Job summary
Wehave an exciting opportunity for a specialty doctor post in Palliative Medicinefrom August 2024. The post will be with Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS TrustSpecialist Palliative Care (SPC) team, and includes dedicated time to supportmedical education, with a focus on post-graduate medical education, includingdigital resources.
Thepostholder will join a busy and well regarded multi-disciplinary team workingacross the whole of LTHT. We support staff in multiple areas to care for dyingpatients; those with complex palliative care needs, and their loved ones. Apartfrom advising on individual patients, the SPCT offers a comprehensive andwide-ranging teaching programme to all grades and disciplines of staff onsymptom management, communication and other aspects of palliative care. TheSPCT comprises of clinical nurse specialists, the EoLC nursing team, apharmacist and a medical team, and the successful candidate will provide seniormedical support and training to the wider team.
Main duties of the job
Mainrole
Toprovide senior medical input to the multi-professional team deliveringpalliative care to patients within LTHT. The specialty doctor provides medicaladvice and joint reviews to the SPCT and holds a personal caseload asappropriate.
Teaching
Contributing to SPC teachingcommitments, particularly of students assigned to the team and junior doctors,and also nursing colleagues and allied health professionals.
Leading on IMT Curriculum deliverycommitments regionally (predominantly through the production and oversight ofdigital resources)
ClinicalGovernance & quality improvement
Researchinterests will be encouraged, and the postholder will be expected toparticipate in the regular audit and quality improvement programme of the team.
Thereare currently no on-call commitments.
About us
TheLTHT SPC team is a well-established and well-regarded team. We strive toprovide the best patient care by inputting into the care of individual patientsas well as working with clinical teams, local and regional strategic structuresand delivering a comprehensive high quality education programme.
Weconstantly seek to improve and at any time are involved in a number ofcity-wide, national and regional projects (both quality improvement andresearch) to this end.
Wehave excellent working relationships with the community specialist palliativecare teams and hospices across the region with many of our Leeds patientsaccessing services from St Gemmas Hospice in Moortown and Sue Ryder Care,Wheatfields in Headingley, and actively contribute to the Leeds Palliative CareNetwork.
Leeds Teaching Hospitals is committed to our processof redeploying 'at risk' members of our existing workforce to new roles. Assuch, all our job adverts are subject to this policy and we reserve the rightto close, delay or remove adverts while this process is completed. If you doexperience a delay in the shortlisting stage of the recruitment cycle, pleasebear with us while this process is completed, and contact the named contact ifyou have any questions.
Job description
Job responsibilities
1. BACKGROUND
Anexciting opportunity has arisen for a specialty doctor post in PalliativeMedicine from end July 2024. The post will be with Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHSTrust Specialist Palliative Care (SPC) team, and includes dedicated time tosupport medical education, with a focus on (but not exclusively) post-graduatemedical education, including digital resources. TheLeeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust Specialist Palliative Care Team (SPCT)provides specialist palliative care across the whole of LTHT, but predominantlyat the Leeds General Infirmary (LGI) & St Jamess University Hospital(SJUH) sites. Together these sites provide 2000 beds and include a major cancercentre.
TheSPCT aims to promote excellence in palliative and end of life care for all LTHpatients. There are approximately 3000 adult deaths in LTH per year. We work inan advisory capacity, assessing approximately 2000 patient referrals for SPCper annum in addition to providing general telephone advice. Our specialistrole with patients and families with more complex palliative care needsreflects the medical treatments available and the skills and resources ofreferring teams. Considerable time is spent coordinating complex end of lifedecisions, often involving multiple teams and carers, and concerning hospitaltreatments of uncertain benefit. Establishing consensus on goals and prioritiesis key
Apartfrom advising on individual patients, the SPCT offers a comprehensive andbroad-ranging teaching programme to all grades and disciplines of staff on symptommanagement, communication and other aspects of palliative care. The team alsoaddresses service developments, and patient safety and quality issues acrossthe organisation as these arise. We have excellent working relationships withthe community specialist palliative care teams and hospices across the regionwith many of our Leeds patients accessing services from St Gemmas Hospice inMoortown and Sue Ryder Care, Wheatfields in Headingley. Team members alsocontribute towards, and lead, palliative and end of life care citywide,regionally and nationally.
Thepostholder will join a multi-professional team of: 4 consultants; 2 existingspecialty doctors; up to 2 specialty trainees; up to 2 GP trainees; a CNS team;an End-of-life care team and a specialist pharmacist. Within LTH there is aSpecialty and Associate Specialist Doctor Support group, and the successfulapplicant will be encouraged to become involved.
