Job summary
Applications are invited for a (10PA) consultant post based in the Acute Medicine Unit (AMU) at University Hospitals Plymouth. The post also offers 2 PAs of other specialist work on negotiation. We have a broad range of services within Derriford hospital and welcome the opportunity to allow our acute medical colleagues to include this within their job plans. Specialties supporting Acute Medicine where sub-specialty work may be developed include Gastroenterology, Respiratory, Cardiology, Neurology / Stroke, Hepatology, Diabetes & Endocrinology, Geriatric Medicine & Frailty, General Internal Medicine, and Infectious Diseases. (For applicants who do not meet the substantive post criteria, there may be a CESR portfolio pathway option which allows for a 12 month locum position until CESR requirements can be achieved).

The post holder will provide clinical leadership within the Acute Medical Department, and provide excellent holistic medical care within the team on the Acute Medical Unit (AMU), Medical Same Day Emergency Care (Medical SDEC), the Virtual Ward and the Emergency Department (when senior input is required). You will be part of a dedicated team of Acute Medicine Consultants and provide supervision, working collaboratively within our dynamic acute medicine team consisting of doctors-in-training, physicians associates and advanced clinical practitioners. We have close relationships with our registered nurses and allied health professional colleagues.

Main duties of the job
Our AMU is now comprised of 73 beds (which includes a new medical receiving unit) , seeing approximately 20,000 patients per year, and has a well-supported Medical Same Day Emergency Care Unit (Medical SDEC). A new medical model is increasing patients access to medical SDEC, supported by medical specialties with virtual wards and Hot Clinics. The in-patients are reviewed between 0800 and 1200 hours by three consultants (including 2 Acute Physicians and 1 General physician) and we aim to see all the new admissions from overnight. The Take consultant provides AMU cover until 8pm.

About us
University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust is the largest hospital in the Southwest peninsula and a major trauma centre, providing comprehensive secondary and tertiary healthcare.

Our geography gives us a secondary care catchment population of 450,000 with a wider peninsula population of almost 2,000,000 people who can access our specialist services. The population is characterised by its diversity - the rural and the urban, the wealthy and pockets of deprivation, and wide variance in health and life expectancy. Population ageing is a recognised national trend, but is exacerbated locally by the drift of younger people out of the area and older people in. The proportion of our population aged 85 or over is growing ahead of the national average by approximately 10 years and we have developed a Population Health Strategy in response to this demographic shift.

Job responsibilities
There are currently 13 Acute Medicine Consultants with a major commitment to acute medicine and further 4 Physicians with part-time commitment to acute medicine. The Medical Take on-call rota comprises General Medicine consultants from various medical specialties. Successful applicants for these posts will commit to the full take rota and acute medicine weekend working. The post holder will also be contributing to medical take on call (weekends only) but will not be required to work more than 1:7 weekends.

Acute physicians roles: The Acute Physician of the day (APOD)
Supervises the medical take from 0800-1730 and is clinician in charge of the AMU shop floor during this period. The APOD will see approximately 1/3 of the AMU patients between 0800 and 1300 hours. The afternoon session is given to further review of sick patients identified on the post take ward round and timely review of new admissions. The APOD runs the 0800 and 1700 twice daily safety briefs and the daily 1100 board round.

Take assist
Reviews new medical admissions between 0800-1300 hours. This includes patients for post take ward round and those who have been on the unit for more than 24 hours.

Medical SDEC consultant:
The Medical SDEC is covered from 0800-2000 from Mondays to Fridays and from 0800-1730 from Saturday to Sunday.

Weekend duties:
Acute Medicine Consultants will be expected to work no more than one in seven weekends, in line with other medical specialties. This may comprise of a long take day (0800-2000hrs) and a shorter day on SDEC (0900-1700) or MRU depending upon the rota,

Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential

• Entry on the GMC Specialist Register in Acute Internal Medicine or General Internal Medicine via one of the following: Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT) (The proposed CCT date must be within 6 months of interview). Certificate of Eligibility for Specialist Registration (CESR), MRCP (UJ) or an equivalent Qualification

Desirable

• MD, PhD or equivalent
• Specialty Certificate Examination in Acute Internal Medicine
• Preferable CCT in Acute Internal Medicine
• Evidence of sub-specialty or other specific training: CCT in another sub-specialty e.g Infectious Diseases

Skills
Essential

• Ability to offer expert clinical opinion in a range of problems during the acute unselected medical take
• Ability to take full and independent responsibility for the care of patients as an independent practitioner

Desirable

• Experience of NHS
• Accreditation in point of care ultrasound in diagnosis in acute medicine patients
• Higher training medicine specialty training scheme

Teaching
Essential

• Ability to teach clinical and practical skills
• Ability to supervise, appraise, coach and mentor doctors in training

Desirable

• Evidence of interest and ability to educate. E.g. teaching experience and supervision of projects.

Communication
Essential

• Ability to form constructive and effective professional relationships with patients and staff
• Enthusiasm and the ability to work under pressure
• An enquiring and critical approach to work Caring attitude to patients
• Ability to communicate effectively with colleagues, patients, relatives, GPs, nurses and other staff and agencies Commitment to Continuing Medical Education and Professional Development. Ability to delegate appropriately
• Ability to lead, communicate, liaise and negotiate with others
• Ability to advise on efficient and smooth running of specialist service
• Ability to motivate, innovate and support staff of all disciplines
• Ability to organise, and manage outpatient priorities, waiting times/lists
• Ability to manage and lead clinical team. Competent in basic information technology

Desirable

• Advanced skills in information and technology

Research & Clinical Audit
Essential

• Evidence of enthusiasm for research and active participation in audit and quality improvement
• Ability to use validated evidence base and clinical audit to support decision making Ability to understand and apply research methodology

Desirable

• Publications in peer reviewed journals. Presentations and / or publications in particular areas of research

Patient Safety
Essential

• Understanding of the Clinical Governance process
• Active participation in patient safety work and service development
• Dedicated training in patient safety and clinical governance

Management
Essential

• Ability to organise and prioritise workload effectively
• Documented previous contribution to substantial departmental development Ability to plan strategically and to exercise sound judgments when faced with conflicting pressures
• Ability to motivate and develop the multi-disciplinary team, balancing departmental and personal objectives
• Running a service and participation in management process

Desirable

• Formal training Leadership and Management

Practical Requirements
Essential

• Ability and willingness to work the stipulated hours with any reasonable adjustment to take account of any local requirement or disability

Desirable

• Formal training Leadership and Management

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).

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).
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).