JOB DESCRIPTION SPECIALTY GRADE Hospice Fixed Term initially 6 months The Heart of Kent Hospice is an independent hospice, which opened its services in West Kent in 1990 and provides a full range of specialist and generalist palliative care services. At our Maidstone site there are 10 beds, a specialist palliative care day centre (3 full days and a drop in day), and a weekly half-day support group (primarily catering for psycho-social needs), outpatient clinics, a Community Palliative Clinical Nurse Specialist Service, and an education centre and library. We receive approximately 29% of our funding from the NHS, the rest of the 4 million running costs being raised through local community support and we maintain a strong level of reserves. The Heart of Kent Hospice provides inpatient, Day and specialist Community Palliative Care Services within the Maidstone area. There is a full multi-professional team including a Family Services team, Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapist, Chaplain, Art and Music Therapists, and Complementary Therapists. The Hospice has a Senior Management Team which includes the CEO, Medical Director, Director of Patient Services, Income Generation Director, and Central Services Director. The Medical Directorate consists of Consultant in Palliative Medicine. Dr Farnham (Medical Director and Responsible Officer) 1.0 WTE Speciality Doctor providing support to both the inpatient unit as well as the outpatient clinical areas. 1.0 WTE A rotating ST1 (SHO), who is on the GP vocational training scheme. 1 WTE Whole time, part time or locum applications will be considered. This post is to be based in Aylesford. The post holder must be a Registered Medical Practitioner with the GMC. Preferably the post holder should have experience in Palliative Medicine or General Practice with an interest in Palliative Medicine. He/she will participate fully in the provision of medical care of patients referred to The Heart of Kent Hospice. ACCOUNTABILITY The post holder will be accountable and responsible to the Medical Director. Page 1 of 5
PERSON SPECIFICATION Attributes Essential Desirable 1. Qualifications Full registration with the GMC 2. Training and experience Completed several years full time postgraduate training (or its equivalent on a part time or flexitime basis), including experience in a specialty training program in a relevant specialty or as a fixed term specialty trainee in a relevant specialty or shall have equivalent experience and competencies 3. Administration Familiarity with information technology and general computer skills 4. Management Possession of basic management skills 5. Audit Thorough understanding of principles of medical audit Experience in undertaking and completing audit projects 6. Research and publications Knowledge of the principles of medical research 7. Personal skills Team player, and able cooperate with all medical, nursing and other healthcare staff Effective communicator MRCP, MRCGP, or equivalent Diploma (eg Diploma or MSc in Palliative Medicine or MD) Licenced car driver Experience in palliative care and other specialties such as oncology, care of the elderly, general practice Advanced Communication skills course or qualification Experience of working within the voluntary sector Familiar with current structure of NHS and conversant with recent initiatives and changes Management course and /or qualification Presentation or Publication of Audit results Research experience Publication of research and /or review article(s) 8. Personal attributes Professional attitude towards work, reliability, good record of attendance and tidy personal appearance 9. Teaching Experience of junior doctor and medical student teaching Teaching skills course and /or qualification Page 2 of 5
MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES 1. DIRECT PATIENT CARE 1.1 Ensure that impatient unit and community patients receive appropriate medical assessment and appropriate medical care as part of the multidisciplinary care plan ensuring that medical care is evidence based and best practice. Outpatient clinics may include 1 new patient and up to 3 follow up patients per week. There will be supervised time during each week with the consultant. 1.2 There will also be work with the patients in the community depending on need. 1.3 Visit patients at home or in community hospitals and nursing or care homes in order to do assessments and advise on management when requested. These visits will be done either with the consultant or a clinical nurse specialist, or by the doctor on their own. 1.4 Review day service patients regularly with other members of multidisciplinary team, also, to have supervised time with the consultant during these reviews. 