Locum Consultant Anaesthetist - Interest in Chronic Pain

Job overview

We are looking for an enthusiastic and committed Consultant Anaesthetist with a special interest in chronic pain to join the team of Consultants in the Anaesthetic Departments at Wexham Park, and Heatherwood hospitals, Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust. Anaesthesia and Chronic Pain are part of the Directorate of Anaesthesia, Theatres and Critical Care. Both ICU units have received the rating of Outstanding by the Care Quality Commission.

This is a fixed term one year post in anaesthesia and chronic pain. The anaesthesia component will be based at Wexham Park Hospital and the Heatherwood Hospital with the opportunity to subspecialise in Obstetrics, Regional, Trauma and colorectal anaesthesia dependent on individual interest and training. The chronic pain component will involve all three hospitals in the directorate (Frimley Park Hospital, Wexham Park Hospital and the Heatherwood Hospital). This post has arisen because of increased demand and backlog.

Main duties of the job

The successful applicant will be expected to take part in developing services within the Trust and to share the clinical, administrative and teaching work with the other consultants in the department. The post holder will join a multidisciplinary team providing an Outpatient/Chronic Pain service to the Frimley ICS Population (approximately 800,000 people). The basis of the post is 10 programmed activities, 9 direct clinical care (DCC) sessions and 1 SPA.  The clinical sessions will be allocated for chronic pain lists and clinics and provision of anaesthesia for various specialities including providing on call cover for Wexham and Heatherwood Hospitals.

The post holder will be expected to dedicate approximately half their DCC sessions to chronic pain, of which there will be a mixture of outpatient pain clinics, theatre interventional pain lists, acute pain sessions and the remainder to sessions in anaesthesia. There is also an out of hours commitment to cover weekend work or on calls. The on calls (if required) will be in the capacity of a consultant covering theatres and obstetrics. The job plan will be reviewed on a regular basis with the Chief of Service.

So far as is consistent with the proper discharge of the above duties, the post holder undertakes to deputise from time to time for absent colleagues, this includes short periods of annual leave, sick leave, study and professional leave on a quid pro quo basis. Paid backfill is provided in exceptional circumstances.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The proposed timetable and PA allocation are indicative of the work required but is not rigid and will be flexible depending on service needs and the base specialty of the applicant. A formal job plan will be agreed between the appointee and Chief of Service on behalf of the Medical Director within three months of appointment.

The job plan will then be reviewed annually and covers all aspects of a consultant’s professional practice including clinical work, teaching, research, education and managerial responsibilities. It will provide a clear schedule of commitments, both internal and external.  In addition, it will include personal objectives, including details of their link to wider service objectives and details of the support required by the consultant to fulfil the job plan and the objectives.

The total job plan is 10 PAs and is split approximately 50:50 in terms of pain and anaesthesia. The pain work will be across Frimley Health and take place at Wexham Park Hospital, KE hospital Windsor, Heatherwood Hospital as main base but work at Frimley Park Hospital and Aldershot centre for health may also be required. This will be negotiated taking into consideration requirements for the pain work, vacant theatre and clinic slots. There will also be acute pain sessions based at Wexham Park Hospital.

There will be access to secretarial support, IT systems and the Trust’s mentoring scheme. The multidisciplinary pain team comprises consultant doctors, a nurse consultant, specialist nurses, an extended scope physiotherapist, specialist physiotherapists, a pain fellow, OT and psychologists. We are supported by an excellent admin team in both the anaesthetic office and the pain clinics. The service can offer a holistic approach to pain management supported by multidisciplinary working that includes the provision of interventions, pharmacological management, physical therapy, and pain management programs. As an Outpatient/Chronic Pain Service we work closely with our Inpatient/Acute Pain Services and the nursing team is integrated across the Trust.