Consultant NeuroAnaesthetist with interest in Neuro-Intensive Care

Job responsibilities

The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust

The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust (WCFT) is an independent specialist neurosciences NHS Trust providing a high quality, integrated and multidisciplinary neurosciences service to Cheshire, Merseyside, North Wales, the Isle of Man and part of West Lancashire which totals a population of 3.5 million people.

The Walton Centre was rated as Outstanding for the second time by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) following its inspection in April 2019.

The WCFT is the regional Major Trauma Centre for the North-West of England in partnership with Aintree University Hospitals as a part of Merseyside Major Trauma Centre Collaborative (MTCC).

The Hospital is 5 miles from the centre of Liverpool and is based in a virtually self-contained, purpose-built building which was opened in 1998. The Centre has 99 neurosurgical beds, 29 neurological beds, 30 non-acute rehabilitation beds, 10 acute rehabilitation beds, 4 pain-relief beds and a Critical Care Unit with 20 beds.

The Walton Centre opened Sid Watkins building in 2015. This is a purpose- built three-storey building used to rehabilitate brain and spinal injury sufferers, dementia patients and stroke victims. The Sid Watkins Building also includes out-patient facilities, temporary accommodation for patients families, training suites and offices.

The Walton Centre has recently expanded by building 2 additional theatres including an intraoperative MRI suite which became operational in May 2017.

Following recommendation from NHS England and Improvement that there is one lead provider of spinal services in the region, reconfiguration of spinal services across Cheshire and Merseyside has taken place, with the Walton Centre being the designated site.

Intra-arterial stroke thrombectomy service is now offered round the clock at the Walton Centre since Sept 2021.

Neurosurgery

There are 25 Consultant Surgeons, 5 of which are Orthopaedic Surgeons, covering a range of specialist interests including tumours, neurovascular, functional/pain, skull base, major trauma, spine and complex spinal work. There are over 3,800 elective neurosurgical admissions per annum and 3500 operations. There are seven fully equipped neurosurgical operating theatres.

Description of anaesthetic, theatre and critical care services at The Walton Centre

The Department of Neuro-anaesthesia & Neuro Critical Care is an ACSA accredited department with 20 consultants and 3 speciality doctors providing daytime cover for theatres, critical care and neuroradiology. There is a Clinical Director for Neuro-anaesthesia and Critical Care.

The Consultants provide an on-call service for adult neuro-critical care and neurosurgical emergencies on two separate on-call rotas.

The Consultants have office space within the critical care unit, with computers and internet access.

Job Plan

The post is being advertised as 10.0 Programmed Activities (PAs) but extra Programmed Activities for Direct Clinical Care will be available by mutual agreement between the Trust and the successful candidate. The sessions are annualised. The clinical PAs for this post-holder will be divided between neuro-anaesthesia and neuro-critical care sessions, at mutual agreement between the post-holder and the clinical director.

Direct Clinical Care sessions, up to a maximum of 2 sessions every week, can be made available in the neighbouring or regional NHS hospitals for the successful candidates if they desire to work in other anaesthetic specialities in addition to Neuro-anaesthesia & Neuro Critical Care.

The postholder will be expected to comply with the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) requirements of the relevant Royal College or Faculty and/or provide appropriate documentation and reflection in their appraisal documentation.

Study leave may be requested and will be funded in accordance with the Trusts Policy for CPD.

The post attracts 1.5 Supporting Programmed Activities (SPA) for Continuing Professional Development, Appraisal and Audit. A further 1 SPA will be available for mutually agreed objectives and will be performance managed by the Clinical Director for Neuro-anaesthesia & Critical Care. All consultants in the department are encouraged to contribute to supporting activities after discussion and agreement with the Clinical Director to enable them to be on a total of 2.5 SPA.

On call frequency is currently 1:9 with full staffing. There are 2 consultants on-call every day: one for ITU and one covering theatres. Successful candidate will participate in on-calls on both the rota cycles.

The PAs & SPAs are averaged over 8 weeks.

The appointees will be expected to take part in all the teaching, counselling, audit, research and management activities within the hospital and to develop relevant special interests.

Annual leave may be taken in accordance with the Department Guidelines on Leave.

To ensure the smooth running of the service the postholder will ensure that, in conjunction with colleagues, adequate arrangements are made to cover planned absences and the expected approvals would go through leave planning. Leave must be booked with appropriate time lines to allow effective service continuity. Mutually agreed flexible working patterns will be expected. The department operates annualised job plans.

