Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital NHS Foundation Trust Job Description for CONSULTANT CARDIAC SURGEON WITH A SPECIAL INTEREST IN AORTIC SURGERY
INTRODUCTION The Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital NHS Foundation Trust provide medical and surgical adult cardiothoracic services to the people of Merseyside, North Wales, Isle of Man, parts of Lancashire and Cheshire. This catchment area has a population of 2.8 million people. The unit is one of the largest of its kind in the country. This year the Centre will perform 2,200 heart procedures and around 1500 thoracic procedures, including in the region of 700 major thoracic operations. The full range of services for adult cardiothoracic surgical patients (with the exception of transplantation) is provided at LHCH. The thoracic aortic aneurysm service provides a comprehensive service with annual activities of 150-180 major aortic cases providing a dedicated 24/7 on-call service also. The centre is an NHS Foundation Trust, which has seen a great deal of development in the last few years. As a result of major capital investment the centre is able to provide: 245 Medical and Surgical beds (4 surgical wards) 8 dedicated cardiothoracic surgical operating theatres including a Hybrid Theatre Endoscopy Suite Recovery Room 40 bedded Critical Care Unit X-Ray department with a multi-channel spiral CT Scanner Pulmonary function and Oesophageal laboratory Dedicated cystic fibrosis unit 5 Cardiac Catheterisation Laboratories and one pacing theatre A 14 roomed private wing also forms an important part of the Centre.
MEDICAL STAFF Consultants Thoracic Surgeons Mr R D Page Mr M. Shackcloth Mr S Woolley Mr J Asante-Siaw (Clinical Lead for Thoracic Surgery) Cardiothoracic Surgeons Mr N Mediratta Mr M Poullis Cardiac and Aortic Surgeons Mr D M Pullan Mr J A C Chalmers Mr R Williams Mr P Modi Professor A Oo Mr M Kuduvalli Mr M Field Mr A Muir Miss D Harrington Mr I Gambardella Mr D Pousios Mr I Wilson (Locum) Mr O Nawaytou (Locum) Anaesthetists (Clinical Lead Cardiac Surgery) (Associate Medical Director, Surgery) (Clinical Lead Aortic Surgery) Dr K Mills Dr N Scawn Dr J Kendall Dr S H Pennefather Dr G N Russell Dr S Thomas D T Ridgeway Dr S Agarwal Dr B Gutowska Dr O Al-Rawi Dr J McKevith Dr K Palmer Dr J Ratnasingham Dr A Bhavnani Dr P Wolski Dr N Coulson Dr C Quarterman Dr I Shaban (Associate Medical Director, Clinical Services) (Clinical Lead, Anaesthesia) (Clinical Lead, Critical Care)
Cardiologists Dr J Morris Dr W L Morrison Dr R Perry Dr D Ramsdale Dr R Stables Dr D Todd Dr J Waktare Dr D J Wright Dr J. Mills Dr D. Gupta Dr P Velavan Dr A Rao Dr P Snowdon Dr S Modi Dr T Fairbain (Associate Medical Director, Medicine) (Medical Director) Junior Surgical Staff 9 National ST3+ trainees 6 Clinical Fellows (SpR Equivalent) 2 Specialty Doctors (SpR Level) 1 Aortic Fellow 3 CST1/2 6 Trust Doctors (Senior House Officer or F2 Equivalent) Each consultant has a SpR/Clinical Fellow and SHO/Trust doctor allocated to his/her practice with rotation every 6 12 months. JOB PLAN The job is intended to be full-time at Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital. Apart from emergency work you will not be expected to work elsewhere. The appointee will be a cardiac surgeon with a sub-specialist interest in aorto-vascular surgery. The appointee will be paid for 10 PA s and 11.5 SPA s pending a review at 12 months at which point if appropriate the SPA allocation will go to 2.0. The attached job plan represents the proposed job plan for the post. On-Call Aortic Surgery 1:4 Category A The successful candidate will have full secretarial support, a personal computer (training available if required) and office accommodation. There is a significant commitment to research and audit and a training commitment to the SpR s. The successful candidate will undergo annual appraisal and job planning. The trust supports the annual appraisal process and routine GMC revalidation. The appointee will be expected to work flexibly on the basis of the needs of the Surgical Division and the Trust. The workload will be driven by the job planning process and be reviewed and changed appropriate to the requirements of the
