Consultant Cardiologist with a Specialist Interest in Cardiac Imaging

Job responsibilities

The appointee will be joining a team of seven imaging cardiologists, as well as the larger cardiology consultant group. Due to the expansion of LHCHs surgical and structural programmes, this is an exciting and rewarding time to be involved in tertiary centre cardiac imaging in Liverpool due to the increasing demand, improving investment in cardiac diagnostics/radiology, improving image quality and scanner capabilities, and advancing research. LHCH is a high-volume centre for cardiac CT and MRI, with the scanners being dedicated to cardiac work. The imaging cardiologists and radiologists form a supportive, cohesive, collaborative and efficient team who benefit from each others knowledge and experience.

LHCH provides an advanced echo service encompassing all aspects of echocardiography including stress, 3D, contrast, transoesophageal and echo in the catheter lab for interventional procedures. The cardiac diagnostics department is staffed with 20 highly skilled cardiac physiologists with individual BSE accreditation, with the same accreditation also awarded at departmental level. In the past 12 months, over 10,000 outpatient transthoracic echocardiograms were performed along with over 500 stress echo, 400 transoesophageal echo, 4500 in-patient scans and over 1000 scans for the community cardiology service. For stress echo, the department is able to offer all modalities including treadmill, bike, pacing and pharmacological stress. TOE is performed in a purpose-built endoscopy suite. The adult congenital heart disease team are integrated within the imaging department and work in close collaboration with the imaging cardiologists. There are strong links with local secondary care cardiologists and a local network to which the appointee would be expected to contribute.

The TAVI/structural team work closely with the imaging group, and currently consist of six interventional cardiologists. The service is expanding with new appointments imminent, and there is collaborative working with dedicated nurse specialists, cardiac and vascular surgeons. Approximately 500 TAVIs will be performed this year, with a recently established TEER service gaining experience and consultant recruitment. Additional structural work includes PFO, paravalvular leak and VSD closure.

LHCH provides excellence with regards to care for patients with heart valve disease. The valve clinic has been well established for several years and is run using an MDT approach comprising the consultant group, cardiac physiologists and a heart valve nurse. The service offers specific expertise to the complex group of patients under surveillance with borderline severe/asymptomatic severe valve disease, as well as guiding patients towards surgical and transcatheter treatment via the multidisciplinary team.

The radiology department provides outstanding technology for cardiothoracic imaging. There are two MRI scanners including a wide bore (1.5T cardiac optimized Siemens Sola MR scanner and a 3T VIDA Siemens), and two dual energy Siemens force CT scanners. CT images are analysed using dedicated software (Syngo via).

There is a Consultant of the Week structure, to which the new appointee will contribute, whereby all cardiology in-patients are reviewed daily. There is an MDT/heart team structure for patients who may require valve surgery, percutaneous valve intervention, aortic surgery as well as revascularisation and high-risk surgical cases, to which the appointee would be expected to contribute. New consultant appointments can have an appointed mentor and would receive clinical support from all senior colleagues.

The job plan/timetable is flexible and can be adjusted to suit the needs of the appointee and any specific interests they may have.

Qualifications

Essential

• Full registration with the GMC
• Entry on Specialist Register (or entry expected within 6 months)
• MRCP (UK), or provide evidence of equivalent training and experience

Desirable

• QualificationsFull registration with the GMC Entry on Specialist Register (or entry expected within 6 months) MRCP (UK), or provide evidence of equivalent training and experience A higher degree e.g. MD, PhD

Clinical Experience

Essential

• Clinical training and experience equivalent to that required for gaining UK CCT in cardiology
• Clinical expertise in at least two imaging modalities (CT/cMRI/echo), which includes an advanced accreditation in chosen modalities
• Ability to offer imaging opinion on a range of problems, both emergency and elective
• Ability to work well within a team and establish good professional relationships
• Ability to take full and independent responsibility for clinical care of patients
• Understanding and evidence of clinical governance and audit

Desirable

• Experience of supervising Tier 1 doctors
• Ability to teach image acquisition and post processing skills
• Experience of teaching basic clinical skills to undergraduates.
• Experience of supervising Tier 2 doctors
• Ability to supervise postgraduate research
• Level 1/2 accreditation as an educational supervisor

Management and Administrative Experience

Essential

• Ability to advise on efficient and smooth running of a specialist service.
• Ability to organise and manage outpatient priorities, waiting lists and catheter lab time.
• Ability to manage and lead a cardiology team.

Desirable

• Ability to manage and lead a subspecialist service, cardiology directorate and working parties as appropriate.
• Experience of audit management.

Teaching Experience

Essential

• Experience of supervising Tier 1 doctors
• Ability to teach clinical and operative skills.
• Level 1 accreditation as an educational supervisor

Desirable

• Experience of teaching basic clinical skills to undergraduates.
• Experience of supervising Tier 2 doctors
• Ability to supervise postgraduate research.
• Level 2 accreditation as an educational supervisor

Research Experience

Essential

• Ability to apply research outcomes to clinical problems.
• Peer reviewed publications.

Desirable

• Success in grant applications
• Editorial experience

Personal Attributes

Essential

• Ability to work in a team. & good interpersonal skills,
• Enquiring, critical approach to work
• Ability to communicate effectively with patients, relatives, GP's, nurses and other agencies.
• Ability to apply research outcomes to clinical problems
• Commitment to continuing medical education

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).