Leedsis the third largest city in the UK, with thriving social and leisurefacilities, and within easy reach of the Yorkshire Dales. There are very closelinks between The Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust and the Universities in Leeds,including The University of Leeds Medical School.
2. OBJECTIVES OF THE POST
Mainobjectives of the role
Toprovide senior medical input to the multi-professional team providingpalliative care to patients within LTHT. The specialty doctor provides medicaladvice and joint reviews to the SPCT and holds a personal caseload asappropriate.
Teaching
Contributing to SPC teachingcommitments, particularly of students assigned to the team and junior doctors,and also nursing colleagues and allied health professionals.
Leading on IMT Curriculum deliverycommitments regionally (predominantly through the production and oversight ofdigital resources)
ClinicalGovernance & quality improvement
Research interests will beencouraged, and the postholder will be expected to participate in the regularaudit and quality improvement programme of the team
Acorporate and departmental induction will be provided. There are currently noon-call commitments.
3. REQUIREMENTS OF THE POST
General Training and Qualifications
SeePerson Specification.
Experience
SeePerson Specification.
Theappointee must be able to demonstrate a high level of clinical experience andcompetence in a specialist palliative care setting. It is essential that theappointee has experience of delivering and co-ordinating teaching programmes.
Personal Attributes
Theappointee will have demonstrable skills in written and spoken English that areadequate to enable effective communications about medical topics with patientsand colleagues. See PersonSpecification.
He/Shewill have an understanding of current NHS management and Trusts and be aware ofthe responsibilities that a specialty doctor post brings.
Clinical Audit
Theappointee will be expected to contribute to Audit meetings, mortality andmorbidity meetings and application of agreed clinical guidelines.
Andfor this to be included in allocated time in the individuals job plan as asupporting programmed activity (or part of one). It would be expected that the time allocatedfor this would include attendance at the relevant departmental audit meeting(s)and that such attendance would be recorded (in accordance with the Trustsclinical audit policy).
Inthe discharge of these responsibilities the appointee will be expected tomaintain and update his/her skills and knowledge through appropriate continuingmedical education.
4. TEACHING
Thepostholder will be responsible for meeting the curriculum delivery of variousdoctors in training, including but not exclusively, IM trainees. This post willalso support the wider education programme of the SPC team, which includes ahost of multi-professional education, and will work with other specialtydoctors to best meet the induction needs of new junior doctors to the team.Currently no direct educational supervision is involved, but there may be anopportunity for this in the future.
TheTrust as a Teaching hospital recognises the importance of links with the University of Leeds School of Medicinefor the Undergraduate teaching and all medicalstaff are expected to provide an appropriate contribution to the undergraduate teaching programme.
5. JOB PLAN AND WORKING ARRANGEMENTS
Thedepartment undertakes team job planning and the job plan review will take placeannually, normally with the Lead Clinician and colleagues. The annual job plan review may result in arevised prospective job plan. There maybe an interim review of the job plan where duties, responsibilities,accountability arrangements or objectives have changed or need to changesignificantly within the area. SPA/DCC can be swapped round within the week toaccommodate service provision.
Accountability
The postholder is manageriallyaccountable for the use of resources to the managing consultant andprofessionally accountable to the Chief Medical Officer through ClinicalDirectors. This may be amended in thelight of the Trusts management arrangements.
Standards of Conduct and Behaviour
You are required to work to thestandards set out by the General Medical Council in Good Medical Practice. This includes protecting patients when youbelieve that a doctors or other colleagues conduct, performance or health isa threat to them. If, after establishingthe facts, it is necessary, you must follow the Trusts procedures in thismatter and inform your Clinical Director or Medical Director in the firstinstance.
Your general conduct at work shouldcomply with the standards set out in the Trusts document on Appraisal, inparticular the section on Core Behaviours.
Job Planning
Itis a contractual requirement that the specialty doctor undergoes an annual jobplan. Progression through pay thresholds will be dependant on achieving thecriteria as set out in the terms and conditions of service for SpecialtyDoctors - England 2008.
Appraisal
Appraisalwill be a contractual requirement for all medical staff and the Trust attachesconsiderable importance to this approach intended to be of benefit toindividual consultants and to achieve the highest possible standards in thedelivery of healthcare and services.Arrangements for annual appraisal will be managed through the managingconsultant/Clinical Director.
Leave Arrangements
All leave should be applied for inaccordance with the Trusts Leave Policy, normally giving six weeks notice ofany leave, other than in exceptional circumstances.
