Consultant Physician in Geriatrics and General Medicine

Job overview

The comprehensive range of geriatric services currently provided by HUH is as recommended by the National Service Framework for Older People and the British Geriatrics Society. Multidisciplinary team working is strong, with senior physiotherapists, occupational therapists, and social workers dedicated to elderly services. There is close liaison and collaboration with all departments, and formal links with orthopaedics, old age psychiatry, neurology, and community teams.

Over recent years, the Trust has undertaken an extensive programme of work to improve and better integrate its elderly care provision. Please see the job description for further details.

Main duties of the job

• To work collaboratively and pro-actively with all appropriate clinical colleagues within the Trust in developing and implementing an acceptable service model reflective of best practice
• To forge effective relationships with clinical colleagues outside the Trust to improve the coherence and integration of patient pathways
• To share responsibility with colleagues for providing evidence-based standards of care for all inpatients and outpatients
• To have continuing responsibility for the care of patients in his/her charge, including all administrative duties associated with patient care
• To liaise effectively and on a timely basis with General Practitioners and all other external agencies
• To lead and co-ordinate the dedicated multi-disciplinary team appointed to support the service models to achieve effective rehabilitation and effective discharge management
• To deliver comprehensive ward rounds and weekly multi-disciplinary meetings to co- ordinate the delivery of high-quality patient care
• To deliver multi-disciplinary outpatient clinics to provide specialist support
• To participate fully in the management of the Care of the Elderly Department and liaise closely with the Clinical Lead, Service Manager and Divisional Operations Director
• To participate in corporate and singular responsibility for the management of junior medical staff.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Workload in clinical duties

• Outpatients: profiles of between 2-3 new patients, and 3-5 follow-up patients
• Inpatients: approximately 14 inpatients per ward round
• General Internal Medicine on-call 1:15

General Medicine 1:15 cover

The post holder will be expected to participate in the general medicine rota initially 1:15. Existing consultants undertaking General medicine duty contribute 2 PAs / week.

Acute medicine is provided by 15 General physicians. On the “take” day, the consultant of the day provides leadership on the acute care unit from 8am-8pm, with all other commitments cancelled There is a ward-based admission system, with longer-stay admissions being transferred from the Acute Care Unit to the appropriate speciality ward.

Day 2 review is required, with Consultants arranging appropriate restructure of activities e.g Clinic/Endoscopy sessions until 10:30am on Day 2.

Teaching and training

The post holder will be expected to participate in teaching and training of postgraduate doctors, which is likely to include acting as an Educational and/or Clinical Supervisor to between one and two individuals, providing them with regular appraisal and support. If the postholder is educational supervisor for more than 1 trainee, SPA time will be allocated as above.

It is in the mutual interest of the Trust and Barts and The London, Queen Mary’s School of Medicine and Dentistry to support quality medical education funded via the SIFT contract. The Trust requires consultant staff to support undergraduate teaching activities.

Research and Development

The Trust is keen to support high quality R&D and innovation. Current R&D funding arrangements in the NHS require that all R&D is recorded and coordinated by the Trust’s R&D office. Before starting projects, appropriate steps should be taken to ensure that projects meet prevailing standards of research governance. The R&D office will also advise staff about intellectual property.

Audit and Administration

The post holder will be expected to contribute and participate in the departments on-going clinical audit programme and will carry out all administrative duties associated with the care of their patients.

Study leave / Continuing Professional Development

Continuing Professional Development is an integral part of the consultant post. The appointee will be expected to undertake continuing professional development in line with guidelines and requirement

produced by the Royal College and to develop specialist skills as required for this post.

Study leave may be requested in accordance with the Trust’s policy for continuing medical education. The postholder will be encouraged to ensure that their full entitlement to CPD/study leave is taken. There is financial support available from the Trust.

Applicant requirements

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.