Job summary
We are delighted to be able to offer an opportunity for a highly motivated, ambitious individual to join our well integrated team.
An exciting opportunity has arisen for two posts of Fellow in Paediatric Cardiothoracic Anaesthesia (ST6+) to be based at the Freeman Hospital.
Post one is available from ASAP for 12 months
Post two is available from August 2025 for 12 months
These posts are suitable for a senior trainee (ST6/7, post CCT or equivalent) considering a career in paediatric cardiac anaesthesia.
This post will offer broad experience in all areas of paediatric and adult congenital cardiac anaesthesia, including cardiopulmonary transplantation, ECMO and mechanical circulatory support, together with paediatric thoracic anaesthesia. For the duration of the fellowship, the appointee will participate in the cardiac PICU on-call rota.
In addition to the challenges of the role, we can offer you a commitment to teaching, education, research and audit.
As a flexible working friendly organisation, we want to be sure that you can work in a way that is best for us and for our patients, and for you. Speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement. If it works for the service, we will do our best to make it work for you.
Please read attached Job Description and Person Specification.
Main duties of the job
Pre-operative assessment and provision of congenital cardiac anaesthesia for cardiopulmonary bypass and cardiac catheterisation procedures under direct or local supervision.
The successful applicants will be required to take part in on-call for paediatric cardiothoracic intensive care. This will be as part of an approximately 8-person full shift system on which the other participants will be anaesthesia and PICU registrars or fellows.
For an informal discussion and further information regarding the opportunity and Directorate, please contact: Dr Simon Hill via email at simonmatthewhill@nhs.net.
Please read attached Job Description and Person Specification.
About us
Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is one of the busiest, largest and most successful teaching NHS foundation trusts in the country, with around 16,000 staff and an annual income of £1 billion. We have a long history of providing high quality care, clinical excellence, and innovation in medical research regionally, nationally and internationally.
We're also proud to be the second largest provider of specialised services in the country. This means we support people with a range of rare and complex medical, surgical and neurological conditions, cancers and genetic orders.
Our staff oversee around 1.84 million patients 'contacts' each year, delivering high standards of healthcare.
We are committed to promoting equality and diversity and recognise the benefit in providing an inclusive environment. We value and respect the diversity of our employees and aim to recruit a workforce which reflects the communities we serve, and is equipped to deliver the best service to our patients. We welcome all applications irrespective of people's race, disability, gender, sexual orientation, religion or belief, age, gender identity, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity and in particular those from under- represented groups.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Training Opportunities:
Training in the management of anaesthesia for children and adults with congenital and acquired cardiac disease including cardiac transplantation and mechanical cardiac support. Experience of provision of anaesthesia in the catheter laboratory, operating theatre and the ICU under close consultant supervision. As experience is gained, the supervision will be appropriate to the individuals skills.
We anticipate that at 6 months the successful candidate will have an understanding of the clinical management and implications for anaesthesia of patients with the full spectrum of paediatric congenital and acquired heart disease. He or she would have acquired expert vascular access skills and comprehensive knowledge of ventilation and inotropic use in neonates and children.
We anticipate that at 1 year the successful candidate will be in a position to operate as a safe, independent paediatric cardiac anaesthetist in a tertiary centre. He or she will be able to provide anaesthesia for paediatric, adult congenital and neonatal cardiac surgery, cardiac catheterisation, cardiac CT, MRI and non-cardiac surgery for children with congenital and acquired cardiac disease.
Training in the peri-operative intensive care management of paediatric patients with congenital heart disease will be provided with a bias towards cardiothoracic surgery.
ECMO We expect to perform 20 cases each year. Training in assessment and techniques of extra corporeal support will be provided, alongside the other trainees on the PICU.
Longer term cardiovascular support in heart failure including ventricular assist devices and transplantation.
The appropriate use of nitric oxide after cardiac surgery.
For candidates with appropriate experience and interest: principles and practice of echocardiography, including TOE. Attendance at the Freeman Hospital echocardiography course can be arranged.
Experience in paediatric thoracic work, including bronchoscopy, decortication and lung transplantation.
Anaesthesia for CT and MR studies.
Post-operative pain relief techniques applicable to paediatric cardiothoracic surgery.
Experience and training in the provision of anaesthesia for children with congenital heart disease requiring non-cardiac surgery.
Research:
Involvement in audit and research. The successful applicant will be encouraged to be involved with at least one audit or research project during the post, with the aim of producing at least one publication in a peer-reviewed journal by the end of the year.
The trainee has protected time to develop and work on research projects and will be encouraged to develop links with other centres when necessary to further this. There are good opportunities for collaboration on-site, and excellent library and computer facilities are available within the Education Centre.
Flexibility:
In line with the Trusts core value of placing patients at the heart of everything we do, we are developing our service provision to be responsive to the needs of our patients. To meet those needs some staff groups will be increasingly asked to work a more flexible work pattern so that they can offer services in the evening or weekend. As a result any offer of employment to a consultant post will be subject to you agreeing to work a new more flexible pattern or working in the future if required, including evening and weekend work.
Please read attached Job Description and Person Specification.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Training Opportunities:
Training in the management of anaesthesia for children and adults with congenital and acquired cardiac disease including cardiac transplantation and mechanical cardiac support. Experience of provision of anaesthesia in the catheter laboratory, operating theatre and the ICU under close consultant supervision. As experience is gained, the supervision will be appropriate to the individuals skills.
We anticipate that at 6 months the successful candidate will have an understanding of the clinical management and implications for anaesthesia of patients with the full spectrum of paediatric congenital and acquired heart disease. He or she would have acquired expert vascular access skills and comprehensive knowledge of ventilation and inotropic use in neonates and children.
We anticipate that at 1 year the successful candidate will be in a position to operate as a safe, independent paediatric cardiac anaesthetist in a tertiary centre. He or she will be able to provide anaesthesia for paediatric, adult congenital and neonatal cardiac surgery, cardiac catheterisation, cardiac CT, MRI and non-cardiac surgery for children with congenital and acquired cardiac disease.
Training in the peri-operative intensive care management of paediatric patients with congenital heart disease will be provided with a bias towards cardiothoracic surgery.
ECMO We expect to perform 20 cases each year. Training in assessment and techniques of extra corporeal support will be provided, alongside the other trainees on the PICU.
Longer term cardiovascular support in heart failure including ventricular assist devices and transplantation.
The appropriate use of nitric oxide after cardiac surgery.
For candidates with appropriate experience and interest: principles and practice of echocardiography, including TOE. Attendance at the Freeman Hospital echocardiography course can be arranged.
Experience in paediatric thoracic work, including bronchoscopy, decortication and lung transplantation.
Anaesthesia for CT and MR studies.
Post-operative pain relief techniques applicable to paediatric cardiothoracic surgery.
Experience and training in the provision of anaesthesia for children with congenital heart disease requiring non-cardiac surgery.
Research:
Involvement in audit and research. The successful applicant will be encouraged to be involved with at least one audit or research project during the post, with the aim of producing at least one publication in a peer-reviewed journal by the end of the year.
The trainee has protected time to develop and work on research projects and will be encouraged to develop links with other centres when necessary to further this. There are good opportunities for collaboration on-site, and excellent library and computer facilities are available within the Education Centre.
Flexibility:
In line with the Trusts core value of placing patients at the heart of everything we do, we are developing our service provision to be responsive to the needs of our patients. To meet those needs some staff groups will be increasingly asked to work a more flexible work pattern so that they can offer services in the evening or weekend. As a result any offer of employment to a consultant post will be subject to you agreeing to work a new more flexible pattern or working in the future if required, including evening and weekend work.
Please read attached Job Description and Person Specification.
Person Specification
Education and Qualifications
Essential
- Primary Medical Qualification.
- Full GMC registration or eligibility to obtain this within 3 months.