Trust by the Surgical Clinical Lead with the Divisional Head of Operations with ratification by the Medical Director. It should be noted that full mentorship will be provided to the successful candidate. The Trust supports the requirements for continuing professional development (CPD) as laid down by the GMC and Surgical Colleges and is committed to providing time and financial support for these activities. PATIENT REFERRAL PATTERNS Cardiac patients are referred by the cardiologists and vascular surgeons directly to individual surgeons for specialist procedures. Otherwise there is an open referral system which apportions open referrals on the basis of waiting list size. AORTIC SURGERY Aortic surgery is currently carried out by five cardiac surgeons with specialist interest in aortic surgery. The successful candidate will be replacing a current substantive position. There is a common waiting list for patients requiring aortic surgery and all aortic surgeons work flexibly in looking after patients both in the clinic and MDT setting and for peri- and post-operative care. There are excellent links with Vascular Surgery and Interventional Radiology at the neighbouring Royal Liverpool University Hospital, and the University of Liverpool. All types of aortic surgery including complex arch, thoraco-abdominal and endovascular procedures are carried out at the hospital, with endovascular work often done with the collaboration of colleagues from all three specialties. This specialist aortic service has seen a significant increase in aortic activity over recent years, with many referrals coming from outside the region. The five surgeons will take part in a flexible on-call arrangement for aortic emergencies, which runs separately from the general cardiac surgical on-call rota. AUDIT All medical staff are expected to participate in our active audit programme. The centre has always worked within a framework of audit and have contributed data to the Cardiac Surgery Register of the Society of Cardiothoracic Surgeons of Great Britain and Ireland since 1977. This activity is backed up by a well-established audit office. The appointee will be expected to attend the regular bi-monthly audit meetings, which are attended by all members of the medical and clinical teams. Medical staff are also required to participate in the Trusts Clinical Governance and Risk Management Systems as well as engaging in departmental meetings. EDUCATION The centre provides undergraduate medical education for final year students for Liverpool University. The appointee will be expected to join the cardiothoracic surgical teaching programme. The centre runs an active postgraduate education programme and is committed to the principles and practice of clinical audit based on the guidelines of the Royal College of Surgeons and the Society of Cardiothoracic Surgeons. This audit programme is enhanced by the implementation of a medical/surgical software package, and is fully supported by the Director of Clinical Quality (Dr M Jackson). A specialised thoracic surgical database has been in operation for over five years.
A specialist Library is available on site. In addition, the libraries of the Liverpool Medical Institution, Liverpool University and Broadgreen Hospital are also available for reference. MERSEY REGION AND CITY OF LIVERPOOL Liverpool is a dynamic maritime city. It has experienced a major revival over the past few years and is now recognised as a World Heritage Site. It is unusually compact and a journey to the centre rarely takes more than 30 minutes. The county abounds with fine architecture, live cultural pursuits and outstanding sport. There are many fine golf courses in the area, numerous sailing clubs and facilities for windsurfing, and of course there are two famous premiership football clubs in the city. Tourism has become a major industry and twenty million people visited the city last year, attracted by the area s natural and manmade assets. Merseyside s theatres, museums and art collections are now amongst its strongest attractions. The city is alive with independent theatre groups, authors, poets and dance groups. Photography, sculpture, street art and video makers abound. The Walker Art Gallery contains a collection equal to any in the provinces and the Tate Gallery opened in 1988 on Liverpool s waterfront at the refurbished Albert Dock. The Lady Lever Art Gallery at Port Sunlight also houses a collection of National importance. The Philharmonic Orchestra is nationally acclaimed and there is a full range of musical activities of all types. Liverpool was the European Capital City of Culture for 2008, attracting further major investment in the city. There are both Anglican and Roman Catholic Cathedrals and facilities for worship for every other faith in the city. There are excellent schools for both sexes, including a variety of denominational schools both in the private and state sector. Very good housing in the re-developed docklands, pleasant suburbs, near the sea and in rural areas is easily available the cost of which is still significantly less than the national average. Two airports are within easy reach. John Lennon International Airport (Liverpool) and Manchester International Airport are within half to three quarters of an hour s driving time. There are excellent train services and motorway links to all parts of the country with easy access to the National Parks of North Wales, the Peak District and the Lake District, as well as to both Lancashire and North Wales Coasts. There are direct ferry links to Belfast, Dublin and the Isle of Man.
