Locum Consultant in Cardiology

We are seeking to recruit an innovative and progressive Locum Consultant to join our Cardiology team. The appointee will cover our new hospital Midland Metropolitan University Hospital (MMUH) during the on call with outpatient clinics at City Health Campus. Birmingham and/or Sandwell Health Campus.

Applications are welcomed from candidates with CCT (or equivalent) with an interest in a subspecialty (especially imaging and Interventional Cardiology) who are on the General Medical Council's Specialist Register in Cardiology or who will be within six months of obtaining their CCT at the time of interview. In addition, applicants should demonstrate within their application that they are fully trained in general Cardiology, can manage Cardiology oncall independently.

This job is a locum job for a period a 1 year. 1 post for Imaging, 2 posts Interventional Cardiology.

The appointee will also cover clinics (mostly Rapid Access Chest Pain patients), ward rounds and administration duties and also have flexible cardiac catheter laboratory cover. The post will initially be based primarily at MMUH for ward rounds and oncalls.

The Trust has reconfigured its services in preparation for the implementation of the Right Care Right Here Programme and the post-holder therefore is required have outpatient work continuing on at least one of the other sites.

The appointee will take equal responsibility with existing Consultants for the proper functioning of the clinical service, working with clinical and managerial colleagues towards achieving and maintaining national maximum waiting times and developing clinical pathways .

Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust (SWB) serves Birmingham and the Black Country – one of the country's most culturally diverse areas. It's a friendly and welcoming place – a place where you can belong, and a place where you can grow.

We care for our patients, we care about our population, and we care about our people.

Our values – Ambition, Respect and Compassion – are at the heart of who we are. They guide us every step of the way; how we work with each other, and how we look after our patients and their families; how we respect and value the rich diversity of our team and our community.

Our Trust has always aspired to be more than a hospital, more than a healthcare provider. Our purpose is to "Improve the Life Chances and Health Outcomes of our Population." It is what inspires, drives, and unites us every day. It's what makes us unique.

We want working at SWB to feel like more than just a job. We want our Trust to be a place where you can feel you belong. A place where you feel happy, safe, and rewarded. A place where you can develop your career in whatever way you choose. When we say we're 'with you all the way' we want you to know that we mean it. Visit the SWB website to find out more about our ambitions and people plans.

Dr Vinoda Sharma is currently Specialty Lead for Cardiology; Dr Stavros Apostolakis is the Clinical Director for Admitted Care, of which Cardiology forms a part; Dr Chetan Varma (also a consultant cardiologist) is the Group Director for Medicine and Emergency Care. MMUH has Medical Admission Units adjacent to the Emergency Departments. The Trust runs a ward-based system for general medical patients.

Cardiology day time duties

The cardiology consultants provide a seven day service for cardiology patients at MMUH. The Consultant Cardiologist of the Week (non-Interventionist) carries out a ward round on the Cardiology A2 ward every day, supported by junior staff. MMUH Acute Medical Unit (AMU) Ward Rounds are covered by Interventional Cardiologists in the morning. MMUH Cardiology Ward (A2) Rounds are covered by Non-Interventional Cardiologists (all-day). On the MMUH AMU, there is a daily consultant ward round on the acute medical unit (after initial assessment by the RMO and medical on-take team) in which patients needing prolonged specialist cardiac or catheter lab management are transferred the Cardiology A2 ward. All the patients requiring cardiology management are reviewed by the cardiology team with daily ward rounds on the cardiology wards, acute medical unit and ward referrals. All suspected acute coronary syndrome patients will be seen, as well as those with significant arrhythmias and those with heart failure.

Out-patient Clinics at Sandwell and City Health Campus.

At Sandwell the out-patient department is directly adjacent to the cardiology department and therefore access to exercise testing, echocardiography and rhythm management facilities. At City, the Birmingham Treatment Centre also provides out-patient facilities adjacent to the Cardiology Department. The appointee would have regular cardiology clinics per week. There may be a requirement for the appointee to do outpatient work outside the hospital in line with the "Right Care Right Here" programme. At present there were a total of about 18000 outpatient attendances per year in the cardiology Dept. Modern IT systems (UNITY) support delivery of service to improve rapid turnover and communication with primary care and all our patient records are electronic.

Cardiac Catheterisation and Intervention

MMUH is equipped with state of the art Siemens Artis Icono Biplane catheter labs adjacent to each other with plans to install a third catheter lab in the provided space. Cath lab coordination is supported using the dedicated Labyrinth IT system and dedicated nurse Cath Lab Coordinator. One cath lab runs routinely from 8am-6pm and Saturday mornings from 9am -12pm, with the second lab running 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday. Cath labs run mixed lists of acute and elective patients. Angiograms are supported using the Change Healthcare @ system, images being visible on any PC within the Trust at any time by the cardiology team as well as Cath reports and BCIS returns.