Stroke Consultant

Job responsibilities

Key Areas of Responsibilities

1. Clinical Care Responsibilities

You will support the delivery of stroke services to the populations of Greater Peterborough and Southwest Lincolnshire in partnership with the current team of consultants. Your primary base will be Peterborough City Hospital, working within the Hyperacute Stroke Unit and Acute Stroke Units, with the potential for cross-site work at Hinchingbrooke Hospital in the Acute Rehabilitation Stroke Unit, as required to meet service and business needs.

The Stroke Consultants and Stroke Specialty Doctors team consists of twelve specialists who provide the following services:

• Emergency stroke care, including pre-hospital and hospital emergency and hyperacute care

• Acute care

• Rehabilitation care

• Virtual stroke acute care

• TIA emergency service, general and specialized out-patient stroke service

You will work closely with the established consultants to ensure the equitable delivery of stroke services across the Trust. This role will involve collaborative working and mutual cover for annual and study leave.

1. Research

Our Acute Stroke Centre (ASC) is highly engaged in research across all areas of stroke medicine, supported by a dedicated team of research nurses.

You will have the opportunity to play an active role in high-quality national and international research projects, while also being encouraged to innovate, design, and lead your own home-grown research initiatives.

As a globally recognized leader, we are at the forefront of developing, implementing, and training in point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) in neurology, neuro-intensive care and stroke medicine, creating innovative multimodal POCUS programs.

We are actively involved in the World Organisation of Neurosonology (WON), contributing to numerous research and educational projects. Dr Licenik serves as co-chair of ESNCH/WON Focused Echocardiography and Point-of-Care Ultrasound Working Group, with significant participation from NWAFT stroke physicians.

NWAFT Acute Stroke Centre (ASC) is one of 19 European stroke centres taking part in the SECRETO (Search for Explanations for Cryptogenic Stroke in the Young) study, which focuses on young stroke research and care. We are one of the national and international leaders in this field.

We are also engaged in clinical research in pre-hospital emergency care, with a particular emphasis on hybrid mobile stroke units. In 2023, in collaboration with Professor Klaus Fassbender and Professor Silke Walter from Saarland University in Homburg, Germany, we designed and conducted a clinical trial exploring the use of hybrid MSUs in geographically challenging rural areas. Additionally, we are actively involved in the PRESTO (Pre-hospital Stroke Treatment Organisation) community. Dr Licenik as a specialist in pre-hospital emergency care and health care policy is a member of the PRESTO Government Relations and Reimbursement Committee and Membership, Communications and Education Committee as well the European Stroke Organisation Health Economics Working Group.

We are committed to research in many different fields leading on the project in oral history in stroke medicine. Our multidisciplinary team is a member of Oral History Society co-operates closely with the Royal College of Physicians and our partner universities and other organisations in this pioneering project.

1. Teaching and Training

As a stroke specialist, you will offer stroke consultation and advisory services to medical colleagues across various specialties within the Trust, potentially extending to other services such as the City Care Centre and the Early Supported Discharge team and other community services.

We are highly dedicated to education providing comprehensive stroke educational and training programme for multidisciplinary teams within the East of England region and beyond. We will be one of the BIASP national simulation centres offering the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland Acute Stroke Simulation Courses implementing the innovative approach to the programme.

We are also involved in high profile international training and educational programmes. We developed the WON Educational programme in point-of-care ultrasound running multiple training certified courses. Dr Licenik is a member of the European Stroke Organisation eSTEP (ESO Stroke Education Platform) committee.

You will have the opportunity to be a part of all local, regional, national and international educational programmes with strong support and encouragement from the team.

You will also supervise and provide training to junior medical staff as appropriate, while actively participating in established training and educational programs for medical students from Cambridge and Leicester Universities, as well as for doctors, nurses, paramedics, and other healthcare professionals.

1. Leadership and Service Development

You will be part of a clinically led organisation where consultants play a key role in senior management decision-making.

You will actively contribute to the management of the stroke service and participate in future service developments aligned with national targets and locally commissioned improvements. In this capacity, you will provide medical input and collaborate with consultants and nursing colleagues to help shape and enhance stroke services for North Cambridgeshire and Southwest Lincolnshire. Within your collaborative working at Cambridge University Hospitals Comprehensive Stroke Centre you will be part of the team providing regional thrombectomy service. This all will involve fostering multidisciplinary team collaboration and ensuring adherence to clinical governance principles.

You will be encouraged to join our specialised services and develop your portfolio.

1. Clinical Governance /Medical Audit

The Trust is deeply committed to the ongoing professional development of all employees, offering extensive training opportunities both internally and externally, which the successful candidate will be encouraged to take advantage of.

Active involvement in Clinical Audit is a priority, and the Trust expects all doctors to engage fully in audit activities. This includes adhering to agreed protocols and following the Trust's patient safety policies and principles to ensure the delivery of high-quality care. This also involves the prevention of healthcare-acquired infections through strict compliance with policies on hand hygiene, including the "naked below the elbow" approach, the use of personal protective equipment, and the safe disposal of sharps.

The Trust dedicates a protected clinical governance/audit half-day each month, offering a valuable opportunity for each specialty to conduct mandatory training and discuss ongoing audit projects. The Department encourages all members of the medical staff to actively participate in these activities.

1. Continuing Professional Development

The department acknowledges the importance of a strong commitment to the education and continuing professional development (CPD) of its staff. Each department within the Division organizes education sessions tailored to their specialty and shares insights through Divisional Governance Meetings and Clinical Business Unit Meetings. Staff members also have the opportunity to attend Trust-wide knowledge-sharing events at the Cautionary Tales Forum, hosted by the Trusts Medical Director. These sessions focus on one or two key cases and are open to all staff, providing a valuable platform for collaborative learning.

1. Administrative Duties

In collaboration with management and clinical colleagues, you will work to ensure that appropriate contracting is carried out with the commissioners in Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, and Lincolnshire.

Qualifications

Essential

• medical Degree (MBChB, MBBS) MRCP or equivalent
• Within 6 months of CCT in Neurology/ General or Acute Internal Medicine/ Geriatric Medicine or Registration on the GMC specialist register in Neurology, Acute/General Internal Medicine/Geriatric Medicine

Desirable

• Fellowship in stroke medicine (subspecialty recognition on GMC Specialist Register)
• Higher medical degree

Experience

Essential

• General training in Stroke Medicine to specialist level or equivalent
• Broad experience of stroke and acute general medicine
• Evidence of ability to make decisions at consultant level and to manage complex clinical problems

Desirable

• Evidence of completed and published research

Other

Essential

• Full registration and licence to practise

Desirable

• Full driving licence

Key Skills and Knowledge

Essential

• Excellent leadership skills
• Evidence of ability to lead a clinical team at the level of a consultant
• Sufficient organisational skills to function as a consultant
• Evidence of significant contribution to successful teamwork
• Evidence of interdisciplinary and multi-professional working
• Evidence of flexibility and open to innovative ways of working
• Excellent spoken and written English
• Advanced communication and interpersonal skills
• Experience of formal and informal contributions to teaching and training at undergraduate and postgraduate level
• Ability to support departmental research

Desirable

• Evidence of leadership in NHS, research, teaching, professional bodies, or service development
• Management qualification
• Ability to use word processor, spreadsheet, and presentation programs
• Prior experience with clinical information systems
• Proven ability to communicate in written form (publications, reports etc)
• Experience as clinical or educational supervisor
• Peer reviewed publications Research grants

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).