU anaesthetic consultants.

The medical team run regular M&M and consultant team meetings to ensure high quality standardised care. There are well established links to PUHT ICU educational meetings and attendance at their educational meetings is encouraged.

The Anaesthetic Department

The department provides anesthetic services for general, ophthalmic, maxilla-facial, ENT, urological, orthopedics and gynecological surgery. We have 7 operating theatres (4 main, 2 in a separate day case unit, 1 eye satellite unit) and a dedicated obstetric theatre.

We also provide anaesthetic and resuscitation services to obstetrics, paediatrics, radiology, ECT and the ED. The relative geographical isolation means that all anaesthetists must maintain a wide range of core skills in order to be able to safely deliver these low frequency but high impact services

We are currently 15 consultants and 17 specialty doctors. We have a single training post in anaesthesia (which is at present occupied by a FY2 post in Intensive Care) and also have a training commitment to several ED doctors undertaking consultant accreditation via the CESR route as well as a constant influx of medical students.

The Department operates a mentor scheme for all new appointees.

Allied Services

We have 7 operating theatres (4 main, 2 in a separate day case unit, 1 satellite eye theatre) and a dedicated obstetric theatre.

Pre-Assessment

The nurse led pre-assessment process of all elective patients is well established at St Marys Hospital. There is a daily consultant anaesthetic clinic available to review anticipated difficult cases and to communicate potential problems to colleagues. We run an Enhanced Recovery Program for orthopedic, colorectal, and gynecological surgery.

Obstetrics

The Maternity unit has about 1200 deliveries per year with an epidural rate of approximately 25% and a caesarean section rate of around 17%. The Anaesthetic department provides Consultant cover in hours to the labor ward. Out of hours there is a dedicated specialist doctor to provide anaesthesia for obstetrics.

Acute Pain Service (APS)

The APS is provided by a consultant anaesthetist and a full-time acute pain nurse, supported by ward-based link nurses. Apart from the clinical service, it provides teaching and education for medical and nursing staff.

Post-operative pain is managed in a variety of ways including PCA and PCEA. Ultrasound guided nerve and plexus blockade are also commonly employed techniques. We have recently invested in several state-of-the-art ultrasound machine and developed a protocol for local anesthetic wound/nerve catheter infiltration postoperatively.

The new post holder will be expected to work closely with the APS when implementing new post-operative pain management strategies.

Chronic Pain Service (CPS)

This is an outpatient service open to GPs for malignant and non-malignant pain syndromes. It is provided by a team of two consultants from the Department, a Clinical Psychologist and part-time Nurse Specialist, as well as Specialist Physiotherapists providing Physical Therapy and Acupuncture sessions.

The Earl Mountbatten Hospice provides malignant pain control, respite services and terminal care and cooperates closely with the Hospital CPS.

The service runs a Pain Management and a Functional Restoration Program on the Island.

Job Planning and Appraisal

Post holders will take part in Annual Appraisal and performance review against objectives as well as specific requirements laid out above.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Full registration with the General Medical Council and licence to practise by date of appointment.
• Entry on the GMC specialists register or be within six months of obtaining CCT at time of interview.
• Fellowship of the RCoA or equivalent.
• Fellowship of Faculty Pain medicine or equivalent

Clinical Skills

Essential

• Demonstrate a high level of competence and anaesthetic skill
• Wide understanding and experience of chronic pain medicine
• Broad exposure to general anaesthesia including paediatrics, obstetrics and ICU.

Desirable

• Post CCT experience in anaesthesia
• Post CCT experience in chronic pain medicine.

Audit and Clinical Governance

Essential

• Participation in audit relevant to specialty.
• Can demonstrate understanding of clinical research.

Desirable

• Able to demonstrate implementation of change from audit cycle.
• Has undertaken and published research in peer reviewed journal or presented at regional/national level.

Teaching

Essential

• Commitment to both undergraduate and postgraduate teaching and training.

Desirable

• ALS / ATLS APLS Instructor

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).

Employer details

Employer name

Isle of Wight NHS Trust

Address

St Mary's Hospital

Newport, Isle of Wight

PO30 5TG

Employer's website

https://www.iow.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)