Job responsibilities
Description of post
The
Division of Neurosurgery at The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust (WCFT) is
seeking to recruit a locum Consultant Neurosurgeon with an interest in neurovascular
surgery. The successful candidate will work independently within the Vascular
service, joining a 1:4 acute vascular take rota, participate in weekly vascular
MDT meeting and provide support in acute and elective vascular cases.
In
addition to being a member of the neurovascular team, you will provide general
on-call neurosurgical cover (1:19) and provide support to the existing trauma
and hydrocephalus services.
The Walton Centre NHS
Foundation Trust
The
Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust (WCFT) is an independent specialist
neuroscience NHS hospital providing a high quality, integrated and
multidisciplinary neuroscience service to Merseyside, North Wales, Isle of Man,
Lancashire and Cheshire; a population of approx. 3.2 million. WCFT is
located 6 miles from the centre of Liverpool in North Liverpool, adjacent to Liverpool
University Hospitals NHSFTs (LUHFT) Aintree site; which is the major trauma
centre for the region.
WCFT
is based in a purpose-built building, opened in 1998 and is virtually self-contained.
Th hospital has over 130 acute ward beds and a critical care facility comprising
of 20 dedicated Neuro-Intensive Care beds.
There are also 30 dedicated rehabilitation beds.
In
2015, WCFT opened the purpose-built Sid Watkins building on the same site. The
three-storey building is used to rehabilitate stroke, dementia and brain and
spinal injury patients. The Sid Watkins Building also includes out-patient
facilities, temporary accommodation for patients families, training and
education suites and offices.
More recent expansion at WCFT includes additional operating theatres,
including an intraoperative MRI suite. There are 7 operating theatres all fully
equipped for Neurosurgical procedures, including a dedicated 24-hour emergency
theatre.
The neurovascular team at WCFT
provides a comprehensive service for cranial and spinal vascular pathologies. The neurovascular team currently comprises of
4 Neurosurgeons, 4 Interventional Neuro-Radiologists, three Interventional Neuro-Radiology
fellows, four Neurovascular Specialist Nurses and three Vascular Neurologists. The service is delivered with close liaison
between the vascular neurosurgeons and intervention neuro-radiologists. There is a weekly vascular MDT and four dedicated
joint neurovascular clinics every month, in addition to single clinician clinics.
WCFT is organised into two divisions; Neurosurgery
division sits within the division of Neurosurgery,Pain,
Anaesthesia, Critical Care & Neuropathology, while the other Trust services
sit within the division of Neurology, long term conditions, neuro
rehabilitation and Radiology.
JOB PLAN
There will be a 1 in 19 on call rota for
all neurosurgical referrals from the region, in which the successful candidate
would be expected to participate. This post would also be expected to cover spinal
referrals and cover the (separate) regional complex spinal rota. The regional
complex spinal rota exists on a separate 1 in 12 rota with complex spinal cover
being provided for a whole week on a rotational basis.
The surgeons currently work in teams for
the purposes of service organisation, audit, and distribution of junior staff
at WCFT.
The
successful applicant would be expected to contribute to the complex spine rota,
attend the complex spinal MDT, and assist with elective recovery as well as contributing
to the general neurosurgery on call. Opportunities exist to contribute to the development
of the academic spinal service, and spinal services at WCFT
Illustrative
Job Plan:
A contract of 10 PA will be available
to the post-holder. This may be
increased with further additional activities.
There will be at least 1
operative session per week.
On
call arrangements: General: 1 in 19,
On-call
intensity supplement: B
This is equivalent to 8.5 direct clinical care
programmed activities, 1.5 Supporting Programmed Activities. Ordinarily 1.5 SPA
will be allowed for CPD and revalidation, mortality reviews etc; further SPA is
available for specific activities, for example audit lead.
The job plan is illustrative; the successful
candidate will need to be prepared to work flexibly, and the future may require
sessions to be worked in the evenings or even weekends. The successful applicant would have their job
plan agreed once in post and reviewed and subject to further negotiation within
the first year of appointment.
The post-holder will share a secretary, office, and
junior doctor support. Each consultant is provided with a desktop, laptop, and
IT support. In addition, there are mentoring and coaching schemes available for
all employees.
TEACHING
There is a medical school
within the University of Liverpool. WCFT contributes significantly to the student
teaching and all consultants have a responsibility for teaching. The appointee
will be expected to contribute to the structured SHO and regional SpR teaching
programmes.
CPD
Consultants are expected to maintain their personal
portfolios in accordance with the requirements of the Royal College of
Surgeons, including the acquisition of the appropriate CPD points. To aid this,
there is a bimonthly day, with no elective commitments to facilitate governance
and CPD activities. Further time and
funding is available for CPD (in addition to planned SPA) as per the trust
policy.
The Trust has
an appraisal system for all consultants which includes a review of CPD and is
obligatory. Candidates will be aware of the need for revalidation as prescribed
by the GMC.
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 Trust's
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 Consultant Neurologist when
necessary. The appointee will be expected
to maintain existing service commitment and comply with Trust performance
targets.
(b)
All medical staff are expected to comply with appropriate Health and Safety
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 grade as the person responsible for overseeing
their training, and as a main source of advice to such doctors on their
careers.
2.
Main Conditions of Service
The
successful candidate will normally be required to live within 10 miles 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 or within 30 minutes travelling
time of the base hospitals.
If
the appointee is required to move house to meet the residential clause of the
contract removal expenses will be payable in accordance with the Terms and
Conditions of the Service of the Trust.
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 practitioner's home is required, and the arrangements proposed are
reasonable".
Therefore,
successful candidates are advised not to enter the contractual arrangements for
the removal of their home until such time as the formal approval of the Trust
is received in writing.
The post holder must be a medical practitioner fully
registered with the GMC. The appointment
is subject to clearance by the CRB and satisfactory medical screening results,
including verification of hepatitis B status.
FURTHER
INFORMATION
Should you wish further
information, please contact
Mr Jawad Yousaf
Consultant Neurosurgeon,
The Walton Centre NHS Foundation
Trust,
Liverpool L9 7LJ
Mr David Carter
Clinical Director for
Neurosurgery
The Walton Centre NHS Foundation
Trust
