Consultant Geriatrician

Job overview

We are seeking to recruit 2 new dynamic Consultant General Physicians with an interest in Geriatric Medicine who are committed to improving the care of older people in Swansea and Neath Port Talbot. Within Swansea Bay University Health Board we are transforming the acute medical service in Morriston Hospital. There has been considerable investment in recent years in our acute services, including the creation of a £3.5 million purpose built acute medical unit in 2022 and the plan for a £7m new acute frailty unit and referrals hub that opened in Autumn 2024, with the initiation of a frailty specific intake.

We are looking for enthusiastic colleagues who will join a team of Consultants and specialist doctors in developing and delivering geriatric medical care provision. There is a clear commitment in Swansea Bay to create excellent, well-resourced geriatric services and the successful applicants will lead and strengthen our model of care as we continue to improve, innovate and refine our clinical model.

All candidates have the opportunity to develop a relevant special interest. Applicants with an interest in interface and community frailty medicine are especially welcomed.

Contribution to the departments’ strong record in undergraduate and post graduate training, quality improvement work and research is encouraged.

We are supportive of flexible working arrangements and will consider annualised hours job plans, part time working or alternative shift pattern working.

Main duties of the job

The posts will have clinical responsibilities, supported by junior doctors, for the care of acutely unwell older people living with frailty in a variety of settings depending upon the individual posts and the interests of the post-holders.

Patients will be received through a single point of access integrated hub and co-located frailty unit.

The successful candidate will share responsibility with the existing consultants to deliver the acute frailty service. On a rotational basis the post holder will lead the frailty specific intake and SDEC specific frailty service (OPAS) leading a multidisciplinary team assessing older people admitted to the Acute Frailty Unit and caring for patients based on the acute frailty short stay unit.

The post holder will also participate in running the single point of access integrated hub, overseeing and directing community services to avoid medical admission where possible.  The hub includes services such as virtual wards, acute clinical team, social services and domiciliary care. There will be the expectation that there will be a component of community liaison work built into the job plan.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

You will provide a clinical service, with colleagues, which will include the responsibility for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of illness.

Working with consultant colleagues and the multi-professional team you will have continuing responsibility for the well-being of all patients under your care, allowing for proper delegation to and training of staff.  In partnership with clinical and managerial colleagues, you will also have responsibility for the safe, efficient and effective functioning of the services in which you work in line with the values, operational policies and integrated medium term plan (IMTP) of the Health Board. You are encouraged to consider how services can be improved and to report any concerns about safety.