Consultant in Pain Medicine and Anaesthesia

Job overview

This is a substantive consultant post in RUH secondary care pain clinic, national tertiary and quaternary care pain services, and anaesthesia.

This is a unique opportunity for a consultant with expertise in chronic pain or interested in developing a career in complex chronic pain. This post has significant clinical and research development opportunities. The post is within a large chronic pain speciality that provides three national services, a regional paediatric pain clinic and a secondary care pain clinic.

The post holder will also be part of the dynamic anaesthetic department at the RUH, one of the most research active departments in the country with a national and international reputation for excellence.

The 10 PA post will include a minimum of 3.75 PAs in chronic pain, split between the various services.

The remaining DCC will be in anaesthesia, however, applications will be considered from clinicians who only wish to work in the field of chronic pain.

Main duties of the job

The successful candidate will join a highly regarded Chronic Pain Specialty and Anaesthetic Department at the Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust. This is a unique opportunity to work across anaesthesia, secondary care pain services, and nationally commissioned specialist pain rehabilitation services within one of the UK’s leading centres for complex chronic pain.

The post holder will provide expert assessment and management of patients with chronic pain, including those with complex pain-related disability referred from across the UK. Clinical duties include outpatient assessment and follow-up, multidisciplinary working within specialist rehabilitation programmes, and medication optimisation. They will undertake interventional pain procedures in our pleasant purpose built facilities and contribute to service development.

The role includes working within the Bath National Pain Centre’s nationally commissioned services, working within a well-established interdisciplinary model of care.

The anaesthetic component offers the opportunity to work within a dynamic, supportive, research-active department with an excellent reputation for teaching and clinical excellence. The role can include joining the general on-call anaesthetic rota.

We welcome applications from experienced consultants and those nearing completion of training who are keen to develop a career in complex chronic pain.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The successful applicant will join the Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust as a Consultant in the Chronic Pain Specialty and Anaesthetics. This is a unique post offering the opportunity to work across secondary care pain services, nationally commissioned specialist pain rehabilitation services and anaesthesia within one of the UK's leading centres for complex chronic pain.

The post holder will contribute to the delivery and ongoing development of a comprehensive chronic pain service that includes local secondary care pain management alongside nationally commissioned tertiary and quaternary specialist rehabilitation services. The role will involve close collaboration with colleagues from medicine, psychology, physiotherapy, occupational therapy and nursing within an established interdisciplinary model of care.

The post holder will provide expert assessment, diagnosis and management of patients with chronic pain within the secondary care Pain Clinic and Bath National Pain Centre services.

Responsibilities will include:

• Undertaking new patient assessments and follow-up clinics for individuals with chronic pain and pain-related disability.
• Providing evidence-based advice regarding diagnosis, medication optimisation and pain management strategies.
• Contributing to the delivery of multidisciplinary pain management and rehabilitation pathways.
• Undertaking interventional pain procedures appropriate to the individual's training and experience.
• Supporting patients engaged in physiotherapy, psychology and multidisciplinary rehabilitation programmes.
• Participating in multidisciplinary team meetings and contributing to shared decision-making regarding patient treatment plans.
• Working within nationally commissioned rehabilitation pathways to support patients with highly complex chronic pain, Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) and persistent pain following cancer treatment.
• Providing medical leadership within interdisciplinary rehabilitation programmes and supporting the management of clinical risk, co-morbidities and medication-related issues.
• Liaising with referrers, primary care clinicians and other healthcare professionals to ensure coordinated patient care.

The post holder will contribute to the assessment and treatment of patients referred to the Bath National Pain Centre's nationally commissioned services, including:

• Bath Centre for Pain Services (BCPS)
• Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) Service
• Complex Cancer Late Effects Rehabilitation Service (CCLERS)

The successful applicant will work alongside highly experienced interdisciplinary teams supporting patients referred from across the UK with some of the most complex chronic pain presentations.

The post holder will undertake consultant anaesthetic duties within the Department of Anaesthesia at the Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust.

• Providing high-quality peri-operative anaesthetic care, including on-call general anaesthetic responsibilities.
• Participating in theatre activity across a range of surgical specialties.
• Supporting acute pain management services as required.
• Participating in departmental clinical governance, audit and quality improvement activities.
• Contributing to service development and maintaining high standards of patient safety and clinical care.

The Royal United Hospitals Bath has a strong reputation for education and research. The successful applicant will be expected to:

• Contribute to the teaching and supervision of medical students, resident doctors and other healthcare professionals.
• Participate in audit, quality improvement and clinical governance activities.
• Support and contribute to research activity where appropriate.
• Maintain continuing professional development and participate fully in appraisal and revalidation processes.

The post holder will work closely with:

• Consultant colleagues in Pain Medicine and Anaesthesia.
• Clinical Psychologists, Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapists and Specialist Nurses.
• Primary and secondary care clinicians.
• Clinical Leads, Service Managers and Operational Teams.
• Medical students, resident doctors and allied health professionals.

The successful applicant will be expected to contribute positively to a culture of collaboration, innovation and continuous improvement, supporting the ongoing development of both local and nationally commissioned pain services.