Consultant Histopathologist

Job summary

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Consultant Histopathologist specialising in neuropathology to join our team of two Neuropathology Histopathologist Consultants covering a comprehensive range of diagnostic Neuropathology, including adult Neurooncology, Neuromuscular pathology (muscle, nerve and skin biopsies for nerve fibre counts), Neurocytology and Neuropathological post-mortem pathology. This post supports the expansion of molecular genetic diagnostics in the field alongside cancer activity.

The Neuropathology service is integrated into the Department of Cellular Pathology at Birmingham (QEHB) and is well supported by up-to-date facilities for specialised histochemistry, immunohistochemistry and molecular pathology. A separate muscle laboratory is equipped with a new electron microscope, led by a dedicated team of neuromuscular biomedical scientists.

The post holder will be based at QEHB and will join the team in providing a Neuropathology service for 3 Neurosurgical centres including Birmingham (QEHB), Stoke-on-Trent (UHNM) and Coventry (UHCW), and our regional Neuromuscular service, with input to 4 weekly MDT meetings.

Main duties of the job

The ideal candidate will contribute to all aspects of diagnostic adult Neuropathology except for Neuro-ophthalmology and will support the transplant cardiac muscle biopsy service. The current service includes ~3000 cases yearly across all specimen types, focussing on Neuro-Oncology and Myopathology. You will be supported by experienced specialist reporting teams for breast, urological, gastrointestinal, haemato-lymphoid, head and neck, lung, bone/soft tissue, and skin pathology.

University Hospitals Birmingham (UHB) has close links with the University of Birmingham (UOB), and research and teaching opportunities exist and are encouraged. Birmingham has a leading role in national genomic testing initiatives including Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) and the Tessa Jowell Brain Matrix platform trial. Neuropathology takes an active role in supporting these activities by dedicated tissue sampling pathways and regular GTAB meetings supported by the Central and South (CAS) Genomic Medicine Service on campus. UHB is home to some of the country's leading clinical research institutions, and is dedicated to developing and implementing ground breaking treatments, technologies and techniques.

About us

We are recognised as one of the leading NHS Foundation Trusts in the UK. Our vision is to Build Healthier Lives, and we recognise that we need incredible staff to do this.

Our commitment to our staff is to create the best place for them to work, and we are dedicated to:

Investing in the health and wellbeing of our staff, including a commitment of offering flexible working where we can;Offer our staff a wide variety of training and development opportunities, to support their personal and career development objectives.

UHB is committed to ensuring that our staff are treated fairly and feel that they belong, by creating a kind and inclusive environment. This is about equity of opportunity; removing all barriers, including discrimination and ensuring each individual member of staff reach their true potential, achieve their ambitions and thrive in their work. This is more than words. We are taking action. Our commitment to an inclusive culture is embedded at all levels of the organisation where every voice is heard, driven by our diverse and active staff networks, and at Board level by the Fairness Taskforce led by our CEO. We nurture a culture which empowers staff to challenge discriminatory behaviours and to enable people to bring their 'whole self' to a kinder, more connected and bold place to work.

University Hospitals Birmingham is a Smoke-Free premises hospital.

Job description

Job responsibilities

UHB is one of the largest teaching hospital trusts in England, providing services from four acute hospital sites and community locations. Bringing together our hospitals and community services from across region and beyond, we champion collaborative working and transformation, encouraging our 23,500 workforce to pursue their most ambitious goals. We are committed to delivering an inclusive environment with equal opportunities to a workforce whose diversity reflects the communities it serves.

We advocate "lean principles" and are in the process of implementing a digital pathology solution. Our plans for digital pathology will further underpin successful and efficient flexible working, teaching, and research. The Department maintains high quality sustainable reporting including an expanding scientist reporting strategy and automated laboratory processes. We are a fully accredited UKAS Laboratory working to ISO15189.

Applicants must hold Full and Specialist Registration with the General Medical Council (GMC) with a License to Practice (or be eligible for registration within 6 months of date of interview), and Fellowship of the Royal College of Pathologists (or evidence of equivalent qualification). If a newly qualified UK trainee, the applicant must also be a holder of the Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT) in diagnostic Neuropathology or be within six months of award of CCT (or equivalent) by date of interview. Applicants who are non-UK trained will be required to show evidence of equivalence to the UK CCT.

Our vision is to build healthier lives by delivering the best in clinical care, research, innovation, and education. We are also fully committed to tackling climate change by reducing our impact and are part of the national aim to be the world's first net zero National Health Service. Our strategy champions our actions and aims, with ways to share excellent ideas that will deliver greener, cleaner communities for the people of Birmingham and Solihull.

With our central location and great transport links, we are closer than you might think. We are in the heart of England with easy access to the motorway network and a good railway service.

Birmingham is accessible from several nearby areas including Warwickshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, and Worcestershire.

Numerous sports, cultural and leisure venues make Birmingham an ideal place to work and live. It is still a lot cheaper to live and work in Birmingham than London and when it comes to getting on the property ladder you get a lot more for your money. The city is renowned for the arts, music and festivals celebrating a vibrant multi-cultural and diverse population. There are more Michelin star restaurants than in any other City outside of London, with an abundance of green spaces and parks that make Birmingham a great place to live and work.

As well as enjoying where you work, we want all our staff to lead happy and healthy lives. That's why we offer several benefits to support this, such as flexible working opportunities and working at home.

We anticipate that the job plan will comprise up to 10 programmed activities. The only fixed elements of the direct clinical care activities for Consultant Neuropathologists are the MDT meetings relating to areas of specialist reporting. The flexible elements of the direct clinical care activities (which include the majority of laboratory duties) and the supporting professional activities will be discussed in detail with the successful candidate upon appointment. The split of DCC to SPA activity will typically be

It is anticipated the full-time job plan will contain up to 10 programmed activities worked flexibly by mutual agreement (Appendix 1). These will include up to PAs for direct clinical care and up to SPAs for supporting professional activities. Laboratory duties are carried out on a rota basis by agreement with consultant colleagues. They include the provision of a comprehensive diagnostic neuropathology service for The Trust.

Division of the pathology workload will be organised in agreement with other Neuropathology consultant colleagues in the department.

Supporting professional activities will include supervision and training of Regional Histopathology Trainees, teaching (undergraduate and postgraduate), research, audit and continuing professional development.

The post holder will be provided with the necessary IT equipment and access to training to be in position to meet these objectives. Office space and secretarial support will be provided.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

*GMC Registration or equivalent *Inclusion on Specialist Register or CCT within 6 months. *Evidence of continuing professional development (CPD). *Higher specialist training in area relevant to post.

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