Respiratory Research Fellow

Job summary

This post represents an exciting opportunity to join the existing respiratory team within the University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust. This is a new post supported by funding from the National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) to help deliver high quality clinical research studies to the population 350,000 across North Lancashire, South Cumbria and the Furness peninsula. The respiratory service at UHMB has undergone major transition over the last few years with exciting new services and community integration. In particular the service now offers sub-specialist care in Interstitial Lung Disease and Severe Asthma including assessment, prescription and monitoring of NHS England Specialist Commissioned drugs via regional clinical networks. This post would involve a mixture of clinical work (support for respiratory inpatient work at Royal Lancaster Infirmary, attending specialist clinics in ILD or severe asthma, and preparation and attendance at relevant regional specialist multidisciplinary team (MDT) meetings) , clinical research work (supporting the delivery of NIHR portfolio research studies in respiratory medicine). There will also be the opportunity to engage with teaching of medical students from Lancaster University Medical School. Participation in general medical on call duties (with appropriate remuneration) can be negotiated if desired.

Main duties of the job

The advertised posts would focus on severe asthma and ILD. Both of these subspecialties are part of regional networks with neighbouring organizations including Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust. The successful applicant would gain experience in the assessment, investigation and management of patients with severe asthma, inducible laryngeal obstruction, complex breathlessness, and/or ILD including Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis, Hypersensitivity pneumonitis, Connective Tissue Disease related ILD (with access to a joint ILD/Rheumatology clinic) and drug induced ILD. Both services identify and prescribe specialist commissioned drugs via the respective regional specialist MDTs and the post would involve active preparation and presentation in these meetings.

This would be an ideal post for a candidate hoping to follow a specialist career in respiratory medicine. The post would allow the successful applicant to gain valuable additional experience prior to application for a formal training rotation and to build research and educational skills to support further career progression.

About us

We operate from three main hospitals-Furness General Hospital (FGH) in Barrow, the Royal Lancaster Infirmary (RLI), and Westmorland General Hospital (WGH) in Kendal, as well as a number of community healthcare premises including Millom Hospital and GP Practice, Queen Victoria Hospital in Morecambe, and Ulverston Community Health Centre.

FGH and the RLI have a range of General Hospital services, with full Emergency Departments, Critical/Coronary Care units and various Consultant-led services.

WGH provides a range of General Hospital services, together with an Urgent Treatment Centre, that can help with a range of non-life threatening conditions such as broken bones and minor illnesses.

All three main hospitals provide a range of planned care including outpatients, diagnostics, therapies, daycase and inpatient surgery. In addition, a range of local outreach services and diagnostics are provided from community facilities across Morecambe Bay.