Job responsibilities
There are 10 Consultant GI Surgeons
and 3 Consultant Breast Surgeons together with Specialist Registrars, Core
Surgical Trainees and Foundation Trainees.
The department provides a wide range of in-patient and day case
procedures and provides emergency and elective general surgery services as well
as subspecialty services in Colorectal, Breast and benign Upper GI.
The department has an excellent
reputation for laparoscopic surgery. The
laparoscopic approach is routine for appendicectomy and cholecystectomy (both
elective and emergency) and both TAPP and TEPP hernia inguinal hernia repairs
are performed. Approximately 70% of
colorectal resections are laparoscopic. There
is a well-established complex abdominal wall reconstruction (CAWR) service
performing advanced reconstruction of complex / giant incisional hernia and laparostomy
management.
The Trust has invested over £2 million
to install a dual console Da Vinci Xi surgical robot in March 2026 and to train
current colorectal and gynaecological surgeons. The plan is for most colorectal
resection, complex endometriosis surgery and complex abdominal wall
reconstructions to move towards a robotic approach during the course of 2026.
These two posts are specifically designed to support that progression and an
interest in endometriosis surgery and/or abdominal wall reconstruction is
desirable in addition to robotic surgical training.
Other
Medical Staff
The departments work is supported by
three full tiers of non-consultant staff including one Associate Specialist and
four Specialty Doctors. We have both
higher specialist training, core training posts and have a highly successful
Advanced Clinical Practitioner (ACP) training programme that support up to Core
Trainee level rotas.
Other
Support Staff
These posts are supported by secretarial and office
support and organisationally by a departmental service support manager and the
general surgery service manager. There
are 3.5 WTE colorectal nurse specialists, a stoma care healthcare support
worker and a Macmillan cancer support worker providing colorectal cancer
link-worker function, the ongoing nurse-led follow up clinics as well as
providing a valuable resource to manage stoma-related problems.
Acute
Surgical Unit
The Acute Surgical Unit has bespoke
assessment facilities aimed at maximising our Same Day Emergency Care pathways
for surgical patients. A senior surgical
assessor, separate to the on-call team, reviews patients on presentation and
integral ultrasound assessments speeds diagnosis. It has reduced non-elective admissions and
reduced length of stay.
COLORECTAL
SURGERY
The department has a benign transanal
microsurgery service, works closely with the gynaecological surgeons within
their accredited endometriosis surgery service, which is recognised by the BSGE
Endometriosis Centre, and routinely performs both VAAFT and EpSIT. One colleague has a specific interest in
complex abdominal wall reconstruction and receives referrals from a wide
geographic area. It is planned that the
successful candidates will contribute to all of these advanced services.
The department has previously invested
heavily in its laparoscopic service and approximately three-quarters of all
colorectal resections are performed laparoscopically.
The service is supported by three
colorectal nurse specialists and a specialist functional bowel disorder nurse
who also performs endoanal ultrasound and anorectal physiology. All colorectal resections undergo
cardiopulmonary exercise testing prior to surgery and a successful
pre-habilitation programme is available.
The Trusts endoscopy department has five
procedure rooms and is currently undergoing improvements following a £2million
investment and ongoing upgrade of equipment.
The Post
The post holders
will provide general surgical and specialist colorectal services in Rotherham
in conjunction with colleagues. They
will be expected to be proficient in laparoscopic and robotic colorectal
resection for both benign and malignant diseases including low rectal cancer,
the management of anorectal pathology and functional bowel disorders, as well
being able to manage an unselected acute surgical take including acute upper GI
emergencies and HPB emergencies. Subspecialty
interests such as pelvic floor dysfunction, inflammatory bowel disease or
enteral nutrition can be accommodated.
The
post-holders will be expected to be able to undertake independent colonoscopy
lists; skills in gastroscopy would be advantageous.
The
transition to Consultant practice is recognised to be an often difficult and
stressful time and the department is happy to provide a period of mentoring and
support for a new Consultant colleague. There
is an increasing emphasis on dual consultant operating for complex cases. There is a flexible and forward-thinking day
surgery team and the department has a successful enhanced recovery programme.
