Medical Director

Job responsibilities

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

The post holder will be based at the Hospice and will work with other staff to undertake or ensure:-

Clinical Responsibilities

• Have overall clinical responsibility and accountability for the delivery of Hospice medical services across all areas, working closely with the Director of Care and other members of the multi-disciplinary team.
• Along with the Director of Care, CEO and hospice management team, ensure that the Hospice complies with the CQC regulatory framework for Hospices
• Have daily clinical oversight with senior clinical input and provide guidance to the Hospice medical team, ANPs and nursing staff when required.
• Regularly review the medical care provision, ensuring it is in line with best practice.
• Ensure specialist palliative medicine advice is available to health professionals at all times.
• Promote and participate in multidisciplinary team meetings, providing medical input as required.
• Provide clinical advice by telephone to external health care professionals as required.
• Confirmation and certification of death in line with Hospice protocol, liaising with the Coroners Office where required by law and local practice and ensuring all required documentation is completed.
• Keep appropriate records in order to comply with General Medical Council requirements for Revalidation.
• Link closely with Consultants in Palliative Medicine across the locality, developing and strengthening links with the Hospice.
• Ensure any medical/clinical incidents are reported promptly in line with Hospice policy.
• Participate in the on-call rota with medical colleagues as required.
• Use significant knowledge and experience of specialist palliative care to horizon scan and look for opportunities for innovative clinical practice.

Management and Leadership

• Act as a key member of the Senior Management team, contributing to the governance and strategic direction of the Hospice.
• Work closely with the Director of Care to ensure there is good clinical governance in place.
• Attend and actively contribute to relevant Trustee/governance meetings, including Board Meetings and Patient Care Committee.
• In conjunction with the Director of Care, ensure any clinical incidents or complaints are investigated appropriately and that actions are taken to prevent recurrence.
• Take a role in the development of specialist palliative care in the locality and represent the Hospice at strategic meetings, networking events and working groups.
• Have management responsibility for the medical team including recruitment, development and overseeing the appraisals of medical staff to ensure that they meet the criteria for revalidation.
• Oversee the workloads of medical staff, ensuring these are manageable and that any staffing issues are managed effectively.
• Ensure the co-ordination of annual leave, study leave and other absences of medical staff, ensuring these are managed appropriately.
• Ensure any performance or conduct issues within the medical team are dealt with promptly and in line with HR policies.
• Regularly review medical policies and procedures, ensuring these are updated in line with clinical guidance and evidence-based practice.
• Manage the medical out of hours rota ensuring appropriate coverage.
• Act as an ambassador locally and within the Cheshire and Merseyside Region.

Education, Research and Audit

• Provide training and education to other Hospice staff as required.
• Provide regular teaching sessions for medical trainees/clinical students, in liaison with other clinical providers/local universities.
• Teaching at external educational events by invitation, upholding the Hospices good reputation.
• In liaison with relevant staff members, strengthen education and training in palliative care for all staff across all sectors.
• Influence the development of good practice and participate in the implementation of appropriate changes in local palliative care arrangements.
• Explore and support opportunities for the Hospice to participate in research and innovative projects.
• Contribute to the development of research initiatives within the Hospice and externally where appropriate.
• Ensure medical care outcomes are effectively audited and that any issues or concerns are addressed promptly and transparently.
• Supervise Hospice doctors carrying out audit projects within the Hospice.
• Initiate, supervise and participate in local and network wide research/audit initiatives.

Continuing Professional Development

• The post holder will be expected to keep up their Continuing Professional Development (CPD) in accordance with Royal College of Physicians criteria and maintain full registration with the General Medical Council.
• Appropriate study and professional leave may be taken in accordance with the prior agreement of the CEO and based on the needs of the Hospice at the time.
• Participate in the annual appraisal and 5 yearly revalidation processes in line with professional registration requirements.

Peer Support and Mentoring

Mentoring will be available through the Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (MCHFT) aka Leighton Hospital. In addition, the appointee will have opportunities for peer support through attendance at network meetings at the regular MDT meetings and informally with other palliative care colleagues.

As Designated Body & Responsible Officer MCHFT have a number of statutory duties in relation to the evaluation of the fitness to practise of every licensed doctor that has a prescribed connection to MCHFT. These include, ensuring that the MCHFT carries out regular appraisals on its doctors and that as the RO, make recommendations to the GMC about the fitness to practise for all the licensed doctors that have a prescribed connection to MCHFT.

