We are seeking an enthusiastic physician to join our team of 16 Acute Physicians to participate in the on-going development and evolution of our Acute Medical Unit (AMU) and to play a key role in the management of emergency admissions. With this new appointment we expect to be fully compliant with the London Quality Standards.

Main duties of the job

These posts have been developed in order to be able to deliver a sustainable model of acute care. The London Quality Standards recognise the importance of a dedicated Acute Physician team leading acute care. These posts present an excellent opportunity for a clinician, with experience and considerable understanding of all aspects of acute medicine with or without a specialist interest, to join a team dynamic team of physicians committed to the delivery of the highest standard of patient care. This individual will be expected to contribute to the ongoing development of the clinical interface with both Primary Care and the Emergency Department at St George's.

There may be an opportunity to pursue an area of specialist interest in the following specialties; Respiratory Medicine, Gastroenterology, Diabetes and Endocrinology and Geriatric Medicine. There may also be an opportunity to pursue interest in other specialties and areas, subject to needs of individual specialties and departments.

(Still pending RCP - Royal College of Physicians approval)

About us

The Acute Medicine Directorate has continually evolved in recent years in order to meet the demand for acute care. This has increased consultant input within the initial 24-48 hours following admission. These posts are pivotal to the assessment and management of acutely unwell adult patients. We are also striving to continually improve geriatric services which most recently has seen integration across the acute and community based teams

The current job plan has been designed to provide a sustainable post in Acute Medicine with or without a complementary specialty. The job plan is designed on an annualised basis which allows some flexibility, which is particularly helpful in terms of participating in specialty work. There will be an expected commitment to all aspects of the service including; the acute medicine on call rota, physician of the week and Cavell ward rotas, weekend working and the Ambulatory Assessment Area (AAA).

The appointee is expected to participate in undergraduate, postgraduate and multi-disciplinary education programmes and to play a full part in Clinical Governance.

Job description
Job responsibilities

The Acute Medicine rota will be based on a 14 WTE model, all of whom are dedicated acute physicians. We operate an Acute Physicians of the day model. The post-night consultant period begins with non-resident on-call, followed by a post-night ward round commencing at 08:00, and then an MDT triage meeting and an afternoon ward round. The on-call Physician starts at 08.30 and is then responsible for admissions until 21:00hrs. All referrals from primary care and SDEC are received by the on-call consultant and are triaged to ambulatory care or admission avoidance clinics, which run daily. Referrals from the Emergency Department are taken by the on call SpR, with support from the consultant where required. We currently operate a process model for patients from the Emergency Department in order to maximise productivity and in order to avoid admission where possible. Our ambulatory care team consists of nurse practitioners, nurse co-ordinator, triage nurse, bay nurses alongside the on call team.

On day two of a patients stay, we attempt to preserve continuity with the on call consultant from the previous day being responsible for the ongoing care of the patients admitted in the prior 24 hours.

Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential

• Higher Research Degree
• Entered on the Specialist Register for General/Acute Medicine +/- complimentary medical speciality
• MRCP or Equivalent
• Full registration with GMC

Experience
Essential

• Higher specialist training with CCT in General/Acute Medicine +/- another medical speciality
• Advanced Life Support Certificate
• Demonstrable experience in Clinical Governance activities

Desirable

• Demonstrable experience in teaching
• Demonstrable experience in research with an appropriate publication record

Knowledge
Essential

• Detailed knowledge of Acute Medicine
• Understanding of modern medical curricula and of learning assessment tools

Desirable

• Detailed knowledge of the specialist skills required for this post

Skills
Essential

• . Ability to take on independent clinical responsibility whilst working as part of a multi-disciplinary team
• Ability to organize and manage staff and resources effectively
• Ability to communicate effectively with GPs and other professionals in hospital and community
• Ability to teach medical students and junior medical and nursing staff

Desirable

• Ability to engage busy clinicians in the ongoing development of the acute medical service
• Ability to develop research projects and supervise trainees in their research

Personal Disposition
Essential

• Caring attitude to patients
• Flexible and co-operative approach to colleagues and team members
• Demonstrable ability to cope under pressure
• Demonstrable commitment to continuing medical education

BMJRef: BMJ-116543/200-MCCEM-5142676-AU