Consultant Clinical Immunologist

Job overview

This post for a Consultant Clinical Immunologist to support the clinical immunology service. This is provided at Derriford Hospital for patients from the whole of Devon and Cornwall (population approx. 2 million) with primary immunodeficiency (adults and children) and allergy (adults). The service is based on the Eden Unit, a dedicated outpatient and day case area for immunodeficiency, allergy, and non-malignant haematology. The department receives approx. 2000 referrals for new patients.

Main duties of the job

The appointee would be expected to work with the existing clinical team to provide and develop a clinical service for the investigation and management of patients with disorders of immunity, principally primary and secondary immunodeficiency, and allergy, and, as necessary, of patients with other clinical conditions in which disordered immune function is thought to play a role. The service will be conducted by regular outpatient clinics, day case attendance, ward reviews and telephone and written consultations. In the Allergy service the appointee will be required to manage new and follow up patients and to supervise investigations including food and drug challenges and desensitisation therapy.

The appointee will be required to work with the existing consultant and specialist nurses and be expected to travel to outreach primary immune deficiency clinics in peripheral hospitals in the peninsula subject to job planning agreements

The appointee will be expected to lead and maintain direction of the immunology diagnostic laboratory to provide a cost-effective service, which ensures the high standard and quality of work, and to undertake appropriate development of its services, taking into account new developments in immunology and its applications in medicine. The appointee will contribute to the Peninsula Haematological Malignancy Diagnostic Service working with the immunology laboratory lead consultant.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

PRIMARY DUTIES & AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY

Role Requirements

The successful candidate must hold full and specialist registration (and a licence to practice) with the General Medical Council (GMC) (or eligible for registration within six months of interview). The appointee must have completed the General Medical Council (GMC) approved Joint Royal Colleges of Physicians Training Board (JRCPTB) curriculum in Immunology or demonstrate (to GMC or an Appointments Advisory Committee) evidence of equivalence in knowledge, training and experience of fundamental Immunology and its applications, care of patients with immunological disorders and specialist diagnostic laboratory practice. The appointee must hold the FRCPath (Immunology) and MRCP (UK) or show evidence of equivalent training and experience. Applicants must ALSO be a holder of a Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT) or CESR in immunology or be within six months of award of CCT by date of interview.

Managerial and Leadership

The appointee will be actively involved in the training of specialist registrars, clinical scientists and biomedical scientists and will be expected to participate in undergraduate and postgraduate educational activities. The appointee will be expected to contribute to the internal audit programme and participate in all appropriate external quality assessment schemes.

Duration

This is a permanent substantive post.

Managerial/Organisational Relationships

Due to the combination of clinical and laboratory work, the Immunology and Allergy Department sits in 2 Directorates, both under the Clinical Sciences, Cancer, and Diagnostics Division.

The Clinical Immunology and Allergy Service is in the Haematology and Immunology Service Line, within the Blood, Inflammation, and Cancer Directorate. The Directorate Manager is Helen Churchward.

The Diagnostic Immunology Lab sits within the Blood Sciences Service line within the Pathology Directorate. The Directorate Manager is Dan Stevens.

Key Working Relationships

There are four Consultant Immunologists;

• Professor Claire Bethune (Service line co-lead),
• Dr Andrew Whyte,
• Associate Professor Lucy Leeman (Service line co-lead and Clinical Director Pathology Directorate),
• Dr Georgina Hunt (Immunology lab lead).

The senior nursing team consists of a part time immunology nurse consultant Sister Christine Symons and two band 7 senior specialist nurses (one for immunodeficiency and one for allergy).

In addition, there is;

• 1 Band 7 Research Nurse,
• 5 Band 5 Nurses,
• 3 Immunology Specialist Registrars,
• 1 Associate Specialist in Allergy
• 2 allergy Speciality Doctors,
• 1 Immunology & Allergy Specialist Psychologist.
• 1 Allergy specialist dietician

There is also an admin team with a Clinical Admin Manager, SRIAP Data Performance Manager, SRIAP Coordinator, 2 Speciality Coordinators, 1 Medical Secretary, and 3 Ward Administrators.

The Diagnostic Immunology lab is supported by;

• 1x Band 8 Senior manager (shared)
• 1x Band 8 Principal Clinical Scientist lead
• 2x Band 7 Clinical Scientist
• A range of BMS and Technical Staff

Budget Holder Responsibilities

Budget Holder responsibilities are currently held by one of the other Consultants and this is a responsibility which may rotate amongst the Consultants in the future.

Undergraduate Teaching

University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust is one of the NHS partners of the University of Plymouth Peninsula Medical School. The Directorate has a commitment to a significant part of the clinical undergraduate teaching programme. The post holder will be expected to participate in undergraduate teaching activities.  Additional job planned sessions for protected teaching time would be agreed by mutual agreement with the Service Line Director. Such arrangements will be agreed within the Trusts' annual job planning and medical staff appraisal process.

Proposed Job Plan

Details of the proposed job plan should be set out below.

Whilst the example job plan given is for a 10PA post, those looking to work flexibly or LTFT are welcome to apply and the SPA allocation will remain the same as those looking to work 10PAs ie 1.5 generic SPA with up to another 1 PA for non-generic SPA as agreed with the service line director according to service line needs and the interests of the applicant. Applicants are encouraged to discuss this with service lead prior to application.

If the successful candidate wishes to work flexibly and this is agreed, the job plan will contain a minimum of 1.5 generic SPAs as long as the total PA allocation remains equal to or above 5 PAs.  Additional SPA time can be added depending on availability, the interests of the candidate and needs of the department or Trust.

Proposed timetable (Job plans will be reviewed after 6 months of starting)

ON CALL

There is a Consultant On-Call Rota during normal working hours (Mon-Fri, 0900-1700), supported by the Immunology Resident Drs