Example job plan is available in Appendix 1. Please note that the exact Direct Clinical Care sessions will be mutually agreed with the successful candidate & the sessions in the example job plan are purely indicative.

General Provisions

(a) The Appointee will be expected to work with local managers and professional colleagues in the efficient running of services and will share with consultant colleagues in the medical contribution to management. Subject to the provision of the Terms and Conditions of Service, he/she is expected to observe the Trusts agreed policies and procedures, drawn up in consultation with the profession on clinical matters, and to follow the standing orders and financial instructions of the Trust. The Appointee will be expected to follow the local and national employment and personnel policies and procedures. He/she will be expected to make sure that there are adequate arrangements for hospital staff involved in the care of their patients to be able to contact a Critical Care Consultant when necessary.

(b) All medical and dental staff are expected to comply with appropriate Trust Health and Safety policies and Infection Control policies.

(c) The Appointee will have responsibility for the training and supervision of junior medical staff who work with him/her and will devote time to this activity on a regular basis. If appropriate, he/she will be named in the contracts of doctors in training grades as the person responsible for overseeing their training and as a main source of advice to such doctors on their careers.

(d) As part of the NHSLA accreditation of the Trust it is mandatory for the appointee to attend the Trust Welcome Event and the Basic/Advanced Life Support Course.

2. Residence

(a) The successful candidate will normally be required to live within 15 miles/30 minutes of his/her base hospital (the hospital where the principal duties lie) and in a location offering easy access to the other hospitals as required.

(b) Where, however, the successful candidate already resides within 15 miles by road of his/her base hospital, he/she will not be required to remove his/her home nearer the hospitals.

(c) Where the successful candidates present residence is more than 15 miles by road from the hospital he/she will be required to remove his/her home to meet the residential clause of his/her contract, unless he/she has the written consent of the Trust to the contrary.

(d) The Terms and Conditions of Service states the removal expenses shall be reimbursed and grants paid only when the Trust is satisfied that the removal of the practitioners home is required and that the arrangements proposed are reasonable.

(e) Therefore, successful candidates are advised not to enter into contractual arrangements for the removal of their home until such time as the formal approval of the Trust is received in writing.

Experience

Essential

• A minimum of 7 years (or full time equivalent) appropriate experience in Anaesthesia & Critical Care
• Hold CCT in Anaesthesia (or equivalent) or be within 6 months of attaining CCT at the time of interview
• 6-12 months advanced training in neuro-anaesthesia and neuro-critical care.
• OR
• CCT in ICM and / or FFICM or equivalent qualification.
• ALS certified.
• Manually dexterous
• Able to work without supervision and make appropriate clinical decisions
• Incorporate evidence based medical knowledge in clinical practice
• Understanding of the principles of Clinical Governance and resource constraints.
• Ability to take full and independent responsibility for clinical care of patients.
• Ability to organise oneself and others in a multi-disciplinary team
• An understanding of the NHS organization and management structures.
• An understanding of the funding and finance issues in the NHS.
• Knowledge of recent reports and plans for the development of the NHS.
• GMC recognition as a Clinical Supervisor
• Ability to organise training days / sessions
• Commitment to ongoing professional development
• Completed and presented audit projects with evidence of change in practice.
• Case study/Journal club presentations
• Critical appraisal of research publications.
• Ability to apply evidence-based practice
• Ability to use Microsoft office packages, e.g. word, excel, access & PowerPoint.
• Ability to use patient information systems

Desirable

• CCT in ICM and / or FFICM or equivalent qualification
• Higher training in ENT Maxillo-facial & Dental anaesthesia
• Higher training in Trauma & Stabilization.
• Current experience of working in neuro-intensive care at consultant/locum
• Experience of NHS committee work
• Have attended a relevant management course
• GMC recognition as an Educational Supervisor
• Evidence of commitment to postgraduate education (e.g. Postgraduate Certificate in Medical Education (PGME)
• Appraiser / Mentoring experience
• Demonstrable ability to teach and train and engage other professionals
• Presentation skills for a wide variety of audiences
• Research publications
• Prizes and honours.

Qualifications

Essential

• MB ChB (or equivalent)
• FRCA (or equivalent)
• Full registration with GMC
• Eligible for inclusion in specialist register in Anaesthesia.

Desirable

• FFICM
• Other degree
• MRCP.

Personal Attributes

Essential

• Ability to organise own time
• Ability to cope with stressful situations and undertake responsibility / able to work under pressure
• Demonstration of good communication.

Desirable

• Motivated to develop new services.

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

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