Job summary
Applications are invited for a (10PA) consultant post based in the Acute Medicine Unit (AMU) at University Hospitals Plymouth. The post also offers 2 PAs of other specialist work on negotiation. We have a broad range of services within Derriford hospital and welcome the opportunity to allow our acute medical colleagues to include this within their job plans. Specialties supporting Acute Medicine where sub-specialty work may be developed include Gastroenterology, Respiratory, Cardiology, Neurology / Stroke, Hepatology, Diabetes & Endocrinology, Geriatric Medicine & Frailty, General Internal Medicine, and Infectious Diseases.
The post holder will provide clinical leadership within the Acute Medical Department, and provide excellent holistic medical within the team on the Acute Medical Unit (AMU), Medical Same Day Emergency Care (Medical SDEC), the Virtual Ward and the Emergency Department (when senior input is required). You will be part of a dedicated team of Acute Medicine Consultants and provide supervision, working collaboratively within our dynamic acute medicine team consisting of doctors-in-training, physicians associates and advanced clinical practitioners. We have close relationships with our registered nurses and allied health professional colleagues.
Main duties of the job
Our AMU is increasing from 51 beds to 73 over the Summer of 2024, seeing approximately 20000 patients per year, and has a well-supported Medical Same Day Emergency Care Unit (Medical SDEC). A new medical model is increasing patients access to medical SDEC, supported by medical specialties with virtual wards and Hot Clinics. The in-patients are reviewed between 0800 and 1200 hours by three consultants (including 2 Acute Physicians and 1 General physician) and aim to see all the new admissions from overnight. The Take consultant provides AMU cover until 8pm and an additional supporting physician rostered until 10pm.
About us
University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust is the largest hospital in the Southwest peninsula, and we are the region's Major Trauma Centre. We are responsible for offering the most specialist hospital care available in our regional centre: for example immunology, cardiothoracic surgery and kidney and bone marrow transplants. We care for 475,000 in our secondary care catchment population, with a wider peninsula population of almost 2,000,000 people who can access our specialist services.
We are a teaching hospital in partnership with the University of Plymouth and working with Plymouth Marjon University. As host to the Joint Hospital Group South West (JHG(SW)) in a city with a strong military tradition, we have a tri-service staff of nearly 200 military doctors, nurses and allied health professionals who are fully integrated within our facilities.
We are a people organisation - where every member of staff matters and can make a difference and patients are at the heart of everything we do. Joining UHP means becoming part of a team of dedicated staff, who are committed to leading the way through innovation, clinical excellence and great patient care. The Care Quality Commission has consistently rated the domain of Caring within our Trust as "Outstanding".
Job description
Job responsibilities
There are currently 6 Acute Medicine Consultants with a major commitment to acute medicine and further 4 Physicians with part time commitment to acute medicine. The Medical Take on-call rota comprises General Medicine consultants from various medical specialties. The successful applicants for these posts will commit to the full take rota and acute medicine weekend working. The post holder will also be contributing to medical take on call (weekends only).
Acute Physicians roles:
The Acute Physician of the day (APOD)
Supervises the medical take from 0800-1800 and is clinician in charge of the AMU shop floor during this period. The APOD will see approximately 1/3 of the AMU patients between 0800 and 1300 hours. The afternoon session is given to further review of sick patients identified on the post take ward round and timely review of new admissions. The APOD runs the 0800 and 1700 twice daily safety briefs and the daily 1100 board round.
Take assist
Reviews new medical admissions between 0800-1300 hours. This includes patients for post take ward round and those who have been on the unit for more than 24 hours.
Medical SDEC consultant:
The Medical SDEC is covered from 1000-1800 from Mondays to Fridays, with a plan to extending the operating hours to 2000 by the beginning of August 2024 to coincide with the move to the new purpose built SDEC area.
Weekend duties:
Acute Medicine Consultants will be expected to work no more than one in seven weekends, in line with other medical specialties. This will usually involve one long day (0800 to 2000 with a break in the middle) and one short day (0800 to 1300), or Saturday Take Assist (1100 to 1800) and Sunday SDEC shift (1000 to 1700).
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
1. Entry on the GMC Specialist Register in Acute Internal Medicine or General Internal Medicine via one of the following: Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT) (The proposed CCT date must be within 6 months of interview). Certificate of Eligibility for Specialist Registration (CESR), MRCP (UJ) or an equivalent Qualification
Desirable
2. MD, PhD or equivalent
3. Specialty Certificate Examination in Acute Internal Medicine
Skills
Essential
4. Ability to offer expert clinical opinion in a range of problems during the acute unselected medical take
5. Ability to take full and independent responsibility for the care of patients as an independent practitioner
Desirable
6. Experience of NHS
7. Accreditation in point of care ultrasound in diagnosis in acute medicine patients
8. Higher training medicine specialty training scheme
Teaching
Essential
9. Ability to teach clinical and practical skills
10. Ability to supervise, appraise, coach and mentor doctors in training
Desirable
11. Evidence of interest and ability to educate. teaching experience and supervision of projects.
Communication
Essential
12. Ability to form constructive and effective professional relationships with patients and staff
Desirable
13. Advanced skills in information and technology