Mid Cheshire Hospital Trust will act as the Designated Body and provide the Responsible Officer role for the Medical Director via an SLA. MCHFT would provide Medical revalidation/ appraisal and act as the Hospices liaison with the GMC.

On call Commitment

There is currently no formal second on-call rota, but it is anticipated that this will change in the near future. Provision of a 7-day Specialist Palliative Care service in all care settings is a strategic priority within Mid Cheshire. The postholder would be expected to develop and improve medical on call, taking a leading role across Mid Cheshire. Going forward the successful post-holder would be expected to participate in the 2nd on-call rota for palliative medicine for all healthcare settings across Mid Cheshire to support the CNS led service in hospital and community, the first on-call doctor within the Hospice, to support the out of hours advice line at the Hospice and to provide telephone advice to health professionals out of hours when required. They will also be expected to provide cover for colleagues during leave as necessary.

ST LUKES VALUES

The Medical Director is required to uphold the organisations values, preserving the excellent reputation of the clinical care provided by the hospice.

The role will be instrumental in inspiring, pursuing and implementing the highest standards of end of life care across all care settings.

They will work and organise others to ensure that St Lukes Hospice is seen as a centre of excellence in end of life care.

HEALTH AND SAFETY

Under health and safety legislation each individual has a legal responsibility for their own welfare and for the health and safety of others and to co-operate in maintaining their place of work in a tidy and safe condition, thereby minimizing risk. Any queries you may have relating to health and safety matters should be raised in the first instance with your line manager.

Similarly, it is each persons responsibility to ensure a secure environment and bring any breaches of security to the attention of their manager.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES

St. Luke's (Cheshire) Hospice has given its full commitment to the adoption and promotion of the key principles of equal opportunities contained within current legislation and St. Luke's (Cheshire) Hospice Equality & Diversity Policy.

All staff has personal responsibility for the application of this policy on a day-to-day basis and should not undertake any acts of discriminatory practice during the course of their employment. Similarly, all staff have a responsibility to highlight any potentially discriminatory practice to their line manager.

CONFIDENTIALITY

In the course of your duties you will have access to confidential material about members of staff, volunteers, other Hospice business and patients. No information of a personal or confidential nature concerning individual members of staff or patients should be divulged to anyone without the proper authority having first been given.

Experience

Essential

• - A minimum of 6 years post-qualification experience in specialist
• palliative care.
• - Experience of working in a Hospice setting.
• - Previous experience in a medical leadership role.
• - Experience of clinical governance.
• - Experience of providing medical/clinical education and training to a variety of staff.
• - Proven track record of effective decision-making within a complex and challenging environment.
• - Previous research and auditing experience.
• - Evidence of engagement in specialist palliative care issues at regional or national level e.g., professional networks.

Desirable

• - Experience as an appraiser.

Skills and Abilities

Essential

• - Excellent verbal and non-verbal communication skills.
• - Ability to write clear, concise documentation.
• - Able to demonstrate attention to detail.
• - Experience of Microsoft Office packages and patient information
• systems.
• - Proven ability to lead and motivate teams.
• - An understanding of Hospice and palliative care philosophy.
• - An ability to plan at a strategic level and contribute to overall
• organisational strategy.
• - Good budgeting skills and an understanding of the financial structures
• within the NHS and Hospice services.

Qualifications

Essential

• - Full GMC registration with a license to practice.
• - A recognised medical qualification (MBBS or equivalent).
• - On the Specialist or GP register (or both) or be an in a substantive -
• - experienced specialist grade role.
• - Evidence of continuous professional development.

Desirable

• - Higher Medical Qualification e.g. MRCP, MRCGP.
• - Consultant In Palliative Medicine
• - Postgraduate Diploma in Palliative Medicine.
• - Royal College of Physicians Specialty certificate examination in Palliative
• Medicine
• - Qualification in education/teaching

Personal Attributes

Essential

• - Passion for the ethos of the Hospice and a desire to provide
• compassionate, patient centred care.
• - Ability to prioritise and manage own and others time and work load
• effectively.
• - A flexible approach to work
• - Shows compassion & treats people with dignity, respect and kindness
• - Ability to instil confidence in others and influence at a senior level.
• - A commitment to personal development & lifelong learning
• - Able to work as part of a team.
• - An ability to manage challenging emotional situations professionally
• and compassionately.

Other

Essential

• - Full Driving licence and access to a vehicle for business use, or
• alternative reliable transport which ensures the needs of the role are
• met.
• - Able to support an on-call rota.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).