Job summary
An exciting new opportunity has arisen for a Consultant to join our Hospital at Home (HAH) and Acute Medicine services at Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust.

This role has been created following the integration of Same Day Emergency Care (SDEC), HAH, and community partners to deliver a seamless, patient-centred care pathway for our local population. Our newly established "SDEC Village", co-located with the Frailty Assessment Unit and HAH, ensures timely care delivery, avoids unnecessary admissions, reduces duplication, and prioritises care for our sickest patients. Since its launch, numerous pathways have been developed in collaboration with the Health Care Partnership, improving admission avoidance, facilitating early discharge, and enabling patients to receive care in the comfort of their own homes.

The postholder will play an active role in both the Hospital at Home and Acute Medicine post-take processes. Hospital at Home post-take - reviewing patient lists to identify suitable candidates for safe, high-quality care at home, working closely with nursing and community teams to coordinate transfer. Acute Medicine post-take - supporting the standard post-take ward round, ensuring prompt senior review of new admissions, early decision-making, and timely onward care.

Main duties of the job
This is a10PA job (with option of participation in medical on call - 1 in 16). It is envisaged that this post will evolve to attract more consultant colleagues to support HAH and existing SDEC services in the trust.

You will join the lead consultant and on the "hot week rota", providing 5 weeks in six cover for HAH and will be responsible for coordinating the care of the patients on the Hospital At Home pathway. You will work with your team of experienced Nurses, Therapists, Pharmacist and Other allied health professionals to provide step up and step down care.

The aim of SDEC HAH is to achieve a reduction of avoidable hospital admissions and to facilitate earlier, safe discharge of patients from the acute services.

You will work closely with the Acute Medicine colleagues and colleagues in the Frailty Assessment Unit. There will be flexibility in working pattern with the Acute Medical team.

About us
Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust has its headquarters at Darent Valley Hospital (DVH) in Dartford, Kent. DVH is a relatively new purpose built Hospital, which opened in August 2000 and was the first Private Finance Initiative hospital to be completed. The Trust offers a comprehensive range of acute services, with a bed-base of 544, to around 400,000 people in North Kent and South East London.

As an ambitious organisation we are continuously looking for ways to enhance and improve the services that we offer patients. We have been successful in developing an acute care collaborative with Guys and St Thomas's NHS Foundation Trust, allowing us greater service development opportunities under the new 'Vanguard' partnership programme. In 2017 we are further develop services at Queen Mary's Hospital in Sidcup, focusing on planned care.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

• Provide medical leadership and deliver holistic care to patients admitted under (HAH), working in close collaboration with the wider multi-professional team.
• Independently manage patients with a wide range of acute medical presentations, including initial assessment of surgical patients.
• Make early and appropriate clinical decisions for emergency admissions.
• Supervise admissions into the HAH service and promote patient flow from the Emergency Department and step-down from wards.
• Lead the Hospital At Home post-take process by reviewing patient lists, identifying appropriate candidates for HAH admission, and coordinating timely transfer of care.
• Participate in and provide consultant leadership for acute medical post-take ward rounds, ensuring timely senior review, clear management planning, and safe patient flow.
• Provide medical support to community teams through advice, domiciliary visits, or outpatient assessments.
• Liaise effectively with colleagues in both primary and secondary care to ensure continuity and quality of care.
• Support daily handover meetings and multidisciplinary team (MDT) discussions.
• Meet with and provide support to patients relatives, ensuring clear and compassionate communication.
• Ensure that resuscitation and end-of-life care decisions are managed appropriately and sensitively.

Person Specification
Qualifications

• MBBS or equivalent medical qualification.
• Full registration (and with a licence to practise) with the General Medical Council (GMC)
• Applicants that are UK trained, must also be a holder of a Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT)
• Applicants that are non-UK trained, will be required to show evidence of equivalence to the UK CCT
• MRCP or evidence of equivalent qualification
• Success in Intercollegiate Speciality Examination or equivalent

Desirable

• CCT in general, acute or geriatric medicine
• Prior experience in acute, general medicine and frailty

Clinical Skills

• Wide experience in all aspects of acute medicine
• Experience of Multidisciplinary Team working at senior level.
• Ability to take full and independent responsibility for clinical care of patients at consultant level

Desirable

• Demonstrates ability in managing common acute and chronic conditions, including emergencies
• Experience of providing leadership
• Experience in working in the UK

Personal Skills

• Demonstrates clarity in written / spoken communication & capacity to adapt language as appropriate to the situation

Desirable

• Experience of service innovation and development Demonstrates an understanding of NHS Management and resources.

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.

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.

Applicants must have current UK professional registration.

Employer details
Employer name: Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust
Address: Darent Valley Hospital, Darenth Wood Road, Dartford, DA2 8DA, United Kingdom
Employer's website: Apply through our website