Consultant Cardiologist with special interest in ACHD

Job description

Job responsibilities

Job Purpose

To provide a consultant-led cardiology service with a subspecialist focus on Adult Congenital Heart Disease (ACHD), contributing to outpatient, inpatient, and multidisciplinary care. The postholder will also contribute to general cardiology services, education, training, audit, and service development within the Trust and the wider congenital cardiac network.

• Deliver consultant-led outpatient ACHD care through two weekly clinics, supported by echocardiography and physiology teams.

• Provide specialist input for inpatients with congenital heart disease, including ward reviews, acute referrals, and multidisciplinary care planning.

• Participate in joint ACHD clinics with colleagues from the Level 1 ACHD Centre in Southampton and regional congenital cardiac networks.

• Contribute to maternal cardiology clinics, offering specialist care to women with congenital or acquired heart disease during pregnancy and preconception counselling.

• Participate in general cardiology inpatient services, including ward rounds (Braunton Ward), acute medical admissions (MAU reviews), and referral support.

• Contribute to the consultant non-PCI cardiology rota (currently 1:10) for inpatient care and Advice & Guidance to GPs.

• Provide timely specialist advice and guidance for ACHD and general cardiology outpatient queries.

• Collaborate closely with the ACHD Clinical Nurse Specialist and wider multidisciplinary team to optimise patient care pathways.

• Attend and contribute to weekly joint congenital cardiology MDTs (remote and on-site), as well as general cardiology MDTs (e.g. endocarditis, revascularisation, valve disease).

• Develop strong collaborative links with regional ACHD services, maternal medicine, anaesthetics, and surgical teams.

• Support integration of ACHD services into community care models and innovative outreach programmes.

• Actively participate in undergraduate and postgraduate teaching, including:

  • Weekly echocardiography education meetings.

  • Resident doctor teaching sessions.

  • Monthly consultant-led medical education meetings (case presentations, audit, M&M reviews).

• Supervise and mentor cardiology trainees and physiologists in ACHD and imaging.

• Contribute to clinical audit, service evaluation, and quality improvement initiatives within cardiology.

• Engage in research and evidence-based practice, with opportunities to publish and present in ACHD and cardiology.

• Contribute to the ongoing development of the ACHD service, aligning with national service specifications and network models.

• Provide clinical leadership in enhancing pathways for ACHD and maternal cardiology patients.

• Participate in job planning, rota development, and service planning in conjunction with colleagues.

• Undertake professional responsibilities at local, regional, and national level as required.

• Maintain and develop professional skills through CPD, appraisal, and revalidation.

• Contribute to audit, clinical governance, service evaluation, and guideline development.

• Participate in departmental, divisional, and Trust-wide meetings as required.

• Outpatient ACHD Clinics: 2 per week (2.0 PAs)

• Ward Round Braunton Ward: 1.14 PAs

• MAU Reviews: 0.53 PAs

• Advice & Guidance: 0.33 PAs

• Subspecialty ACHD Work (e.g. maternal cardiology): 1.5 PAs

• Multidisciplinary Meetings (ACHD, valve, revascularisation, endocarditis): 1.0 PAs

• Patient-related Administration: 1.5 PAs

• Community Integration Models: 0.5 PAs

• Supporting Professional Activities (SPA): 1.5 PAs

Total: 10 PAs (8.5 DCC, 1.5 SPA)

Person Specification

Education, qualifications & special training

Essential

• oFull GMC registration
• oMBBS or equivalent
• oTo be on, or within 6 months of being on, the GMC Specialist Register in Cardiology via a CCT in Cardiology or equivalent e.g CESR, at the time of interview.
• oShould have completed a recognised training programme in Adult Congenital Heart Disease

Desirable

• oHigher degree (MD, PhD or equivalent)

KNOWLEDGE & EXPERIENCE

Essential

• KNOWLEDGE & EXPERIENCEoAdult Congenital Heart Disease oTraining in Heart disease in pregnancy oFully trained in general cardiology. oComprehensive knowledge in the specialty and ability to offer expert clinical opinion on range of problems oDemonstrates good knowledge of the structures and culture of the NHS, roles, responsibilities and relationships across the MDT and the multi professional team.
• oTraining in Heart disease in pregnancy
• oFully trained in general cardiology
• oComprehensive knowledge in the specialty and ability to offer expert clinical opinion on range of problems
• oDemonstrates good knowledge of the structures and culture of the NHS, roles, responsibilities and relationships across the MDT and the multi professional team.

Desirable

• oAccreditation in Cardiac imaging modalities

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).

Employer details

Employer name

University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust

Address

Derriford Hospital

Derriford Road

Plymouth

PL68DH

Employer's website

https://www.plymouthhospitals.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)