GENERAL PROVISION AND SUMMARY OF MAIN CONDITIONS OF SERVICES 1. General Provisions 1.1 The appointee will be expected to work with local managers and professional colleagues in the efficient running of services and will share with consultant colleagues in the medical contribution to management. Subject to the provisions of the Consultant Terms and Conditions of Services, he/she is expected to observe the Centre s agreed policies and procedures, drawn up in the consultation with the profession on clinical matters and to follow the standing orders and financial instructions of the Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital. The appointee will be expected to follow the local and national employment and personnel policies and procedures. He/she will be expected to make sure there are adequate arrangements for hospital staff involved in the care of their patients to be able to contact a Consultant Cardiothoracic Surgeon when necessary. 1.2 All medical and dental staffs employed by the hospital are expected to comply with the agreed health and safety policies. 1.3 The appointee will have responsibility for the training and supervision of junior medical staffs who work with him/her and will devote time to this on a regular basis. If appropriate he/she will be named in the contracts of junior doctors in training grades as the person responsible for overseeing their training and as a main source of advice to such doctors on their careers. 2. Main Conditions of Service 2.1 The successful candidate(s) will normally be required to live within 30 minutes drive of the hospital. 2.2 Where, however the successful candidate already resides within 45 minutes drive of the hospital, he/she will not be required to remove his/her home nearer to the hospital. 2.3 Where the successful candidate s present residence is more than 45 minutes drive from the hospital, he/she will be required to move his/her home to meet the residential clauses of his/her contract, unless he/she has the written consent of the Authority to the contrary. 2.4 The Terms and Conditions of Service state that the removal expenses shall be reimbursed and grants paid only when the employing authority is satisfied that the removal of the practitioners home is required and the arrangements proposed are reasonable. Therefore, successful candidates are advised not to enter into contractual arrangements for the removal of their home until such a time as the formal approval of the hospital is confirmed in writing. 2.5 If the appointment is on a part-time basis (9 PA s or less) the successful candidate will not be eligible under the Terms and Conditions of Services for the reimbursement of removal and associated expenses.
CONSULTANT JOB PLAN Name: Consultant Aortic Surgeon The following work pattern should be regarded as provisional; the exact weekly timetable undertaken by the appointee will depend on operational issues within the Trust. Name: Division: Number of programmed activities: Consultant Cardiac Surgeon Surgery 11. 5 PA Day Time Location Work Category No of PA s Monday 09:00 13:00 LHCH SPA SPA 1 Tuesday 09:00 11:00 LHCH MDT/Ward round DCC 0.5 Wednesday 09:00 13:00 LHCH Cardiac clinic DCC 1 13:00 17:00 LHCH Aortic clinic (2/4) DCC 0.5 Thursday 09:00 11:00 LHCH SPA SPA 0.5 Friday 08:00 18:00 Pre and postoperative time LHCH Theatre DCC 2.5 0.5 Weekday flexible 08:00 18:00 Pre and postoperative time LHCH Theatre DCC 2.5 0.5 Unpredictable emergency on-call work 1.0 Total PA s 11.5 The surgeon will be committed to two all-day operating lists per week as well as a weekly cardiac outpatient session and a fortnightly aortic outpatient session. There will also be a commitment to a number of MDTs but particularly the Aortic MDT once per month.
In addition, the department runs a Surgeon of the Week rota with one consultant dedicated to the management of urgent activity. All elective commitments for the consultant undertaking the Consultant of the Week are cancelled and runs on a rotational basis through all consultants. In addition, the department also runs a Consultant of the Week rota with one consultant dedicated daily to undertake a comprehensive ward round, Common Outpatient Clinics and at present Pacing extractions.