Job responsibilities
Our Services
- 13 bed
inpatient unit (the primary area of work for the successful applicant)
- Community
team meeting the needs of patients dying in their homes in Greenwich and Bexley
boroughs, as well as care homes and local prisons
- 14 bed
virtual ward offering intensive support at home for dying patients to remain at
home in line with their wishes
- Specialist
Hospital team working with Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust (Queen Elizabeth
Hospital site).
-A wellbeing
and palliative rehabilitation team offering a wide range of services to support
patients earlier in their journey, as well as later in their journey
In order to provide a co-ordinated service for our patients,
close links have been established with a number of external organisations
including:
South East
London Integrated Care System
Greenwich
and Bexley Boroughs
Oxleas
Community Services
Lewisham
and Greenwich NHS Trust
Other
specialist palliative care providers in the area including St Christophers
Hospice
South East
London Cancer Alliance
Local
Primary Care Teams
The hospice is committed to the development and
education of its own staff as well as providing training to other health and
care professionals across SE London.
The Medical Team
The medical team within the
Hospice consists of a senior team made up of Consultants and experienced GPs
with extended roles, supported by specialty doctors and rotational GP and F2 residents.
Job Summary
The medical team works closely with the
multi-professional team across all settings.
This role is primarily to support patients on the inpatient unit, but
flexibility will be required from the successful candidate who may also have
the opportunity to gain experience in other parts of the Hospices integrated
service.
This role will provide excellent experience for any
doctor considering palliative medicine as a career, or indeed any doctor whose
chosen specialism will involve caring for patients with terminal illness.
Areas of Responsibility
The appointee will fulfil the
following clinical duties for the Hospice with appropriate senior support:
- Contribute
to discussions regarding inpatient unit admissions
- Assess
and manage ward patients within the bounds of your experience and competence,
and seek senior support appropriately
- Participate
in twice weekly Consultant Ward Rounds
- Recognise
the role and importance of the multidisciplinary team in patient care, and
communicate well across the team.
- Excellent
communication with patients and their families, with a holistic approach to
their symptoms, showing empathy, as well as clinical acumen.
- Contribute
to weekly Multidisciplinary Team Meetings
- Clerk
new ward admissions daily
- Undertake
appropriate clinical administrative duties and required of the role eg discharge summaries, Urgent
Care Plans
- Participate
in Medical first on-call rota for the inpatient unit (up to 1:4 weeknights and
weekends). Nights are non-resident.
- Participation
in audit and Quality Improvement Projects
- Enthusiastic
engagement with and commitment to the central values and ethos of the hospice
Please note this list is not
exhaustive and will be reviewed frequently. Flexibility will be required from
the successful candidate.
Clinical Practice
To provide a high standard of
holistic and individualised patient care to patients with palliative and end of
life care needs by:
Acting as a role model, exhibiting high standards of
professional behaviour.
Valuing and working with the multi-professional team to
achieve best outcomes for the patient
Acting as a reflective practitioner, applying evidence
based practice and critical thinking to all practices and processes of
care.
Working collaboratively with other professionals
involved in the patients care outwith the hospice
Prioritising own workload according to the day
to day needs of the service.
Providing guidance, support, advice and information to
patients and their family / carers throughout their illness. Understand when to
refer on to other professionals.
Promoting patient autonomy, providing information,
empowering them and acting as an advocate so that the individual is able to
make informed choices about their own care within their own context.
Ensuring that all necessary written documentation
including the Electronic Patient Record is completed in a timely way and that
appropriate data is collected and documented in line with Hospice practice.
Engaging with clinical supervision.
Communication
Fostering positive and supportive working relations
with all members of the Hospital, Hospice, Social Care and Primary Healthcare
Teams.
Contributing to hospice-wide multidisciplinary meetings
relating to the care of patients and their families/carers.
Promoting and practicing excellent communication skills
with patients, family and members of the multi-disciplinary team.
Contributing positively to the development of Greenwich
& Bexley Community Hospice as an anti discriminatory organisation, actively
promoting equality and diversity.
Quality
Monitoring standards of care and reporting issues back
using Hospice clinical governance structures.
Working to ensure that patient dignity is respected at
all times, before and after death.
The appointee will need to satisfy the GMCs
requirements for appraisal and revalidation and keep up to date in developments
in palliative medicine through continued professional development and
attendance at appropriate study days.
Grief & Loss
Working with the multidisciplinary team to support
patients and those important to them with empathy and understanding
Identifying those who are at risk in bereavement, or as
they anticipate loss, and, where required, referring them to appropriate
professionals within the team and externally.
Education & Training
Identifying own learning and professional development
needs,
Engage with required mandatory training.
Participating in and contributing to in-house
educational programmes.
Teaching and supporting medical and non medical
colleagues to develop their skillset and understanding.
Research and Audit
Participating
in audit of services on a regular basis so that patient care is continuously
reviewed and improved.
Using
up-to-date research / evidence to deliver patient care, disseminating this
knowledge to all members of the multi-professional team.
Additional Information
The post holder will
Work within the GMCs Code of Conduct.
Be familiar with and adhere to all Hospice, policies
and procedures and relevant policies and procedures of external organisations
as appropriate.
Actively promote Hospice services.
At all times respect confidentiality and in particular
the confidentiality of all personal data stored, in line with the requirements
of the Data Protection Act
Be aware of and adhere to individual responsibilities under
the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and to take reasonable care of their own
health and safety and that of others who may be affected by their acts or
omissions. Identify and report, as
necessary, any untoward accident, incident or potentially hazardous
environment.
The post is covered by the Published Terms &
Conditions for Medical and Dental Staff (England & Wales).
The new appointee may, on exceptional occasion, be
required to return to the hospice as part of on call duties.
The successful applicant will require screening by the
Occupation Health Service.
The post is subject to a satisfactory enhanced DBS
security clearance.
The new appointee is responsible for arranging
appropriate Medical Indemnity Insurance, the fees from which will be reimbursed
by the Hospice.
This job description is intended
as an outline of the general areas of activity and will be amended from time to
time in the light of the changing needs of the organisation.
