PALS Officer

Job overview

We are seeking a dynamic and enthusiastic doctor to join our rapidly developing department.

This post is based at Maidstone Hospital, one of two major hospital sites of Maidstone & Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust. The Trust serves a population of about half a million in Mid and West Kent and North-East Sussex.

Main duties of the job

The post-holder will be part of the stroke registrar rota based on our recently enlarged 46-bedded Acute Stroke Unit. While working towards recognised HASU status we provide a full range of hyper- acute and acute stroke care, with referral to London for mechanical thrombectomy and neurosurgical intervention. The service runs a daily TIA service from both hospital sites. The job will involve assessment and management of acute stroke admissions, inpatient work, TIA clinics and other outpatient clinics. Participation in the out of hours rota will be expected. The posts will provide excellent experience in busy and well recognised stroke unit, working alongside a high performing but friendly multidisciplinary team.

Working for our organisation

MTW provides general hospital services to a population of approximately 460,000 in West Kent and North East Sussex, and some specialist services to a considerably larger population. Its major hospitals are the Tunbridge Wells Hospital at Pembury and Maidstone Hospital. The Trust’s Headquarters are at Maidstone Hospital.

Both Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells hospitals are located within easy access of their town centres, which offer a range of amenities including shops, bars and restaurants. The Trust is located near some of Kent’s most beautiful countryside – the best of both worlds There are fantastic travel links in Kent with key motorways such as the M2 and M20 and with excellent accessibility to both London and the continent by train.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

To provide a high standard of care to any patient for whom you have clinical responsibility. To participate in clinical and other service activities and developments with the aim of ensuring a high standard of patient care across the Trust. To work in close co-operation with other medical, professional and managerial colleagues, both within and outside the specialty, to provide high quality health care to the Trust’s patients, and to contribute to future thinking about the Trust’s strategic direction. To provide support to Junior Clinical Fellows as a first port of call, before seeking further advise from consultants. To participate fully in clinical governance of the specialty covering its Trust-wide activities. To attend clinical governance half-days as detailed in the Trust’s Guide to Job Planning unless on agreed leave or while attending emergencies. To participate actively in departmental audits and QIPs, sharing coordination of audit activities within the department and implementation of change. To engage with undergraduate and postgraduate teaching. To ensure at all times that you comply with the General Medical Council’s published guide “Good Medical Practice” including the Duties of a Doctor. To take personal responsibility for risk management in your work and undertake to review practices and learn from mistakes. To ensure that you respond promptly and efficiently to all complaints related to any patient care you or your staff have been involved with, assisting the Trust’s corporate responsibility to reply to complaints within a specified time frame. To ensure that you develop and maintain effective working relationships with those agencies concerned with the provision of health and social care services and those representing the interests of patients. To undertake an annual job plan review as outlined in the Trust Guide to Job Planning. You are required to take reasonable care for the health and safety of yourself and others who may be affected by what you do while at work. You must adhere to Trust IRMER Regulations. Involvement in the development of clinical management protocols shared with the community and other consultant colleagues.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria

Full Registration with GMC

Desirable criteria

Academic higher degree or diploma MRCP Instructor Status: ALS

Training & Experience

Essential criteria

Experience in making clinical decisions and managing risk. Knows when to seek help, able to prioritise clinical need. Wide experience of general medicine and experience in stroke medicine and/or neurology

Desirable criteria

Awareness of clinical governance with particular reference to stroke medicine

Personal Skills

Essential criteria

Familiarity with information technology and general computer skills. Medical and multidisciplinary staff. Excellent communicator, able to work in a close-knit team and cooperate with all medical and multidisciplinary staff. Empathy and sensitivity: capacity to listen and take in others’ perspectives. Organisation and planning

Desirable criteria

Leadership Skills Good physical and mental health. Able to prioritise and cope well with stress

Research & Development

Essential criteria

Familiar with current structure of the health service and conversant with recent initiatives and changes Thorough understanding of principles of medical audit. Must have undertaken and completed audit projects. An understanding of general principles, scientific method and interpretation of literature

Desirable criteria

Evidence of involvement in service delivery and strategic goal planning Evidence of active participation in audit and a track record of achieving positive change through audit. Research in relevant field leading to a Masters or equivalent degree

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