- Must have some previous experience in at least two of general paediatric anaesthesia, adult cardiac anaesthesia, paediatric intensive care and paediatric cardiothoracic anaesthesia.
Desirable
- Should wish to increase paediatric/congenital cardiac anaesthetic and intensive care experience, with possible consideration of this as a long-term career option.
- Previous advanced training (Special Interest Area, post-CCT fellowship or equivalent) in at least one of general paediatric anaesthesia, adult cardiac anaesthesia and paediatric intensive care
Clinical Skills and Knowledge
Essential
- Good history & examination skills.
- Able to formulate a working diagnosis.
- Able to order appropriate investigations.
- Image interpretation relevant to practice
- Knows when to appropriately seek assistance from a senior colleague.
- Must have range of clinical skills appropriate for senior trainee or someone at post-CCT level.
- Successfully completed an appropriate period of training in anaesthesia, together with all relevant in-training assessments.
Desirable
- Some knowledge of congenital heart disease in children and adults, and its management.
Maintaining Clinical Competence
Essential
- Written evidence of satisfactory training to date e.g. workplace assessments.
Teaching
Essential
- Experience of teaching undergraduate medical students & Foundation Doctors.
Desirable
- Participation in appropriate medical education training programme or qualification.
Clinical Governance, Audit and Research
Essential
- Experience of audit projects.
Desirable
- Evidence of recent research.
Communication, Relationships and Working with Colleagues
Essential
- Ability to communicate and liaise effectively with patients and other people within a team
- Ability to work as a team with professional colleagues in all disciplines.
Desirable
- Some management experience, rota organisation, management course etc.
Personal Attributes
Essential
- Alignment with the Trust's Values
- Flexible approach to service delivery and committed approach to development.
- A commitment to personal / unit CPD
- Time management skills.
- Honesty, integrity, awareness of ethical dilemmas, respect for confidentiality.
Desirable
- Evidence of leadership skills.
- IT literate.
Person Specification
Education and Qualifications
Essential
- Primary Medical Qualification.
- Full GMC registration or eligibility to obtain this within 3 months.
- Must have some previous experience in at least two of general paediatric anaesthesia, adult cardiac anaesthesia, paediatric intensive care and paediatric cardiothoracic anaesthesia.
Desirable
- Should wish to increase paediatric/congenital cardiac anaesthetic and intensive care experience, with possible consideration of this as a long-term career option.
- Previous advanced training (Special Interest Area, post-CCT fellowship or equivalent) in at least one of general paediatric anaesthesia, adult cardiac anaesthesia and paediatric intensive care
Clinical Skills and Knowledge
Essential
- Good history & examination skills.
- Able to formulate a working diagnosis.
- Able to order appropriate investigations.
- Image interpretation relevant to practice
- Knows when to appropriately seek assistance from a senior colleague.
- Must have range of clinical skills appropriate for senior trainee or someone at post-CCT level.
- Successfully completed an appropriate period of training in anaesthesia, together with all relevant in-training assessments.
Desirable
- Some knowledge of congenital heart disease in children and adults, and its management.
Maintaining Clinical Competence
Essential
- Written evidence of satisfactory training to date e.g. workplace assessments.
Teaching
Essential
- Experience of teaching undergraduate medical students & Foundation Doctors.
Desirable
- Participation in appropriate medical education training programme or qualification.
Clinical Governance, Audit and Research
Essential
- Experience of audit projects.
Desirable
- Evidence of recent research.
Communication, Relationships and Working with Colleagues
Essential
- Ability to communicate and liaise effectively with patients and other people within a team
- Ability to work as a team with professional colleagues in all disciplines.
Desirable
- Some management experience, rota organisation, management course etc.
Personal Attributes
Essential
- Alignment with the Trust's Values
- Flexible approach to service delivery and committed approach to development.
- A commitment to personal / unit CPD
- Time management skills.
- Honesty, integrity, awareness of ethical dilemmas, respect for confidentiality.
Desirable
- Evidence of leadership skills.
- IT literate.
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).
