Job summary
The safety of patients is a paramount concern for the NHS. Significant staff fatigue is a hazard both to patients and to the staff themselves. The safeguards around working hours of doctors and dentists in training are outlined in the terms and conditions of service (TCS) and are designed to ensure that this risk is effectively mitigated and that this mitigation is assured.
The guardian is a senior person, independent of the management structure within the organisation, for whom the doctor in training is working and/or the organisation by whom the doctor in training is employed. The guardian is responsible for protecting the safeguards outlined in the 2016 TCS for doctors and dentists in training. The guardian will ensure that issues of compliance with safe working hours are addressed, as they arise, with the doctor and /or employer, as appropriate; and will provide assurance to the trust board or equivalent body that doctors' working hours are safe.
Main duties of the job
- act as the champion of safe working hours for doctors in approved training programmes and ensure that action is taken to ensure that the working hours within the trust are safe. This will extend to be the GP Trainee Guardian of Safe Working for those in General Practice/Hospices for which the Trust is Lead Employer
- provide assurance to the trust board or equivalent body that doctors are safely rostered and are working hours that are safe and in compliance with the TCS.
- record and monitor compliance with the restrictions on working hours stipulated in the TCS, through receipt and review of all exception reports in respect of safe working hours.
- ensure that exception reports regarding training hours, as set out in the work schedule, are sent to the DME or equivalent officer.
- work in collaboration with the DME and the LNC to ensure that the identified
- issues within exception reports, concerning both working hours and training hours, are properly addressed by the employer and/or host organisation.
Please review the job description for full details
About us
We are a large organisation providing acute services from Gloucestershire Royal Hospital in Gloucester and Cheltenham General Hospital to a population of 652,475 in Gloucestershire as well as caring for patients from surrounding counties and beyond.
Our workforce is almost 8,000 strong and our caring and dedicated staff are recognised as providing good and outstanding patient-centred, high quality emergency, elective and specialist care across a range of clinical areas.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Assignment and review of work
- Accountable to the trust board or equivalent body and line managed by the appropriate executive director.
- The work of the post holder is generated through exception reporting and work schedule reviews made by doctors in training.
- The post holder is also expected to generate work in response to areas of concern.
- The post holder will agree objectives with the line manager, who will also appraise or contribute to the appraisal for the post holder. The system of performance management will include the opportunity for representatives of the doctors in training to contribute to the assessment, for example, through a system of 360 degree appraisal.
Communications and working relationships
The role of the guardian must be independent from the line management arrangements in the host and/or
- employing organisation to ensure that the post holder has the confidence of doctors in training.
- The post holder must be of sufficient seniority to ensure that the role has an effective voice within the organisation.
- The post holder will have regular contact with doctors and dentists in training, the DME and any associate DMEs, educational and clinical supervisors, the postgraduate dean, other senior staff within the HEE area office/Deanery, the LNC, the junior doctors forum, and both executive and non-executive board members.
- The post holder will also have links with other guardians in other organisation
Appointment to the role
- The provisions for appointing the guardian will be in line with those set out in local appointment policies and with the provisions of Schedule 6 of the TCS.
Note
- The guardian of safe working hours is a separate role from, and should not be confused with, other guardian roles within the organisation (e.g. Caldicott guardian, freedom to speak up guardian).
Please review job description for full details
Job description
Job responsibilities
Assignment and review of work
- Accountable to the trust board or equivalent body and line managed by the appropriate executive director.
- The work of the post holder is generated through exception reporting and work schedule reviews made by doctors in training.
- The post holder is also expected to generate work in response to areas of concern.
- The post holder will agree objectives with the line manager, who will also appraise or contribute to the appraisal for the post holder. The system of performance management will include the opportunity for representatives of the doctors in training to contribute to the assessment, for example, through a system of 360 degree appraisal.
Communications and working relationships
The role of the guardian must be independent from the line management arrangements in the host and/or
- employing organisation to ensure that the post holder has the confidence of doctors in training.
- The post holder must be of sufficient seniority to ensure that the role has an effective voice within the organisation.
- The post holder will have regular contact with doctors and dentists in training, the DME and any associate DMEs, educational and clinical supervisors, the postgraduate dean, other senior staff within the HEE area office/Deanery, the LNC, the junior doctors forum, and both executive and non-executive board members.
- The post holder will also have links with other guardians in other organisation
Appointment to the role
- The provisions for appointing the guardian will be in line with those set out in local appointment policies and with the provisions of Schedule 6 of the TCS.
Note
- The guardian of safe working hours is a separate role from, and should not be confused with, other guardian roles within the organisation (e.g. Caldicott guardian, freedom to speak up guardian).
Please review job description for full details
Person Specification
Skills, Abilities & Knowledge
Essential
- Knowledge and understanding of TCS of doctors in training
- Knowledge and understanding of Working Time Regulations and safe working patterns and rotas for doctors in training.
- Facilitation, interpersonal, mediation and negotiation skills in order to promote medical and dental education and challenge practice within the LEP.
- Ability to manage budget.
- Proven ability in leadership to achieve goals, manage change and deal with constraints.
- Ability to act as an effective champion for safe working.
Desirable
- Knowledge of recent development in medical education and of key issues.
Experience
Essential
- Minimum consultant /GP level or equivalent senior medical or management level.
- Relevant experience and or employment with a local NHS organisation.
Desirable
- Previous experience of postgraduate education & training.
- Previous management experience and training.
Qualifications
Essential
- Medical or dental practitioner with postgraduate qualifications or appropriate HR or management qualification.
Personal Qualities
Essential
- Enthusiasm for preserving safeguards for the benefit of patients and doctors in training.
- Excellent communication skills.
- Clear understanding of equal opportunities.
Person Specification
Skills, Abilities & Knowledge
Essential
- Knowledge and understanding of TCS of doctors in training
- Knowledge and understanding of Working Time Regulations and safe working patterns and rotas for doctors in training.
- Facilitation, interpersonal, mediation and negotiation skills in order to promote medical and dental education and challenge practice within the LEP.
- Ability to manage budget.
- Proven ability in leadership to achieve goals, manage change and deal with constraints.
- Ability to act as an effective champion for safe working.
Desirable
- Knowledge of recent development in medical education and of key issues.
Experience
Essential
- Minimum consultant /GP level or equivalent senior medical or management level.
- Relevant experience and or employment with a local NHS organisation.
Desirable
- Previous experience of postgraduate education & training.
- Previous management experience and training.
Qualifications
Essential
- Medical or dental practitioner with postgraduate qualifications or appropriate HR or management qualification.
Personal Qualities
Essential
- Enthusiasm for preserving safeguards for the benefit of patients and doctors in training.
- Excellent communication skills.
- Clear understanding of equal opportunities.
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).
