Job summary The post(s) will be ward-based on Dart Ward at Totnes Community Hospital. Dart Ward is an 16 bedded ward (18 beds in escalation) that aids in the rehabilitation and ongoing medical care of patients before they are suitable for discharge. The majority of these patients are frail and have multiple co-morbidities. Since April 2022 the Healthcare for Older People (HOP) team have taken over the responsibility for these beds and are developing a new model for care in the community. The posts would be to provide a 52 week per year level of cover for these beds supported by and accountable to a HOP consultant who provides a weekly ward round and is available by phone daily. The workload will be shared by two people working 0.8 WTE, making it ideal for those wishing to work LTFT. There would be no on-call commitment within these roles, however there is the expectation that there will be some bank holiday working to ensure the ward is not without medical support for longer than 3 days. Working 0.8 WTE there will be one day off per week; likely a Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday as there is a focus on ensuring robust ward cover on Mondays and Fridays. Whilst this role is based at Totnes Hospital there may be the requirement in extremis to work at Newton Abbot Community Hospital. This would be agreed first through the Clinical Service Leads for HOP. Main duties of the job Providing a clerking service for patients that are newly admitted to the ward and commence a comprehensive geriatric assessment. Patients could come from Torbay, Exeter or Plymouth. Review patients that are having active medical care, and those that have been highlighted by the nursing team. Liaise between nurses, patients, relatives, and senior medical staff. Participate in the daily MDT meetings for inpatients. Completion of discharge summaries Supervise medical students where appropriate Co-operate with members of the personnel department when monitoring hours of work and other personnel issues Comply with all local policies including dress code, annual and study leave About us Totnes Community Hospital has 18 medical inpatient beds in a modern purpose-built unit. Traditionally the unit has been run by the local GP practices but we are now looking to implement an exciting new model of care supported by the Healthcare of Older People Team. The HOP Team currently have 8.9 WTE Consultants. We also have a Nurse Consultant in Frailty and a range of Physicians Associate, Advanced Clinical Practice and Specialist Nurse roles. We work very closely with our colleagues in stroke and in addition to Totnes Hospital we support 3 acute wards, a Frailty Virtual Ward with aspirations to provide Frailty SDEC, as well as delivering and Orthogeriatrics service and host the Parkinson's Disease service which we jointly run with the Neurology team. There may be opportunities for this post to gain experience in other areas of the service. Roughly eighty percent of the patients are step down transfers from acute hospitals for further rehabilitation, ongoing medical treatment or complex discharge planning whilst the remainder are direct admissions from home, usually for intravenous therapies (antibiotics, fluids and transfusions) or for end of life care. Admission criteria are available on a separate document. Nursing staff in all Community Hospitals are trained to a uniform very high level and are skilled in intravenous cannulation, initiation of IV antibiotics and phlebotomy. Date posted 31 March 2025 Pay scheme Hospital medical and dental staff Grade Doctor - other Salary £49,909 a year pa pro rata Contract Fixed term Duration 12 months Working pattern Part-time Reference number 388-7012012-CW Job locations Totnes Community Hospital 9 Coronation Road Totnes TQ9 5GH Job description Job responsibilities The working day will start from 8.30 and finish at approximately 4pm. You would start by identifying the nurse in charge and ask who they feel needs a review- if any. The new patients have usually been identified in the doctors book and they should be reviewed first unless there is anyone unwell. The observations are recorded on an electronic system that you will have access to and can aid your prioritisation. There is currently a courier service twice a day (9.15 and 3pm) that will take blood samples back for analysis at Torbay hospital, and you may be asked to take blood that the nurses have been unable to do. It is anticipated that Totnes will get a point of care testing facility in the near future to speed up decision making with test results. The MDT commences at 11.45 and it is here that anticipated discharges be discussed. You will need to do discharge summaries and TTA much further in advance of discharge as it takes longer to get the drugs to a community hospital. Year 3 medical students have been attending the ward for the falls pathway and dementia/delirium pathway so there will be an opportunity to provide small group teaching for them. You will be part of the Healthcare of Older People department and we run a weekly teaching session on a Friday lunchtime that can offer training in geriatric care and a forum for you to provide a teaching session. Your day to day decision making will be support by a middle grade and there will be a weekly consultant led ward round. Job description Job responsibilities The working day will start from 8.30 and finish at approximately 4pm. You would start by identifying the nurse in charge and ask who they feel needs a review- if any. The new patients have usually been identified in the doctors book and they should be reviewed first unless there is anyone unwell. The observations are recorded on an electronic system that you will have access to and can aid your prioritisation. There is currently a courier service twice a day (9.15 and 3pm) that will take blood samples back for analysis at Torbay hospital, and you may be asked to take blood that the nurses have been unable to do. It is anticipated that Totnes will get a point of care testing facility in the near future to speed up decision making with test results. The MDT commences at 11.45 and it is here that anticipated discharges be discussed. You will need to do discharge summaries and TTA much further in advance of discharge as it takes longer to get the drugs to a community hospital. Year 3 medical students have been attending the ward for the falls pathway and dementia/delirium pathway so there will be an opportunity to provide small group teaching for them. You will be part of the Healthcare of Older People department and we run a weekly teaching session on a Friday lunchtime that can offer training in geriatric care and a forum for you to provide a teaching session. Your day to day decision making will be support by a middle grade and there will be a weekly consultant led ward round. Person Specification Qualifications Essential Has achieved MBChB or equivalent medical qualification. Satisfactory completion of Foundation training or equivalent. ALS training or equivalent. Registration with the GMC at time of starting the post. Desirable Experience of Foundation training. 12 months continuous experience within the NHS. Knowledge Essential Competence in basic clinical procedures. Able to prioritise clinical need, time and workload. Understands the principles of patient confidentiality and data protection. Understand the importance of working effectively in teams. Desirable Knowledge of UK health systems, practices and values; awareness of current issues in the NHS. Understands the importance and impact of information systems in health care. Ability to practise evidence-based medicine Evidence of continuous professional development. Person Specification Qualifications Essential Has achieved MBChB or equivalent medical qualification. Satisfactory completion of Foundation training or equivalent. ALS training or equivalent. Registration with the GMC at time of starting the post. Desirable Experience of Foundation training. 12 months continuous experience within the NHS. Knowledge Essential Competence in basic clinical procedures. Able to prioritise clinical need, time and workload. Understands the principles of patient confidentiality and data protection. Understand the importance of working effectively in teams. Desirable Knowledge of UK health systems, practices and values; awareness of current issues in the NHS. Understands the importance and impact of information systems in health care. Ability to practise evidence-based medicine Evidence of continuous professional development. 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). Additional information 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). Employer details Employer name Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust Address Totnes Community Hospital 9 Coronation Road Totnes TQ9 5GH Employer's website https://www.torbayandsouthdevon.nhs.uk (Opens in a new tab)