Consultant Anaesthetist Uhnd

Clinical support departments of Imaging (including PACS digital radiology, CT, MRI and ultrasound), Medical Physics, Pathology, Pharmacy and Allied Health Professions are all on site. The hospital was built under the Private Finance Initiative and opened in 2001, replacing the former Dryburn Hospital. It serves a population of around 250,000. For Plastic Surgery and Dermatology the population served is 750,000, covering Sunderland and South Tyneside.

The department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine at UHND falls within the Surgery Care Group. The Lead Clinician for Anaesthesia is Dr Hannah Whinn and for Intensive Care Medicine is Dr Paul Bush. The Clinical Director for Anaesthesia, Theatres and Intensive Care is Dr James Limb. The Surgical Care Group Director is Dr Richard Geary.

The department occupies an office suite on the same level as the theatre suite and critical care unit, secretarial and administrative support is provided to the medical staff. MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES The post holder will undertake clinical work in conjunction with their clinical colleagues and other professional staff in order to maintain and develop Anaesthetic Services and develop specialist skills in accordance with the needs of the department. The post holder will have a continuing responsibility for the care of patients in their charge and will contribute to the proper functioning of the department of Anesthetics.Furthermore, the post holder will be required to undertake administrative duties directly associated with the care of patients. The post holder will supervise junior medical staff and have responsibility to ensure continuing patient care at all times.

For management purposes, the post holder will be accountable to the Lead Clinician for ensuring the effective and efficient use of resources allocated. The post holder will be expected to administer anaesthetics for elective surgery to patients admitted under the consultant surgeons within the Trust. Pre-operative assessment and post-operative supervision will be performed as appropriate to the work previously described. The post holder will assist with resuscitation when required and administer anaesthesia to emergency patients in all specialties.

The post holder will have scheduled activity with regular anaesthetic sessions based on a 4 week rolling session plan; a degree of flexibility will be expected to meet the needs of the service. SPA activity will be timetabled within the weekly job plan. During some working weeks, flexibility in the ratio of DCC: SPA may be required although SPA time will always be paid back. As additional responsibilities are acquired, the number of SPAs may alter with remuneration agreed through the job planning process.

The post holder must be willing to undertake elective sessions in all sites undertaking surgery. The post holder must possess a UK driving license and be able to present for scheduled list start times as required by the Trust. The post holder will undertake consultant on-call at University Hospital of North Durham participating in weekday, weekend and bank holiday duties. Out-of-hours work will be dedicated to anaesthesia for urgent theatre cases and obstetrics.

The post holder will participate fully in Clinical Audit to meet the needs of the department. The post holder will be encouraged and supported to develop services, courses and to undertake innovation. The Trust hosts an annual innovation day where ideas for service and medical developments can be showcased. The post holder will be encouraged to be involved in regional activities such as crammer courses and the appointment of trainee anaesthetists.

The post holder is responsible for ensuring that they meet the national requirements for continuing professional development and revalidation and is expected to fully engage with the Trust appraisal process. The post holder will deputise in the absence of colleagues. The post-holder will undertake to perform additional duties in emergency and unforeseen circumstances as are essential for continuity of patient care. The post holder will be responsible for the professional management and supervision of junior medical staff.

The post holder will be expected to receive training and participate in educational and clinical supervision. The post holder will be expected to participate in clinical governance arrangements in line with national and local guidelines. If the post holder is involved in the care of a patient who subsequently initiates a claim against the Trust they will be expected to provide, free of charge, an opinion and statement of facts about the case. The post holder will be expected to participate in clinical governance arrangements in line with national and local guidelines and in respect of undergraduate and postgraduate teaching in the Trust in accordance with current best practice.

A formal job plan, including scheduling of supporting professional activities and TAPAs, will be agreed