Spinal Disorders Fellow

This Fellowship post will commence on 1stAugust 2023 for a period of 12 months, full time. The post is designed to accommodate a qualified clinician, who has attained CCT in Trauma and Orthopaedics or equivalent, or who is on the specialist register, and who would like to gain a further period of development in the sub-specialty of Spinal Surgery in preparation for a consultant role. The Fellowship combines 6 months fellowship at Robert Jones & Agnes Hunt Hospital (RJAH), Oswestry with 6 months fellowship at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital Liverpool (AHH). The fellow is allocated a specific job plan which combines both outpatient and theatre activity.

The role will be supported by consultants within the team to allow for the widest possible exposure to different surgical techniques for complex conditions while undertaking independent clinics. The training needs of the Fellow will be considered before determining the amount of time spent with different consultants.

Experience is likely to involve a wide variety of complex spinal reconstruction. In the paediatric sector all aspects of thoracic, lumbar and lumbosacral spinal deformity are covered. Adult sector work will cover all aspects of spinal surgery including cervical, thoracic and lumbar, anterior and posterior, tumour, trauma and degenerative with exposure to enabling techniques in spine surgery including endoscopic. Additional experience can be gained through links with Neurosurgery, general surgery, vascular surgery and ENT with a focus on broadening the trainees experience in access and exposure.

The postholder will be expected to take part in and will be responsible for coordination of the Multi-Disciplinary Meetings in the Spinal Disorders firm. There are separate MDT meetings every week with Spinal Injuries Rehab team, Radiologists, Tumour MDT and Combined Consent Clinic.

The Fellow will also be expected to conduct research projects for publication in peer reviewed spine journals as well as to present at national and international spine meetings.

The Spinal Disorders Department at Oswestry is a Tertiary Referral Centre and undertakes the full spectrum of spinal disorders. This includes lumbar stenosis, disc herniation, adolescent and adult deformity, cervical myelopathy, and tumours. The Fellow would actively participate in Elective and Emergency cases.

Clinical fellows must have completed orthopaedic or neurosurgical residency. The successful applicant would be expected to provide cover at a senior trainee level. The fellow is allocated a specific job plan which combines both outpatient and theatre activity.

The post holder will be employed on the terms and conditions appropriate to NHS medical and dental staff and will be required to participate in the appraisal process of the Trust.

Subject to the provisions of the terms and conditions of service, the post holder will be required to observe the Trusts agreed policies and procedures drawn up in consultation with the profession of clinical matters and to follow the local and national employment and personal policies and procedures.

Risk Management and CNST Good Practice

Risk management involves all staff identifying the circumstances and practices which puts patients and staff at risk of harm, and then acting to both prevent and control these risks.

Staff are required to improve the quality of care by identifying, reporting and analysing actual and potential adverse events through the Trust’s Clinical Incident Reporting System.

Central to every clinician’s practice should be the control and reduction of risk by changing clinical and organisational practice to eliminate or reduce adverse events.

All clinical staff are required to familiarise themselves with the Trust’s Clinical Risk Management Strategy and all other Clinical Risk Policies and guidelines, including the Trust’s Complaints Procedures. (These documents are available on the Trust’s Intranet site.)

Health and Safety

All employees of the Trust have a statutory duty of care of their own personal safety and that of others that may be affected by their acts or omissions. Employees are required to cooperate with management to enable the Trust to meet its own legal duties and to report any circumstances that may compromise the health, safety and welfare of those affected by the trust’s undertakings. This requires the following:

- Compliance with the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 etc. and the management of Health and Safety Regulations 1992 and other safety regulations.
- Being familiar with and following the provisions of the Trust’s Health and Safety Policy and all other policies, procedures and safety rules of the Trust and of your specific workplace.
- Co-operating with all measures the Trust takes to maintain a safe working environment. This includes using manual handling equipment, wearing personal protective equipment etc.
- Compliance with all instruction and training given by members of the Trust re