Job responsibilities Clinical Attend and assist in the out-patient clinics, taking responsibility to ensure adequate staffing for the clinic and to facilitate its efficient running in any other way. Clinic letters must be dictated promptly. Attend consultant ward rounds. Make formal ward rounds daily including at weekends and holidays as part of the on-call responsibilities. These rounds should be considered a teaching opportunity for more junior staff. Participation in the relevant rota will depend on clinical experience of the successful candidate. Out of hours responsibilities include: Night-time supervision of care of surgical patients including those in the Intensive Care Unit/Recovery Unit and communicate appropriately with the responsible consultant regarding major problems arising with that consultants patients. Weekend on-call responsibilities include ward rounds as well as participation in emergency operations and assessment of in-patients or outside referrals. Advise on the discharge of patients under the care of the cardiothoracic surgical consultants. Theatre responsibilities Ensure that the theatre cases are appropriately staffed. Ensuring that junior staff are involved at an appropriate level wherever possible. Junior staff must be assigned to cases whenever ward responsibilities permits. Ensuring that adequate junior level assistants are available to help open and close cases performed under the direction of, or with the assistance of, a consultant. Ensuring that all cases are sent for promptly and facilitating the efficient transfer of patients if required. Ensuring that communication is maintained with the relatives of patients. Ensure that either the operating surgeon or senior level assistant involved in the operation complete all appropriate data entry tasks at the conclusion of the operation. In addition, the principal operator should be responsible for creating a suitable operation note, which accurately records the events of the procedure. If operations are delayed or cancelled, the post holders are responsible for communicating with the wards appropriately and explaining the situation to the patients. Admission responsibilities Communicate with the consultant staff regarding their respective theatre schedules individually and co-ordinate hospital admission in an integrated and coherent manner such that hospital beds are utilised most efficiently. This may require suggesting modifications to the planned admissions schedule to individual consultants on the basis of in-patient referrals, emergency cases or theatre cancellations. Participation in weekly planning meetings is required. Waiting list management Maintain knowledge of the active waiting list for your consultant and participate in their selection for admission and surgery in a manner that is equitable for patients as much as possible. Be involved in the evaluation of patients referred to the service, particularly in-patient referrals. Respond to queries from the patients and their GPs (both by telephone and letter) regarding their position on the waiting list and anticipated time of operation. Administration of service As part of their overall responsibilities for the patients, post holders must ensure that medical records are adequately kept by the junior medical staff including daily notes on in-patients and prompt dictation of discharge summaries. Notes must be representative and appropriate to the patients true condition. Medical audit Post holders must ensure that all junior staff are present at the monthly medical audit meeting. Opportunities to present cases for discussion from the firm will arise and should be prepared for and presented by post holders or assigned to a colleague for presentation. Research Research is an integral component of the training programme. Post holders are encouraged and expected to participate in clinical or basic science research. Teaching Post holders are expected to take an active role in the postgraduate teaching activities. In addition he/she may be required to undertake teaching of medical students, nurses and other paramedical staff. Clinical research is continuously undertaken within the unit and the post holder will be encouraged to participate. This job description lists key components of the job, but is not in any way exhaustive. The post holder must accept that he/she will also perform duties in occasional emergencies and unforeseen circumstances at the request of the appropriate consultant, in consultation where practicable with both junior and senior colleagues. However, it is recognised that additional commitments arising this way are exceptional and in particular that junior doctors should not be required to undertake work of this kind of a prolonged period or on a regular basis.