Rheumatology Consultant

The post is full time Rheumatology with General Medicine on-calls. The post will be based at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Gateshead. He/she will be supported in their work by a secretary, junior medical staff and all members of the MDT.

We have an established strong multidisciplinary team incorporating four nurse specialists, a clinical pharmacist, a clinical specialist physiotherapist and an occupational therapist. We also have access to clinical psychology and specialist podiatry support. The rheumatology department is also supported in the community by Tyneside Integrated Musculoskeletal Service (TIMS) for non-inflammatory conditions. This service is run by advanced physiotherapists with expertise in pain and MSK medicine with support from consultant rheumatologists.

The rheumatology department supports a 25 bedded ward within the hospital and acute admissions via SDEC (Same Day Emergency Care).

The department also plays a role in both undergraduate and post-graduate teaching with access to a Clinical Teaching Fellow and engages in research projects. Applicants would be welcome to discuss personal interest in these areas with regard to their job plan.

Based in the North East of England we provide a range of hospital and community health services from our leading facilities, including the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Blaydon urgent care centre and Bensham Hospital, all within Gateshead.

Established in 2005, we were one of the first foundation trusts in the country and since then have consistently achieved the highest levels of care for patients.

We now employ around 4,800 staff and currently provide 444 hospital beds across the Gateshead region.

Our values should be the ‘golden thread’ which runs through everything we do - they are the core of who we are. Our five values can easily be remembered by the simple acronym ICORE; Innovation, Care, Openness, Respect, Engagement.

We have a number of staff networks including the BAME network, D-Ability network, LGBTQ+ Network and the Women’s Network, to challenge us and help us to constantly improve. Our armed forces network is one of our emerging networks.

All Consultant Rheumatologists will have access to two 25 bedded medical wards. Successful applicants will be expected to support one of these two wards alongside the diabetes and haematology teams. There are currently 2 foundation doctors, 3 internal medicine trainees (IMT1-3) along with specialty trainees (ST4+) who provide general and specialty cover on the ward.

We are in the process of developing an ultrasound service within our early inflammatory arthritis pathway. Any applicant with an interest in musculoskeletal ultrasound is invited to develop this service with support from fellow Consultants. The department currently has good links with our radiology department to provide temporal artery ultrasound for GCA referrals.

Osteoporosis and open access DEXA service is run by the Elderly Care Team however any appointee with an interest in osteoporosis could participate in the service.

In addition to general Rheumatology clinics the department has the following specialist clinics

Early arthritis clinic with access to ultrasound

Connective tissue disease clinic with MDT

Combined Psoriatic arthritis clinics - Consultant and Nurse led

The Rheumatology teams have a regular meeting on a Tuesday afternoon between 4 and 5 to discuss clinical cases, emerging business themes etc. The clinical Rheumatology team is also invited to 6-8 regional Rheumatology meetings each year on Tuesday afternoons, in addition to a Northern & Yorkshire annual conference. We have monthly Rheumatology clinical governance meetings and for any appointee undertaking a general medical role we also have monthly ward mortality meetings. Radiology meetings are monthly with access to MSK and lung radiologists. The team also undertake regional specialist trainee teaching twice per year at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital.