University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust

Consultant in Palliative Medicine

2.0 WTE

An exciting opportunity has been created for two dynamic and enthusiastic consultants to join a team of 4 WTE consultants and 12 CNS, specialty doctors, a specialist trainee, clinical fellows and an occupational therapist in the Supportive and Specialist Palliative Care Teams based across Bristol and Weston hospital sites. The posts are a consequence of significant investment by UHBW Trust Board in adult palliative and end of life care services and form a key component of our service development. Successful candidates will be warmly invited to help shape the future provision of palliative and end of life care within the Trust.

These are full time, substantive posts comprising 10 programmed activities including an on-call commitment. The postholders will work across Bristol and Weston hospital sites. Candidates wishing to work less than full time are welcome to apply. The successful candidate must be registered with the GMC with a valid licence to practice and will have completed Specialist Training (or equivalent) and be entered on the Specialist Register of the GMC or have a CCT date in Palliative Medicine within 6 months of the date of interview.

For further information or to arrange a visit please contact Dr Sophy Gretton, Clinical Lead for Supportive and Palliative Care via the SPCT Administrator, PalliativeCareBristol@uhbw.nhs.uk or by telephone on 0117 342 3598.

Main duties of the job

The post-holders will join a cohesive team comprised of consultants, Lead Nurse for Palliative & End of Life Care, clinical nurse specialists, specialty doctors, specialist trainees, clinical fellows and an occupational therapist. They will share medical responsibility for the provision of high-quality supportive and palliative care for adults, including teenagers and young adults referred to our service. They will contribute to supervision of junior medical staff, teaching to undergraduate medical students and in welcoming professional visitors to our team. Close collaboration with our wider holistic team includes chaplaincy, allied health professionals, psychology services and other healthcare providers.

About us

University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW) is one of the largest acute Trusts in the country, bringing together a combined workforce of over 13,000 staff and over 100 different clinical services across 10 different sites, serving a core population of more than 500,000 people across South West England. UHBW has been rated by the CQC as 'Good' overall and our staff are proud to deliver excellent care to the people of Bristol, Weston and beyond. As a forward- thinking multi-award winning Trust and a digital exemplar committed to improving patient care, our world-leading research and innovations are having a positive local and global impact. Our hospitals are spread across Bristol and Weston, join us and you can enjoy the very best of both worlds city living within a stone's throw of the countryside or beside the seaside, both with easy access to all that the South West has to offer. UHBW is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. As an equal opportunities employer actively working towards a diverse workforce we aim to recruit and retain a workforce which represents the rich diversity of the local population at all levels and are committed to designing our services around the needs of individual patients and those around them. Anonymous information will be used from your application in order to ensure we're meeting our pledge.

Job description
Job responsibilities

Please see the attached Job Description and Person Specifications for further details of this position.

Person Specification
Qualifications & Training
Essential

• Full Registration and a licence to practise with the General Medical Council (GMC)
• Entry onto the General Medical Council (GMC) Specialist Register in Specialist Palliative Medicine OR
• Eligible for specialist registration within six months of interview OR
• Holder of Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT), or evidence of within six months of award of CCT or equivalent by date of interview

Desirable

• Higher academic qualification e.g. MD, PhD or equivalent
• Educational Supervisor accreditation
• Advanced communication skills training
• Good Clinical Practice training

Experience
Essential

• Evidence of thorough and broad training and experience in palliative medicine
• Able to take full responsibility for delivering service without direct supervision
• Proven ability to efficiently manage patients with complex physical, psychological, spiritual and social problems.
• Proven ability to work well within a multidisciplinary team and support others to flourish
• Ability to respond sensitively to the individual needs of patients with palliative care needs and to the needs of carers, relatives and friends of people with palliative care needs
• Ability to work with sensitivity within a multicultural community

Desirable

• Ability to lead clinical care across professional and organisational boundaries
• Evidence of a special interest and expertise that complements those of other consultants in the department and is consistent with the Trust's service strategy
• Experience of drafting or contributing to multi-professional /multiagency clinical guidelines or care pathways

Clinical Knowledge and Skills
Essential

• Up to date knowledge and experience of specialist palliative care
• Knowledge of NHS priorities with reference to specialty
• Excellent skills relevant to the specialist palliative care of patients with malignant and non-malignant life-limiting illness
• Ability to organise efficient and smooth running specialist service. Proven ability to organise and prioritise workload
• Broad range of IT skills

Desirable

• Specific skills or qualifications in relation to ethical or legal matters pertaining to specialist palliative care
• Experience working with user led groups to enhance service delivery

Clinical Governance and Audit
Essential

• Understanding of clinical governance and the individual responsibilities it implies
• An understanding of and a proven ability to apply research findings to individual patients or populations of patients
• Knowledge of the principles of clinical audit and quality improvement with evidence of participation with particular reference to palliative medicine.
• An understanding of the importance of continuous professional development and life-long learning and evidence of participation in continuing professional development (CPD) scheme

Desirable

• Demonstrate experience as lead for clinical governance
• Lead for improvement initiative at local or regional level

Research
Essential

• Knowledge of the principles involved in research
• Evidence of involvement in research
• Interest in clinical research and an ability to apply research outcomes to clinical problems

Desirable

• Ability to increase the academic profile of the department
• Proven participation in clinical research.
• Publications in peer reviewed journals
• Experience in supervising undergraduate +/- postgraduate research projects
• Experience of patient and public involvement in service co-design

Teaching and Training
Essential

• Ability and commitment to teach in a clinical and academic setting
• Ability and commitment to teaching undergraduates and postgraduate medical staff
• Experience of supervising trainees
• Ability and commitment to teaching to a multidisciplinary team

Desirable

• Formal teaching qualification
• Experience in developing, implementing, and evaluating undergraduate +/- postgraduate training.
• Ability to teach advanced communications skills
• Teaching the Teacher course or Cert Med Ed

Management & Leadership
Essential

• Evidence of management training and evidence of learning from it
• Ability to motivate, inspire and support multi-professional teams and be able to work effectively within such teams
• Ability to cope with and effectively organise the workload of a consultant
• Ability to take on responsibility and show evidence of leadership

Desirable

• Demonstration of knowledge of NHS management structures
• Management experience
• Experience working at system-level and working with colleagues across health and care settings
• Experience and ability to lead a team effectively through change
• Ability to support advanced practitioners from other professional groups develop new skills

Interpersonal, communication and team working skills
Essential

• Excellent ability to communicate effectively with patients, relatives, clinical colleagues, support staff and other colleagues.
• Good knowledge of, and ability to use, spoken and written English
• Ability to present effectively to an audience, using a variety of methods, and to respond to questions and queries
• Ability to develop effective working relationships on an individual and multi-professional basis with all levels of staff both within and across divisions
• Ability to be a flexible team member and be skilled at encouraging and giving feedback

Desirable

• Experience working at system-level and working with colleagues across health and care settings

Any other Personal Abilities and Aptitudes
Essential

• Ability to adapt and respond to changing circumstances and support uncertainty
• Awareness of personal strengths and limitations
• Enquiring and critical approach to work
• Commitment & enthusiasm
• Ability to work under pressure and cope with setbacks

Desirable

• Ability to undertake additional professional responsibilities at local, regional or national levels
• A willingness to undertake additional professional responsibilities at local, regional or national levels

Behaviours and Values
Essential

• Be able to demonstrate a commitment to the four Trust values
• Reflect Trust values through examples in clinical practice
• Meets professional health requirements
• Willingness to travel to and work in other sites necessitated by the role.
• Ability to access places of work easily

387-SPS-3896-MP