Locum Consultant in Medical Oncology - HPB & NET

Job responsibilities

This post is for 10 Programmed Activities (PAs) per week to support the clinical service within Hepato-pancreatico-biliary (HPB) and neuroendocrine tumour (NET) disease group. This is a 6-month fixed term post, with potential for a further 6 month extension.

Role PurposeThe appointee will be based at The Christie and will provide consultant level care for patients with HPB and NET malignancies. This includes providing outpatient review through the outpatient clinics and day case units (as appropriate), where Systemic Anti-Cancer Therapy Treatments are delivered, as well as inpatient care on the main adult oncology wards. The inpatient workload is supported by Consultant Acute Physicians who work in the Oncology Assessment Unit and the consultant providing Acute Oncology input to the Oncology base wards.

There are four consultants currently working in the HPB (composed of primary liver cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma), pancreas cancer, biliary tract cancers (cholangiocarcinoma and gallbladder cancer) and NET disease group; Dr Richard Hubner, Dr Mairad McNamara, Dr Victoria Foy and Dr Melissa Frizziero. The group has a very active clinical research programme (predominantly phase II/III), with close links to basic research laboratories in the Cancer Research UK Manchester Institute.

Approximately 500 new patients are seen each year (80% with advanced/metastatic disease), and approximately 23% of all these patients are entered in to clinical trials. In addition, The Christie has an international reputation in the treatment of NET (accredited as a Centre of Excellence by the European NET Society (ENETS) initially in 2011. The HPB/NET disease group is supported by clinical research fellows, a specialist registrar, research nurses, clinical nurse specialists, nurse clinicians, general practitioners with a specialist interest in oncology and clinical trials co-ordinators.Trial activity is embedded within clinical service activity across all disease groups at The Christie and the post holder will be expected to maintain existing research and trial activity within the disease groups, working with colleagues from Research and Innovation.

The Department (Medical Oncology) has evolved, over many years, a policy of mutual co-operation between the consultants. The department consultant group meets monthly to discuss joint management policies. Consultants are grouped in disease groups of two to six, supported by junior staff. The individual disease groups accept responsibility for agreed fields of work and for cover for absence arrangements. All consultants are expected to co-operate in these arrangements and to be involved in a number of clinical areas of work.Consultants in the department of Medical Oncology share in an on-call rota that involves a commitment to a full week of call in every twenty weeks. This covers the Specialist Registrar who is second on-call.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIESThe department has 56 consultant Medical Oncologists, approximately 15 Speciality Trainees in Medical Oncology and between 20 and 30 Clinical and Clinical Research Fellows.

The appointee will be based at The Christie and will provide senior input to the following areas of delivery: Outpatient clinics Chemotherapy Services Oak Road Treatment Centre, Christie @ Home, Outreach, Young Oncology Unit (if required) Inpatient Services - primarily Wards 11, 12, 4 and the Oncology Assessment Unit Multi-Disciplinary Team meetings

The role will be responsible for: Management of patients with HPB and NET malignancies receiving standard therapy and in phase I/II/III trials, including treatment decisions and ongoing care. Participating in all relevant aspects of clinical governance, including maintaining up to date protocols, guidelines and clinical audit, under the supervision of the other consultants in the unit. Contribute to current research projects and establish new opportunities to expand and develop research within the disease groups. Revision and development of evidence-based protocols for patients and undertaking the administrative duties associated with the care of their patients. Maintaining a level of continuing professional development, consistent with the recommendations of the Royal College of Physicians. Contributing to the undergraduate teaching of medical students on oncology topics, as appropriate. Actively contributing to the training of junior doctors and other multi-disciplinary team members in both in-patient and outpatient departments, as appropriate, including acting as clinical/educational supervisor. Undertake clinical audit as a member of The Christie Medical Staff Committee.

Continuing Professional Development (CPD)The Trust supports the requirements for CPD as laid down by the GMC and royal colleges and is committed to providing time and financial support for these activities.

Job PlanningThe job plan outlines the requirements of the post and may be altered by joint agreement with the Divisional Clinical Director and Service Manager and in response to service needs. Job Plans are prospectively agreed subject to an annual individual job plan review (May September). It is expected that the initial Job Plan discussion will take place within the first six months of employment at the Trust and then be aligned to the Trusts annual Job Planning review cycle.

The annual review will examine all aspects of the job plan (including any educational and supervision components) and will also include an assessment of professional development with defined goals for the future. For more information refer to the Terms and Conditions section of this Job Description and also the Trusts Job Planning Policy

Essential Training/Mandatory TrainingTo ensure you maintain safe practice and understand Trust requirements, you must ensure your essential/mandatory training modules are maintained at all times using allocated core SPA time to complete them.

Job Plan TimetableThe timetable below is indicative and will be confirmed on commencement in post.

It is the requirement of the Trust that all new consultant colleagues must have 0.25 SPAs within their job plan to support Trust appraisal and supervision requirements. This can either be as appraiser or a supervisor for medical staff or Advanced clinical Practitioners.

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

AM

SPA/Admin

HPB clinic ORTC

(8:30 -13:00)

HPB MDT Central Manchester NHS Trust

(Dial in) (8:00 -12:30)

Inpatient Ward Round/ Admin

NET MDT (8:00 -9:00)

NET clinic ORTC

(9:00 13:00)

Lunch

PM

Research/Clinical Trial meetings

SPA/Admin

HPB/NET clinic Location TBC

HPB Clinic ORTC

(13:00 17:00)

SPA/Admin/

Supervision

On call CommitmentsThis role does require participation in the on-call rota. 1:20

Qualifications

Essential

• MRCP or equivalent qualification
• GMC registration with a license to practice

Research / Publications

Desirable

• Evidence of productive ethical research relevant to oncology
• Demonstrable publication potential (e.g. first-author original article publication/s)

Training

Essential

• Wide experience of Medical Oncology, as well as clinical trials experience, with demonstrated interest in improving outcomes of patients with malignancies

Desirable

• HPB/NET cancer clinical experience

Experience

Essential

• Experience of independently managing patients with an oncological diagnosis
• Experience in teaching undergraduates
• Experience of clinical audit

Desirable

• Experience in leadership in a service area

Teaching

Essential

• Evidence of contributing to supporting junior colleagues

Personal Skills

Essential

• Dynamic, decision-making motivator
• Is a team player, prepared to adapt to changing
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Flexibility, commitment and teamwork with colleagues and staff in the department
• Confident in ability, but knows own limitations
• Professional demeanour
• Must be resilient and well organised
• Evidence that sees tasks through to completion
• Ability to work under pressure
• Hard working enthusiastic achiever
• Evidence of commitment to sub-specialty

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.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).