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Locum Consultant, Obstetrics-Acute Operational Oversight Lead
The closing date is 06 July 2025
We are seeking a dynamic and experienced obstetrician to take on a key leadership role in acute operational oversight within the Maternity Service at the Luton and Dunstable Hospital site. This is a pivotal role aimed at enhancing safety, flow and quality of care in our high activity obstetric unit, supporting resident Obstetricians, midwives and operational team in real time clinical decision making and ensuring robust operational performance in all areas of maternity care - delivery suite, triage, day assessment unit and post-natal wards.
Main duties of the job
Indicative Timetable
The proposed timetable will include:
Post 1
Direct/Supporting
Number of PAs
Antenatal clinic
DCC
2.00
Delivery suite
DCC
0.50
DCC
1.75
Antenatal Ward cover
DCC
0.25
DCC
3.00
DCC
1.0
Audit, clinical governance, CPD
SPA
1.5
TOTAL PAs
10.0
Post 2
Direct/Supporting
Number of PAs
Antenatal clinic
DCC
2.00
Delivery suite
DCC
0.50
DCC
0.75
DCC
3.00
Antenatal Ward
DCC
0.5
Obs Risk
DCC
0.5
DCC
1.0
Early Pregnancy Clinic
DCC
0.25
Audit, clinical governance, CPD
SPA
1.5
TOTAL PAs
10.0
About us
Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust provides hospital services to a growing population of around 700,000 people living across Bedfordshire and the surrounding areas across two busy hospital sites in Bedford and Luton. Both hospital sites offer key services such as A&E, Obstetrics-led Maternity and Paediatrics. You will be joining a friendly, high performing Trust committed to ensuring the health and wellbeing of staff. As one of the largest NHS Trusts in our region you will have access to a programme of high quality training and development to help you grow your career. The Trust continues to be committed to delivering the best patient care using the best clinical knowledge and technology.
Our Values
We not only recruit based on qualifications and experience - we recruit individuals who demonstrate the behaviours which underpin our Trusts core values. We achieve this by using values based recruitment. We are dedicated to making our recruitment practices as inclusive as possible for everyone, we are committed to promoting equality and diversity, and creating a culture that values differences.
Please note that vacancies may close prior to the advertised closing date when sufficient number of applications have been received. All new staff will be subject to a probationary period covering first 6 months in post. Travel between hospital sites may be required. Please review all documents attached to ensure you familiarize yourself with all requirements of the job.
Job responsibilities
Direct Clinical Care:
* To be responsible for the provision of acute Obstetrics and Gynaecology services within Luton & Dunstable Hospital
* Provision of acute services in the following areas of clinical care: Postnatal ward, Day Assessment Unit; Acute Obstetric outliers, Antenatal ward oversight in the afternoons and Triage when needed
* Provide antenatal clinic services running a general or special interest clinic dependant on the skills and expertise of the candidate.
* Provide acute gynaecology services, when needed, to help meet the 14 hour consultant review of patients target
* Provide caesarean section list, at least once a month and according to the needs of the service, teaching and training the Trainee Specialist Registrars, juniors and middle grade Clinical Fellows
* Strive to continuously develop services for obstetrics that are of a consistent high quality for the whole of the patient pathway.
* Provide optimum care which is based on best clinical practise, in order to achieve the best possible outcomes for pregnant women.
* So far as is consistent with the proper discharge of the above duties, the appointee undertakes to deputise from time to time for absent colleagues
Quality and Governance:
Monitor and respond to clinical activity data and key performance indicators (e.g DDI, Decision Delivery Interval audits, emergency C-section rates, delays in induction or transfer MDT handover compliance, MDT ward round and handover.
Lead on and contribute to incident reviews, support real-time hot debriefs following significant events, support AARs (After Action Review), MDTs or adverse outcomes, as part of learning via our PSIRF approach
Promote and model adherence to national guidelines, local protocols and best practice standards
Report incidents on the risk software Inphase
Be the primary point of contact to review Ultrasound scan rejections to ensure correct pathways are followed for fetal concerns and provide clinical expertise to the US department.
Team Support and Training:
Provide on-the-floor support to resident doctors, midwives, Sonographers
Identify and escalate training needs observed during acute care and support the learning environment. Ensuring compliance with statutory training and local training compliance eg CTG and PROMPT.
Work collaboratively with the Clinical Education supervisor for training needs.
Strategic and Service Development:
Engage in and lead on audits, research and quality improvement projects.
Collate thematic service issues to develop service improvements.
Person Specification
Qualification
* MRCOG or equivalent
* Appropriate ATSMs/SITMs
Registration
* Full GMC Registration (GMC Licence to Practice is mandatory before employment commences)
* Entry onto the GMC Specialist Register: ?CCT (or within 6 months of receipt of CCT at time of interview) ?CESR - portfolio pathway (must be on Specialist Register at time of applying)
Clinical Experience
* oAble to take full and independent responsibility for clinical work and delivering service without direct supervision.
* oEvidence of thorough and broad training and experience in Obstetrics & Gynaecology
* oHigh risk Obstetric care in a Tertiary Unit
Clinical Effectiveness
* oUnderstanding of clinical governance and ability to demonstrate ongoing CPD
* oExperience of guideline appraisal
* oParticipation in relevant local audits
* oAbility to interpret and apply clinical research
* oParticipation in relevant national audits
Teaching
* oKnowledge and ability to teach all grades of trainees and medical students
Personal Skills
* oLeadership Skills
* oFlexible attitude, team player with good management skills
* oAbility to co-operate in a democratic team environment
Clinical Governance
* oAble to demonstrate a broad understanding of the principles and elements of clinical governance.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
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