St Giles Hospice is a leading provider of specialist palliative care services, committed to delivering compassionate, patient-centred care for individuals with life-limiting illnesses. We support patients and families in achieving the best possible quality of life through an interdisciplinary approach, including medical, nursing, psychosocial, and spiritual care.
Main duties of the job
The Consultant in Palliative Care reports into the Director for Clinical Services and is responsible for leading the medical provision and medical team at St Giles Hospice as part of a multi-disciplinary team. The role will form part of the Hospice Senior Leadership Team and play a vital role in supporting the strategic direction of the Hospice.
As a Consultant in Palliative Care, you will play a pivotal role in leading and delivering high-quality specialist palliative care services at St Giles Hospice both on our In Patient Unit (IPU) and in the community. The post is responsible for provision of day-to-day medical cover over 7 days a week both onsite and providing on-call support at weekends to ensure the highest quality of clinical and medical care is delivered to our patients. You will work closely with the multidisciplinary team to provide clinical expertise, support education and training initiatives, and contribute to development of service provision across the hospice.
Job responsibilities
The role entails but is not limited to:
Clinical Care
The post holder will lead the planning, development and delivery of palliative medical care to patients by:
* Providing expert medical management for patients with complex palliative care needs, both in the hospice and community settings.
* Providing continuity of medical care on the inpatient unit and in the community and being responsible with the medical team for the day-to-day management of patients admitted to the IPU.
* Leading weekly multidisciplinary team (MDT) meetings, contributing to holistic patient management plans.
* Performing a full holistic assessment of patients and providing on-going medical review for existing patients.
* Prescribing appropriately in line with hospice and the West Midlands Palliative Care Physicians Guidelines for Symptom Control, maintaining accurate and legible drug charts. Completing the requisitions for pharmaceutical and other supplies when necessary.
* Offering clinical leadership and support to junior medical staff, medical trainees, nursing teams, and allied health professionals.
* Leading ward rounds, outpatient clinics, and home visits as required.
* Supporting effective symptom control, advance care planning, and end-of-life care discussions.
* Participating in the Hospice weekend medical rota.
Leadership & Management
Lead and manage the Medical Team at St Giles Hospice ensuring all clinical, medical needs of the teams are met.
Manage the day-to-day requirements of the medical team through relevant HR process and practice, ensuring one-to-ones, team meetings, appraisals and any other relevant HR requirements are carried out in line with St Giles policy.
Support the Director of Clinical Services by leading on the development, maintenance, and delivery of a comprehensive strategy for quality which considers patient safety, risk management, clinical effectiveness, and patient experience.
Provide highly visible accessible leadership, advice and support on issues relating to safe and compassionate medical care, ensuring the provision of evidence-based practice.
Work with the senior management team and the senior clinical team, ensuring that services are developed around patient needs, that they are accessible and seamless.
Take an active role in the Hospices Senior Leadership team, representing medical services and working collaboratively with other hospice teams, and gain a full understanding of the complexity of the organisation.
To be responsible for professional standards of the medical team and medical services at St Giles Hospice.
Maintain awareness of up-to-date professional and clinical practice issues and ensure that appropriate national policy is reflected in practice.
Lead and contribute to the annual integrated governance work programme and monitoring framework in line with the Hospice clinical strategy, assurance framework, risk register and Quality Account priorities as well as all Care Quality Commission aspects of business.
Clinical Service Development and Governance
The post holder will be professionally responsible for helping to develop clinical services and robust organisational clinical governance practices through:
* Contributing to the development, implementation, and evaluation of clinical guidelines and protocols.
* Engaging in quality improvement initiatives to enhance patient care and service efficiency.
* Participating in clinical governance activities, including audits, incident reviews, and risk assessments.
* Playing an active part in the organisations Senior Leadership Team, contributing to the strategic direction of the organisation.
* Clinical audits.
* Reviewing and making recommendations on the implementation of national guidelines e.g. NICE.
* Keeping up to date with medical developments, new drugs, treatments and medications, relating to palliative care and sharing learning.
Education and Training
The post holder will be the lead clinician responsible for the development of the medical team including ANPs, Speciality and Specialty Doctors and medical and GP trainees by:
* Delivering training and mentorship for medical trainees, nursing staff, and other professionals in palliative care principles and practice.
* Actively contributing to local and regional teaching programmes in collaboration with academic institutions.
* Contributing to the internal teaching programme for members of the multi-disciplinary team and, if appropriate, externally as part of the Hospices commitment to educating other clinical teams about end-of-life care.
Research and Innovation
Working collaboratively with the Hospices Professor in End-of-Life Care to continually assess clinical practice and participate in research studies that contribute to our clinical excellence.
Promote and participate in research initiatives related to palliative care, supporting evidence-based practice.
Foster collaboration with academic partners to enhance the hospices reputation as a centre of excellence.
Liaison and Advocacy
Work cross organisationally with key internal stakeholders to represent the medical team and fully understand the complexity of the organisation from clinical delivery through to income generation.
Actively encourage and lead with a one team approach.
Build strong working relationships with local GPs, hospital teams, and community services to ensure seamless care pathways.
Represent the hospice at regional and national forums, advocating for palliative care excellence.
General
The successful candidate will, on initial appointment and thereafter, be required to inform the Hospice of any regular commitments in respect of private professional services or fee-paying services. There will be a similar requirement in respect of additional NHS responsibilities or other external duties.
The post holder must be fully registered with the General Medical Council. It is essential to maintain appropriate membership of a recognised medical defence organisation. Employees at the Hospice do not benefit from NHS indemnity.
Person Specification
Experience
* Extensive experience in managing patients with advanced, life-limiting illnesses.
* Proven ability to lead MDTs and provide clinical supervision.
* Expertise in symptom control, advance care planning, and ethical decision-making.
* Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage sensitively with patients, families, and colleagues.
* Knowledge of current UK healthcare legislation, including end-of-life care policies.
* Knowledge of evidence-based practice and quality improvement.
* Extensive experience of teaching and clinical audit.
* Experience in hospice or community-based palliative care settings.
* Active involvement in service development, quality improvement, or education.
Qualifications
* Full GMC registration with a licence to practise.
* CCT in Palliative Medicine (or within 6 months of attaining CCT).
* Inclusion on the Specialist Register for Palliative Medicine.
* Higher degree (e.g., MD, PhD) or equivalent research experience in palliative care.
Skills
* Excellent clinical skills in palliative medicine.
* Proven ability to manage patients effectively with complex physical, psychological and social problems.
* Ability to lead and manage a team.
* Ability to work collaboratively with a multidisciplinary team.
* Awareness of own limitations.
Personal Attributes
* Commitment to providing holistic, person-centred care.
* Strong leadership skills, with a collaborative and flexible approach to team working.
* Dedication to ongoing professional development and reflective practice.
* Team player.
* Able to work under pressure.
Other Requirements
* Valid driving licence.
* Eligibility to work in the UK.
* Please note that St Giles Hospice does not hold a sponsorship licence and is therefore unable to accept sponsorship requests.
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.
Depending on experience, competitive with NHS.
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