Training
During the course of your employment,you agree to undergo whatever training the Trust deems necessary. This may include, but is not limited to,induction training, professional development and safe working practices. Funding of such training will be inaccordance with the Trusts Staff Development Policy.
Continuing Medical Education
The Trust fully supports therequirement for CME by the relevant Royal College and acknowledges that it isan essential component of a specialty doctors professional activities thatwill be reviewed during the appraisal process and revalidation. Time and financial support for theseactivities will be granted in accordance with the Trusts Leave Policy.
Secretarial Support
Aspart of the resource commitments to enable the postholder to fulfil their jobplan, the appointee will have access to such secretarial assistance as isrequired. This will be discussed with the appointee.
Health & Safety
TheTrust has a responsibility to provide a safe working environment for allstaff. As an employee/supervisor/manageryou are responsible for your own safety and that of others. This will require you to comply with theTrust arrangements for Health & Safety and Risk Management, in particularby following agreed safe working procedures, and reporting incidents using theTrust Incident Reporting system. As a supervisor/manager, you will beresponsible for ensuring your team work in a safe manner and are competent todo so.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
1. MBBS or equivalent medical qualification
Desirable
2. Higher specialty qualifications, eg MRCP or equivalent
Experience
Essential
3. Acute care safe: up-to-date BLS
4. Relevant specialty clinical knowledge: capacity to apply sound clinical knowledge relevant to the job
5. Clinical judgement: experience in making clinical decisions and managing risk. Knows when to seek help, able to prioritise clinical need.
6. Proven ability to work effectively in different clinical settings required in the job.
Eligibility, Fitness to practice, and Language Skills
Essential
7. Eligible for full registration with the GMC at time of appointment.
8. Evidence of achievement of Foundation competencies by time of appointment in line with GMC standards in Good Medical Practice including:
9. maintaining good medical practice
10. good relationships and communication with patients
11. good working relationships with colleagues
12. good teaching and training
13. professional behaviour and probity
14. delivery of good acute clinical care
15. Must have completed at least four years full-time postgraduate training (or its equivalent gained on a part-time or flexible basis), of which at least 2 will have been in a relevant specialty
16. Applicants knowledge is up to date and fit to practise safely
17. ll applicants to have demonstrable skills in written and spoken English that are adequate to enable effective communication about medical topics with patients and colleagues, which could be
18. demonstrated by one of the following:
19. applicants have undertaken undergraduate medical training in English
20. applicants have scores in the academic International English Language Testing System (IELTS) or equivalent equal to those required for recruitment to MMC specialty training programmes.
21. If applicants believe that they have adequate communication skills but do not fit into one of the examples they need to provide evidence (see notes).
Desirable
22. Experience of working in a specialist palliative care service
Clinical, Academic, and Personal Skills
Essential
23. excellent communication skills to manage a wide range of relationships with colleagues, and patients and their families
24. emotional resilience, a calm temperament and the ability to work well under pressure
25. teamwork and the capacity to lead multidisciplinary teams
26. problem-solving and diagnostic skills
27. excellent decision-making in the context of changing and distressing situations using sound knowledge of ethical and legal considerations
28. Team working: demonstrated experience working in a team, values the input of other professionals in the team.
29. Managing others & team involvement: capacity to work co-operatively with others and demonstrate leadership when appropriate. Capacity to work effectively in multi-professional teams.
30. Coping with pressure: capacity to operate under pressure. Demonstrates initiative and resilience to cope with setbacks & adapt to rapidly changing circumstances.
31. Problem solving & decision making: capacity to use logical/lateral thinking to solve problems & make decisions.
32. Organisation & planning: capacity to organise oneself and prioritise own work. Demonstrates punctuality, preparation and self-discipline. Understands importance of information technology.
Desirable
33. Postgraduate qualification in Palliative Medicine
Additional Requirements
Essential
34. Substantial experience of multi-professional education
35. Familiarity and confidence in delivering education in a wide variety of formats, including digital content.
36. Evidence of innovation in medical education
37. Clinical governance: Capacity to be alert to dangers or problems. Demonstrates awareness of good decision making. Aware of own limitations. Track record of engaging in clinical governance: reporting
38. errors, learning from errors.
39. Audit/quality improvement: evidence of active participation in audit.
40. Professional integrity and respect for others: capacity to take responsibility for own actions and demonstrate a non-judgmental approach towards others. Displays honesty, integrity, awareness of
41. confidentiality and ethical issues.
42. Learning and personal development: demonstrates interest in the specialty required for the job. Demonstrates a commitment to maintaining professional skills and knowledge relevant to the job
43. (see notes)