Consultant Acute Medicine

Job overview

Consultant in Acute Medicine

This is an exciting opportunity to join a progressive Acute Medicine Unit at Aintree University Hospital, part of Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. The post supports the Trust’s strong commitment to Acute Medicine and to delivering timely, consultant‑led care during peak demand periods, ensuring rapid assessment, treatment and safe decision‑making for acutely unwell medical patients.

The service includes a well‑established Ambulatory Emergency Care (AEC) Unit, supporting same‑day assessment, treatment and admission avoidance, alongside a rapid assessment, flow‑focused Acute Medical Unit model delivered through regular board rounds and close multidisciplinary working. In February 2023, Acute Medicine relocated to a bespoke front‑door facility co‑located with the Emergency Department, strengthening integration and enabling earlier senior clinical decision‑making.

The service currently provides consultant presence 12 hours per day, 7 days per week, delivered by Acute Medicine and Medical Division colleagues. With further substantive consultant appointments, this model will increasingly be delivered by the Acute Medicine Directorate, supported by inpatient specialty in‑reach.

This post offers the opportunity to contribute to the continued development of a high‑performing front‑door Acute Medicine service, with a strong focus on quality, patient flow, innovation and multidisciplinary working.

Main duties of the job

• Provide timely senior clinical assessment and decision‑making for acutely unwell medical patients at the hospital front door.
• Lead and supervise the acute medical take, ensuring safe, efficient triage, investigation and management, including admission avoidance and same‑day discharge where appropriate.
• Deliver consultant‑led care on the Acute Medical Unit (AMU), including ongoing responsibility for patients until transfer to specialty care or discharge.
• Undertake consultant ward rounds and board rounds, working with nursing and operational teams to optimise flow and bed utilisation.
• Provide senior clinical oversight and support to junior medical staff, including complex decision‑making and high‑risk situations.
• Contribute to the development of front‑door, ambulatory and acute medicine models, and to clinical governance, quality improvement, education and service development.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The Consultant in Acute Medicine will be based within the Acute Medical Unit (AMU) at Aintree University Hospital, which provides front‑door assessment and management for acutely unwell medical patients.

The AMU comprises:

• A 13‑space trolleyed assessment area (MAB/FAB) for acute medical assessments
• Two side rooms and a four‑bed High Care Area
• A dedicated drop‑off bay for rapid initial patient assessment
• A co‑located Ambulatory Emergency Care (AEC) Unit with six assessment rooms, a procedure room and a treatment bay/hub
• A 27‑bed short stay unit (AMU 2) supporting ongoing acute medical care and early discharge

The Consultant will work within a multidisciplinary Acute Medicine team, currently comprising full‑time Acute Medicine Consultants supported by Consultant Physicians from other medical specialties. The service is further supported by Acute Medicine Specialty Registrars, Clinical Fellows, GPVTS, IMT, ACCS and Foundation trainees, alongside Advanced Nurse Practitioners and Physician Associates.

AMU Consultants work in close collaboration with the Emergency Department team, the on‑call medical registrars, IMT trainees and Consultant Physicians across the Medical Directorate, providing senior clinical leadership and supporting the management of the acute medical take.

The role includes liaison with General Practitioners regarding the suitability for admission of selected patients where there is diagnostic or management uncertainty, supported by a dedicated AEC advice phone line and access to rapid assessment clinic review.

The Consultant will have responsibility for supervising junior medical staff, including ensuring that timely and high‑quality discharge summaries are completed for patients discharged from both AMU and AEC, supporting safe transfer of care back to primary and community services.

This post plays a key role in the continued development of an integrated, front‑door Acute Medicine service, focused on rapid senior decision‑making, admission avoidance, patient flow and high‑quality acute care.