1.5 Ensure that all prescribing is in accordance with Hospice policy and statutory requirements 1.6 Ensure that full and accurate clinical information is maintained on all day unit and community patients 1.7 Liaise with primary and secondary care services as well as other statutory and voluntary agencies as appropriate to ensure continuity of medical care 1.8 Participate in multidisciplinary team meetings held weekly to plan patients care. The multidisciplinary team includes Specialist Nurses, Physiotherapist, Occupational Therapists, Psychosocial Workers, and Chaplain 1.9 The post holder will provide medical cover to patients attending day unit and to the Outpatient Clinics. There are a maximum of 15 patients who attend day unit either for a short day or long day session 3 days a week and usually between 2 and 6 need medical review on the day. The week may also include outpatient assessments and domiciliary visits of about 2 to 4 visits per week. 1.10 Ensure that the clinical practice complements and facilitates the provision of multidisciplinary care, recognising the physical, psychological, emotional and spiritual needs of the patient and family. 1.11 Within reason, be available to advise and support primary and secondary carers from other agencies involved in the provision of palliative care. Such advice to be available prior to formal referral. 1.12 Participate in the provision of on-call medical cover for patients of The Heart of Kent Hospice (maximum 10 patients) and telephone advice for patients in hospitals and in the community. Weekday on-call is from 5pm to 9am the next day and the cover is usually telephone advice. Weekend on-call entails a ward round on both days to see the inpatients, which usually lasts about 3 hours depending on the patient s needs. Other than this most of the on-call is non-resident and telephonic. On-call is 1 in 4 first on-call. A Consultant is always available for advice when the post holder is on-call. Time (plus/minus one hour) will be allocated before the weekend on a Friday and after the weekend on a Monday for handover of patients. Remuneration of 2 PAs extra per week Page 3 of 5
for 1:4 on-call rota. If full time, the post holder will get an afternoon off on the Monday after they have completed a weekend on call. 2. MAINTENANCE AND IMPROVEMENT IN QUALITY OF CARE 2.1 To be active in audit. To identify areas of research and audit and in conjunction with appropriate staff, initiate and participate in agreed research programmes, and audit projects. 2.2 To maintain an awareness of developments and research in medical practice in particular and care in general, in the provision of palliative care. 2.3 Commitment to continuing professional development. Study leave and professional leave available to achieve this. 2.4 To participate, as appropriate, in the promotion of palliative care within the community. Be involved in teaching of Palliative Medicine to medical and nonmedical staff both from within and outside of the hospice. 2.5 Regular reviews of Job Plan and annual appraisal with Consultant. Engage in the appraisal process, working towards revalidation. 3. GENERAL 3.1 To participate as appropriate in the promotion of Heart of Kent Hospice both in terms of its provision of palliative care and its reputation within the community. 3.2 To maintain and provide statistical information as required. 3.3 To be aware of and participate in the formal and informal staff support systems available within the Hospice. 3.4 To undertake other roles as may be required in maintaining and furthering the work of the Hospice. 3.5 To actively engage in the appraisal and revalidation process according to the hospices policies and procedures. Support from the appraisers and the hospice revalidation team will be available. An office is shared with the ST1 doctor and the other specialty grade doctors.. Each Doctor will have access to a computer with Microsoft Office and internet access. The medical directorate is supported by a team of Patient Services secretaries. 4 JOB PLAN 8 Programmed activities with inpatient and community services: Daily ward reviews, supervising the SHO (5 PAs) Medical management of day unit patients 3 days a week (2 PA) Attend community MDTM weekly (visits if needed) (1PA) 2 programmed activities for quality improvement and management: 1 PA for audit and research, clinical governance, CPD / personal study 1 programmed activity for quality improvement aspects. On call supplement will apply (4%) Page 4 of 5
Programmed activities will allow for flexibility and the development of areas of special interest within the team. The job plan will be agreed with the successful applicant. WEEKLY PLAN Monday 9.00-17.00 Ward round(2) Tuesday 9.00-13.00 Ward Round (1) IPU MDT (1) Wednesday 9.00-13.00 Day Unit (1) if other doctor not available SPA(1) Thursday 9.00-13.00 Outpatient clinic if needed(1) or Community cover (0.5)+SPA(0.5) Friday 9.00-13.00 Audit /Research/Teaching(1) Community Cover (1) This job plan is subject to discussion and negotiation Page 5 of 5