The post-holders
will be expected to contribute to the training of the Specialty Registrars who
rotate through the Yorkshire and Humberside Training Rotation.
In
addition, the post-holders will work collaboratively with the Departmental and
Divisional Senior Teams, to take an active role in the management of the Care
Group, including any other duties as deemed appropriate. In addition, to observe the Trusts agreed
policies and procedures, in particular relating to managing staff, follow the
Trusts guidelines and Financial Instructions.
These policies and procedures have been drawn up in consultation with
the profession for clinical matters and will ensure that there are adequate
arrangements in place for hospital staff to contact them as necessary in
relation to patient care.
TIMETABLE
These are
12PA jobs. There will be planned operating with a minimum of three all day
lists per month, outpatient clinics, colorectal cancer and inflammatory bowel
disease MDTs and endoscopy on a rotating system with on call. This role will
contribute to the Acute Surgical Unit assessor rota for one day per ten-week
rota cycle. Dual consultant operating
for most low rectal surgery is encouraged.
ON-CALL
The on-call
commitment is through a rolling rota with prospective cover: no Direct Clinical
Care activities are scheduled for the afternoon following an on-call. This commitment is non-resident but the
post-holder will be expected to attend morning handover and perform an evening
ward round of the daytime admissions to comply with NHS Englands Seven Day
Services Clinical Standards and be promptly available throughout the on call
period.
A purpose
built Acute Surgical Unit houses our SDEC (Same Day Emergency Care) ambulatory
unit with a dedicated ultra-sonographer and our short stay emergency ward. A separate rota to the on-call provides
senior decision making as the assessor on SDEC assessment which runs Monday
to Thursday from 8:00 20:00 and Friday to Sunday from 10:00 18:00 and these
posts will contribute to that rota for one day per rota cycle. In addition to the CEPOD emergency list,
three Hot Lap Chole lists run each week performed by the UGI team.
EDUCATION AND TRAINING
The
successful candidates will have access to all resources currently available in
the Trust. This will involve Library and
Knowledge Services, e-learning resources, Clinical Skills Training programmes,
simulation training and other opportunities.
Consultant
mentorship is available for the successful candidate.
It is
anticipated that the successful candidates will become both clinical and educational supervisors.
Applications
to the University of Sheffield for Honorary Senior Clinical Lecturer Status
will be supported.
General
1.
In conjunction with Consultant and Senior
colleagues, to provide a service in General Surgery with
responsibility for in-patients and outpatients.
2.
In conjunction with Consultant and Senior
colleagues, to play a full part in the out-of-hours On-Call service for the
department. This includes being on-call
for telephone advice and major incidents.
3.
To provide cover for Consultant and Senior
colleagues in respect of periods of leave.
4.
In conjunction with Consultant and Senior
colleagues, to take part in medical audit and research as appropriate.
5.
In conjunction with Consultant and Senior
colleagues, to ensure that the requirements of clinical governance are met.
6.
To ensure that there are adequate
arrangements for hospital staff involved in the care of your patients to be
able to contact you when necessary.
Resident Medical Staff
7.
In conjunction with Consultant and Senior
colleagues, to play a full part in the professional supervision and management
of Resident medical staff.
8.
In conjunction with Consultant and Senior
colleagues, to take responsibility for and devote time to teaching, examination
and accreditation duties as required for Resident medical staff.
Management & Service Development
9.
In conjunction with the Care Group Senior
Team, to take an active role in the management of the Division.
10.
In conjunction with the Care Group Director,
Consultant & Senior colleagues, to play a full part in developing &
implementing new ways of working in line with modernisation principles that are
fit for the future.
11.
In conjunction with Consultant and Senior
colleagues, to take responsibility for the best use of departmental staffing
and other resources to ensure the maximum efficiency of the department.
12.
To observe the Trusts agreed policies and
procedures, particularly in relation to managing staff and to follow the
Trusts Standing Orders and Standing Financial Instructions. These policies and procedures have been drawn
up in consultation with the profession on clinical matters.
Clinical Governance
13.
In conjunction with Consultant colleagues, to
ensure that the requirements of clinical governance are met.
