We are looking for a dynamic and energetic geriatrician to join our Gerontology and Stroke services at the Princess Royal University Hospital. The Gerontology team at the PRUH is expanding and implementing a new structure with a wide complement of geriatric sub-specialities and exciting new opportunities for service development. The post will involve working on the Stroke Unit, looking after patients in the rehabilitation phase of their stroke inpatient stay, with the general geriatric commitment tailored to the interest and skill-mix of applicants. There will also be a GIM on-call commitment. The stroke service at King's PRUH is integrally linked with the comprehensive stroke centre at King's Denmark Hill and we have a 14 bedded HASU as well as the 26 bedded SU where the applicant will be based.

King's offers excellent opportunities for continuing career development and has a strong tradition of peer support and review. There is an active academic programme and a full range of sub-specialist interests amongst the consultant staff. There is also a strong focus on service re-design and innovation.

Interested candidates are encouraged to contact Dr Aza Abdulla, Consultant Geriatrician and Clinical Lead for Geriatrics (aza.abdulla@nhs.net) and Dr Debbie Ramsey - Stroke Clinical Lead PRUH (deborah.ramsey@nhs.net).

Main duties of the job

This is an exciting new post which has been developed to allow applicants to participate in producing her/his own job plan subject to approval and needs of the department. The post should appeal to those who enjoy all aspects of Gerontology. The applicant will provide medical cover for half of the inpatients on the 26 bedded Stroke Unit, which offers acute rehabilitation to patients beyond their first 72 hours post stroke. Sub-speciality training in stroke medicine is not required. The job plan is flexible in the choice(s) of other geriatric work the applicant might wish to pursue, with opportunities available to contribute to Ortho-geriatrics, acute frailty and community geriatrics in addition to surgical liaison, movement disorders, and continence services. The post holder may also consider starting a new service like geriatric neurology in agreement with the department. The successful candidate will join a team of 5 dedicated Geriatric Consultants and 5 Stroke/Neurology Consultants.

The job plan consists of 7.5 Programmed Activities of Direct Clinical Care and 2.5 SPA. 2-3 PAs will be dedicated to Stroke Unit ward care with the other PAs to be spent in other gerontology specialities. The post would be equally possible on a rotational basis shared between two applicants, e.g. spending 1 month at a time on the ward alternating with other activities for the other month. There is 1 PA for GIM on-call commitment which is approximately 1 in 18.

About us

King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is one of the UK's largest and busiest teaching Trusts with a turnover of c1 billion, 1.5 million patient contacts a year and more than 15,000 staff based across South East London. The Trust provides a full range of local and specialist services across its five sites. The trust-wide strategy of Strong Roots, Global Reachis our Vision to be BOLD, Brilliant people, Outstanding care, Leaders in Research, Innovation and Education, Diversity, Equality and Inclusion at the heart of everything we do. By being person-centred, digitally-enabled, and focused on sustainability, we aim to take Team King's to another level.

We are at a pivotal point in our history and we require individuals who are ready to join a highly professional team and make a real, lasting difference to our patients and our people.

King's is committed to delivering Sustainable Healthcare for All via our Green Plan. In line with national Greener NHS ambitions, we have set net zero carbon targets of 2040 for our NHS Carbon Footprint and 2045 for our NHS Carbon Footprint Plus. Everyone's contribution is required in order to meet the goals set out in our Green Plan and we encourage all staff to work responsibly, minimising their contributions to the Trust's carbon emissions, waste and pollution wherever possible.

Job description
Job responsibilities

The Department of Clinical Gerontology

1. Introduction 

The appointed physicians will join a progressive and innovative Department of Clinical Gerontology working closely with colleagues in other departments and in the community to provide a comprehensive service to the older population of the London Borough of Bromley and surrounding areas.

The PRUH Gerontology and Acute Stroke services sit within the same division and closely linked. The post is designed to bridge the two services, with flexibility for post-holders as to their relative involvement in each service. The Gerontology department has a strong history of service provision, integration with community and primary care, teaching and research. 1200 over 75s attend the PRUH ED monthly. Patients are received from four London Boroughs and NW Kent. Bromley Boroughs resident population is about 300,000, with the largest elderly population of all the London boroughs (17.5% over 65s) and a greater proportion of people aged over 85 (2.6%) than any other London borough. This inevitably requires greater investment in services for older patients, including with acute stroke care and rehabilitation. This has led to this innovative expansion of the department into integrated posts and the development of services for our most frail elderly population. A bespoke Acute Frailty Unit serving the London Borough of Bromley according to local need and demographics, has recently opened at the PRUH. Our aim is to share in a fully integrated cross-barrier, leading-edge centre for excellence in Gerontology, Frailty and Acute Stroke care across the borough.

