Job summary
Somerset NHS Foundation Trust (SFT) is developing its innovative Palliative Medicine Senior Doctor service.
We seek a colleague to play a central role in the delivery of a visionary single palliative medicine service. The service spans all health and social care providers in Somerset, in which patients are empowered earlier in their journey and are cared for in the place of their choice.
The position is part time, 4 PAs per week, and fixed term for 4 months.
This is a great opportunity for a doctor to join SFT and play an integral role in the planning and delivery of future services. A role in which education and development of others is so important it is built into the job plan from day one..
Main duties of the job
The senior medical team provide a clinical service for supportive and palliative care across the two acute trust sites, the community and St Margaret's hospice in-patient unit alongside other healthcare professionals in palliative care employed by both Somerset NHS Foundation Trust and St Margaret's Hospice. We have an integrated approach to palliative and end of life care across the county and have an active end of life steering group which aims to support the improvement of palliative care across the county. Working with the palliative care teams we have an end of life education team who deliver education and support across the county and have been key in developing the Somerset End of Life Care website to support the delivery of education, care and support for healthcare professionals, patients and their carers across the county: Somerset - End Of Life Care & Bereavement Support.
About us
At Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, we're committed to supporting our employees with a range of benefits designed to enhance your professional and personal life. We offer:
- Flexible working options to help you balance work and life
- NHS pension scheme for long-term financial security
- Generous annual leave allowance to recharge and relax
- A strong focus on career development to help you grow and achieve your potential
Additionally, you'll gain access to our Blue Light Card, unlocking exclusive discounts on shopping, dining, and leisure activities, as well as NHS-specific perks to support you both inside and outside of work.
We are proud to foster a diverse, skilled, and inclusive workforce, and we encourage applications from all backgrounds.
Why Somerset? Somerset offers the perfect blend of idyllic countryside, outstanding areas of natural beauty, and breathtaking coastlines, with vibrant cities like Bristol, Bath, and Exeter just a short drive away - and only two hours to London.
The region is home to excellent educational facilities, and with affordable housing compared to other parts of the country, it's a great place to build both your career and your future.
Somerset truly has it all - the peaceful countryside and cosmopolitan city life, with something for everyone to enjoy.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Provide clinical leadership in palliative medicine across care boundaries
Contribute to the development of consistent pathways across the care sectors for those patients with life limiting malignant and non-malignant conditions including:
Neurological, Cardiac, Respiratory and Dementia Care Needs.
A post holder will play a key role in the development and /or delivery of all these service areas within community, acute and hospice settings, including supporting the development of long-term condition pathways.
Clinical Responsibilities:
Encourage a holistic response to the care of patients and their families.
Be responsible for clinical care of people known to the hospice community team alongside the clinical nurse specialist team.
Develop Somerset palliative care services in line with appropriate guidelines and frameworks
Support Somerset End of Life individualised care planning
Provide senior medical palliative care clinical services to patients in a variety of settings including in the community, outpatients, community hospitals, and acute trusts.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Provide clinical leadership in palliative medicine across care boundaries
Contribute to the development of consistent pathways across the care sectors for those patients with life limiting malignant and non-malignant conditions including:
Neurological, Cardiac, Respiratory and Dementia Care Needs.
A post holder will play a key role in the development and /or delivery of all these service areas within community, acute and hospice settings, including supporting the development of long-term condition pathways.
Clinical Responsibilities:
Encourage a holistic response to the care of patients and their families.
Be responsible for clinical care of people known to the hospice community team alongside the clinical nurse specialist team.
Develop Somerset palliative care services in line with appropriate guidelines and frameworks
Support Somerset End of Life individualised care planning
Provide senior medical palliative care clinical services to patients in a variety of settings including in the community, outpatients, community hospitals, and acute trusts.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Medical Degree
- Registered Medical Practitioner with a GMC License to practice.
Desirable
- Higher Medical Degree
- Diploma in Palliative Medicine
Experience
Essential
- Ability to offer expert clinical opinion on a range of problems in Palliative Medicine
- Knowledge / experience of primary care sector
- Ability to take full and independent responsibility for clinical care of patients
- Communicates effectively and can share decision-making with patients, relatives and carers; treats patients as individuals, promoting a person-centred approach to their care, including self-management
- Knowledge of responsibilities of doctors as set out in Good Medical Practice
- Critically reflects on own competence, understands own limits and seeks help when required
- Knowledge of Evidence Based Medicine and clinical effectiveness
- Experience of palliative medicine for patients with non-cancer conditions
Additional Criteria
Essential
- Please see job description for detail of full essential person specifications required to undertake this position
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Medical Degree
- Registered Medical Practitioner with a GMC License to practice.
Desirable
- Higher Medical Degree
- Diploma in Palliative Medicine
Experience
Essential
- Ability to offer expert clinical opinion on a range of problems in Palliative Medicine
- Knowledge / experience of primary care sector
- Ability to take full and independent responsibility for clinical care of patients
- Communicates effectively and can share decision-making with patients, relatives and carers; treats patients as individuals, promoting a person-centred approach to their care, including self-management
- Knowledge of responsibilities of doctors as set out in Good Medical Practice
- Critically reflects on own competence, understands own limits and seeks help when required
- Knowledge of Evidence Based Medicine and clinical effectiveness
- Experience of palliative medicine for patients with non-cancer conditions
Additional Criteria
Essential
- Please see job description for detail of full essential person specifications required to undertake this position
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.
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).
Additional information
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.
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).
