Locum Consultant Cardiologist - Heart Failure and Advanced Echo

Job responsibilities

The appointee will join the Cardiology team in the delivery of comprehensive cardiac services across the Trust. The role will have a specialist focus in heart failure management and advanced echocardiography, with opportunities to lead and develop valve clinics in collaboration with multidisciplinary colleagues. The post will predominantly be based at the Luton & Dunstable Hospital.

At the Luton and Dunstable Hospital we have an established heart failure service with 4 Consultants, 3 HF specialist nurses and 4 community HF nurses at Luton and 2 community HF nurses covering the central Bedfordshire region. We also extend the service to adjacent areas of Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire. There is a well-established community HF service supported through MDT once a week on a Wednesday. The appointee will provide specialist outpatient and inpatient care for patients with heart failure. The appointee is also expected to support periodic pathway development in order to help achieve national standards in HF management for the trust.

The appointee will also help contribute to the scanning and reporting of advanced echocardiography studies including:

3D transthoracic echocardiography

Transoesophageal echocardiography (TOE)

Stress echocardiography (exercise and dobutamine)

Contrast and bubble studies

There will also be an opportunity to oversee and support heart valve clinics, providing expert review of patients with moderate to severe valve disease.

The successful candidate will complement the consultant capacity to enable an effective and seamless service for cardiology in both in-patient and elective settings. This will include ward rounds, consultant to consultant referrals, GP Advice and Guidance, MDT and outpatient clinics.

The appointee will participate in the provision of seven day cover for the Cardiology bed base on a 1:8 rota and in future cardiology on call as per service expansion. The appointee may have to work cross site at Bedford Hospital to cross cover leave or on a more regular basis in the future.

1. Duties and Responsibilities

The main duties and responsibilities of the post include:-

To have a subspecialist interest in heart failure and advanced echocardiography, and to develop services as required.

To offer dedicated specialist Heart failure clinics as well as a General Cardiology clinic.

To perform, supervise and teach advanced echocardiography including TOE/ stress echo

To oversee and support heart valve clinics, providing expert review of patients with moderate to severe valve disease.

To participate in the provision of a high quality out-patient service, including patient administration.

To work with other consultants/ colleagues to provide specialist Cardiology advice and support to patients within the Trust

Other Tasks include: -

The appointee will attend and actively participate in the weekly multidisciplinary meetings and governance meetings.

Active participation in the management and development of the specialty and the introduction of new services.

Contribute to the educational programme, including departmental meetings and teaching.

Contribute to the General Medicine educational programme, including weekly department meetings and teaching.

Undertake high quality medical audit projects and participate in the collection of data required to meet national quality standards.

Implement audit and research findings as appropriate in clinical practice.

Prepare and participate in an annual appraisal in accordance with Trust policy.

Participate and comply with the requirements for Continuing Professional Development and revalidation as laid down by the Royal College of Physicians. The trust is committed to providing the time and financial support for these activities.

Qualification

Essential

• Medical Degree
• Relevant postgraduate qualification - MRCP

Desirable

• MD or equivalent Higher Degree or evidence of relevant research

Registration

Essential

• Full GMC Registration with a licence to practice
• Entry onto the GMC Specialist Register: CCT (or within 6 months of receipt of CCT at time of interview) CESR (must be on Specialist Register at time of applying)

Clinical Experience

Essential

• Excellent all round experience of DGH work
• Evidence of thorough and broad training and experience in Cardiology and General Medicine
• Able to take full and independent responsibility for clinical work and delivering service without direct supervision.
• Subspecialty interests in Heart Failure and Advanced Echocardiography (including TOE, dobutamine/ exercise stress echo)
• BSE level 2 accreditation in transthoracic echocardiography
• Experience of performing and interpreting a high volume of advanced echocardiography studies including TOE & stress echo

Desirable

• Training in Advanced Heart Failure management
• Training in Cardiac Transplantation and Mechanical Support
• Experience in Community Cardiology

Clinical Effectiveness

Essential

• Understanding of clinical governance and ability to demonstrate ongoing CPD
• Experience of guideline appraisal
• Participation in relevant local audits
• Ability to interpret and apply clinical research

Desirable

• Participation in relevant national audits
• Experience of quality improvement within subspecialty interests

Teaching

Essential

• Knowledge and ability to teach all grades of trainees and medical students

Desirable

• Has attended Teaching the Teachers or similar course

Personnel Skills

Essential

• Ability to co-operate in a democratic team environment
• Flexible attitude, team player with good management skills
• Leadership Skills

Clinical Governance

Essential

• Able to demonstrate a broad understanding of the principles and elements of clinical governance.

Personnel Circumstances

Essential

• Residence within 10 miles by road or up to thirty minutes travelling time of the hospital for purposes of on-call emergencies.
• Fit to undertake the role with satisfactory Occupational Health clearance
• Satisfactory DBS clearance

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).