Working closely with Bromley CCG and other local providers to implement the Out of Hospital strategy for Bromley, our unified aims are to help the people of Bromley live longer, healthier, happier lives. The first phase of this strategy was the implementation of three Integrated Care Networks (ICNs), geographically located around Primary Care and focused around three community hubs, each serving circa 100,000 adult populations. During 2016/17 we co-designed a proactive pathway with a frailty focus to provide integrated case management supported by a multi-disciplinary team that includes specialist geriatrician input. This aims to provide seamlessly integrated, innovative care for frail patients.

The department was part of cohort 4 of the Acute Frailty Network and is working to embed Clinical Frailty Scoring and Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment into practice across all relevant specialities.

We provide a comprehensive service for older adults with an increasing number of sub-specialty services reflecting the increasing evidence base for quality services for this population. It is envisaged that the appointee(s) will contribute to the development and delivery of subspecialty areas of these services depending upon their interests and experience.

The PRUH Acute Stroke Unit is co-located with the 14 bedded Hyperacute Stroke Unit (separately staffed) and there are close links with the Stroke service at Kings Denmark Hill.

The post-holder will form an integral part of the department of Clinical Gerontology at the PRUH and Orpington sites and will participate in all clinical governance, teaching and training aspects of the departments work. She/He willplay an active role in the general workload of the department of Geriatric Medicine. 

1. Clinical Organisation 

The Departments of Clinical Gerontology and Stroke Medicine sit within the Adult Medicine Care Group within the PRUH and South sites Division within Kings College Hospital NHS Trust. Other services managed within the Care Group include the Emergency Department, Acute Medicine, and Palliative Care. The Adult Medicine Division / Care Group has a leadership structure headed by a Clinical Director, General Manager and Head of Nursing. Services within the care group are managed by a Clinical Lead, Service Managers and Matrons.

The clinical lead works closely with the service manager and matrons, and is responsible for the service development and for ensuring liaison between the divisional management team and the clinical team.

For further information please visit:https://www.careersatkings.co.uk/roles/acute-frailty-service/

Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential 

• Registerable medical qualification.
• MRCP or equivalent.

Desirable 

• Higher degree or diploma (e.g., MD, Ph.D.)

Registration
Essential 

• Full Registration with GMC and Name on Specialist Register for GIM on date of taking up appointment.

Desirable 

• CCT (or equivalent) in Geriatrics or within six months of the expected date of on the day of interview.
• Name on Specialist Register for Geriatric Medicine.

Training and Experience
Essential 

• Wide experience in all aspects of geriatric medicine and interest in obtaining further qualifications in post.
• Extensive experience in and knowledge of Geriatric Medicine.

Desirable 

• Stroke-specific experience beyond that obtained within general Geriatric medicine.

Administration
Essential 

• Some knowledge in day to day organisation of geriatric medicine services in a busy Teaching Hospital.

Desirable 

• Familiar with current structure of Health Service and conversant with recent initiatives and changes

Management and Leadership
Essential 

• Able to demonstrate leadership capability within multi-disciplinary teams.

Desirable 

• Management course and/or qualification.

Audit
Essential 

• Thorough understanding of principles of medical audit.
• Must have undertaken and completed audit projects.

Research and Publications
Essential 

• Experience of clinical research. Publication of relevant review articles or case reports.

Desirable 

• Publication of original research papers.
• Experience of recruitment to CRN studies.

Teaching
Essential 

• Experience of undergraduate and post-graduate teaching and exam preparation.2

Desirable 

• Teaching skills course/ qualification.

Personal Skills
Essential 

• Effective communicator, able to work in a close-knit team and co-operate with all medical and paramedical staff
• Flexible, able to cover colleagues' absence

Desirable 

BMJ Ref: BMJ-109120/213-PRUH-2753-H