This is an exciting opportunity to join a dynamic and supportive team working to provide excellent Palliative Care for the people of Walsall. You will enjoy being a member of our committed and enthusiastic multidisciplinary team including Consultants, Management team, Specialist Palliative Care CNSs, Specialist Day Hospice, Specialist Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy as well as a range of supportive Palliative care services.

Applicants are invited for a 10 PA Staff Grade post in Palliative Medicine based at Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust to support the 12 bedded inpatient unit and Community Team.

Main duties of the job

This job will be based in Walsall Palliative Care Centre which hosts a 12 bedded specialist palliative care in-patient unit, Specialist Day Hospice and Community Team. A focus of the job will be to support the care provided on the inpatient unit. Walsall's integrated Community and Acute NHS Trust allows employees to work flexibly across care settings to best meet patients' needs.

About us

Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust is a busy acute hospital providing the full range of services normally expected in a District General Hospital. We are an integrated organisation providing community and hospital services within the local health economy with a total income of just over 220 million. The Trust directly employs over 4000 staff making us one of the largest employers in Walsall.

Walsall Healthcare is an integrated organisation providing services from the newly built spectacular, light, airy, high-tech and ecologically-friendly building. The landmark development, in Pleck Road, heralds a new dawn for healthcare in the town and brings all of the hospital's services under one roof.

This new hospital comprises of State of the art Outpatient, diagnostic and treatment facilities for short stay cases whilst the upgraded older building provides emergency care for emergency patients.

Job description
Job responsibilities

1) Provide specialist medical care, advice and support in order to provide high quality individualised care to patients/clientsin line with local and national guidelines.2) Work together with other members of the medical team and MDT to ensure excellent medical and holistic assessmentand care.3) Participate in weekly Specialist Palliative Care MDT meetings and other MDTs as required.4) Carry out basic clinical procedures as necessary including phlebotomy, cannulation occasionally catheterisation. Perform / arrange other necessary procedures for patient comfort such as abdominal paracentesis and blood transfusions. The post holder will not be expected to attempt procedures in which they do not feel competent.5) Maintain accurate and timely patient records.

Further information is held within the Job Description.

Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential

• Full GMC registration
• Medical Degree, ie MBBS or equivalent

Experience
Essential 

• Completion of at least 4 years full-time postgraduate training (or pro-rata if undertaken on a flexible/part time basis)
• Achievement of CMT competencies or GP training or equivalent
• Experience of Palliative Care in generalist and specialist settings
• At least one years experience of working within NHS
• Participates in all elements required for revalidation, including: Providing evidence of appropriate CPD Participation in annual appraisal
• Awareness of the differing needs of local population in relation to ethnicity and other areas of diversity and/or inequality

Skills
Essential 

• Ability to work collaboratively with colleagues and within a multi-disciplinary team.
• Excellent communication skills including in spoken and written English.
• Ability to offer expert clinical advice on a range of problems within the specialty.
• Able to manage complex clinical situations.
• Ability to organise and prioritise workload effectively.
• Ability to plan strategically and to exercise sound judgements when faced with conflicting pressures.
• Experience of conducting clinical audit and participation in service improvement.

Knowledge
Essential 

• Understand complex decision making including with reference to MCA.
• Expert understanding of pharmacological and non-pharmacological symptom assessment and management
• Be able to identify when senior support is required.
• Understand the current NHS environment, particularly in relation to reforms, initiatives and issues.
• Understand the priorities and challenges of governance within a specialist palliative care service setting.
• Understand how to interpret research findings and put them into practice when appropriate

OTHER
Essential 

• Ability to work with people experiencing loss, bereavement and suffering
• Ability to understand own self care needs and to give and receive peer support
• Ability to travel for home visits
• Passion for specialty
• Commitment to Trust values 

BMJRef: BMJ-116325/407-MLTC-4467988-B