The appointee will join an enthusiastic and friendly department of Rheumatology which is an integral part of the Division of Medicine at the QEH.

To ensure the continued delivery of high-quality care to patients within the trust and to contribute to the further development of the Rheumatology service.

To provide expert advice and treatment for patients with rheumatic disorders on an outpatient and inpatient basis, including seeing ward referrals, triaging new referrals and providing clinical recommendations via advice and guidance and the Rheumatology help line.

Main duties of the job

The appointed consultant would be expected to contribute to the on-going service improvement programme developing:

• Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT)
• Cost Improvement programme (CIP)
• Implementing evidence based new ways of working when necessary

We also encourage consultants to apply for fellowship of the Faculty of Medical Leadership and Management, to which we are an affiliated member.

About us

With over 4,000 staff (known as TeamQEH), the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Kings Lynn is one of the biggest employers in West Norfolk, supporting the health and wellbeing of the local community. QEH has 518 beds, 18 wards, a budget of circa £220m and provides a comprehensive range of specialist, acute, obstetrics and community-based services to those who live in the three counties of Norfolk, Cambridgeshire and Lincolnshire.

We are passionate about our journey of improvement. Our vision is to become the best rural district general hospital for patient and staff experience in the UK. We strive to deliver services that our local communities can be proud of, and to deliver exceptionally high standards of care, consistently for our patients and their families. Team QEH are one of the most research-active organisations for our size in the UK, recruiting 2,188 patients in 20/21, and were ranked 27/507 nationally for Covid related research. We have a wide-ranging and diverse portfolio of clinical studies and are recognised as one of the fastest trusts in the country from set up to recruitment.

TeamQEH is proud to be an inclusive employer, with many active staff networks. We have also been recognised as an exemplar employer by BAPIO (British Association of Physicians of Indian Origin) and offer outstanding health and wellbeing initiatives to support our staff and to implement our learning from the pandemic.

Job description
Job responsibilities

Clinical

• To provide expert opinion and management advice for patients with rheumatic and connective tissue diseases newly referred on an out-patient basis by General Practitioners and hospital colleagues.
• To supervise the cases of some existing follow up patients with RA and other connective tissue diseases.
• Help set up outreach community clinics in keeping with the Trusts vision of keeping Care closer to home. There are existing clinics at North Cambridgeshire Hospital Wisbech.
• To oversee the structured follow-up, increasingly on a multi-disciplinary basis, of patients with chronic inflammatory joint disease and connective tissue disorders.
• To share responsibility for the smooth running of the Early Arthritis Clinic and to oversee the transition of patients from that clinic to nurse-led follow up clinics according to NICE guidelines.
• To oversee the safety monitoring of patients receiving potentially toxic therapies.
• To provide expert opinion and supervision on request for patients suspected of having rheumatic conditions admitted to hospital under the care of other consultants.
• To undertake intra-articular and soft tissue injection therapy as appropriate.
• To oversee help line for Rheumatology patients.
• Triage new patients and support primary care colleagues via advice and guidance.
• Taking ward referrals and advising colleagues in other specialities.
• To supervise Nurse led clinics and trainee doctors
• To take part in the integrated general medical on call. Currently each consultant acts as physician of the day supervising the Medical Assessment Unit on approximately a 1:18 rota.

Organisational

• Teaching and training of junior staff, medical students and other healthcare professionals.
• To act as clinical/educational supervisor to locally employed doctors and doctors in training programmes of a variety of grades and experience as appropriate.
• To actively participate in both departmental and Trust matters concerning Clinical Governance and audit.
• To provide leadership and support for the effective development of the service.
• To have responsibility for ensuring active participation in Continuing Professional Development (CPD).
• To further develop clinical protocols, guidelines, and concise care bundles.
• To carry out responsibilities with due regard to the Trusts Equal Opportunities Policy.
• To be aware of the responsibility of all employees to maintain a safe and healthy environment for patients, visitors and staff and attend all relevant health and safety training.
• To ensure that all duties are carried out to the highest possible standard.
• To carry out annual performance reviews with each member of their staff.
• To agree annual personal development plans with their staff and support them with any training or development requirements to fulfil their role.
• To attend all relevant management training in health and safety, risk assessment etc.
• To participate in personal objective setting and review, including the creation of a personal development plan and the Trusts appraisal process.

Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential

• MMBS or equivalent medical qualification.
• MRCPUK in General Medicine or equivalent experience.

Desirable

• MRCPUK - Rheumatology

Experience
Essential

• Full Registration and a licence to practise with the General Medical Council.
• Entry on GMC Specialist Register; eligible for entry on Register or within six months of receipt of Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT) or Certificate of Eligibility for Specialist Registration (CESR) in Rheumatology at time of interview
• Meets the criteria set out in the Specialist generic capabilities framework

Skills and Knowledge
Essential