Locum Consultant Anaesthetist

Job overview

We are looking to appoint a Consultant in Anaesthesia to join our busy, friendly department at East Lancashire Hospitals.   This is a fixed term 12 month position, with possibility of extension of permanent post thereafter.

The department of Anaesthesia provides a comprehensive anaesthetic service to all specialties, with 27 theatres across 2 main sites in Blackburn and Burnley.  Our specialties include:

• major cancer surgery in colorectal surgery, urology, gynaecology, ENT and maxillofacial surgery
• robotic surgery for urology, colorectal and maxillofacial and gynaecological surgery
• elective orthopaedic surgery on the BGH site with trauma and high risk elective surgery on the RBH site including inpatient paediatric surgery
• regional vascular and hepato-pancreatico-biliary services
• a comprehensive nurse led preoperative assessment service with Consultant clinics including specialist vascular pre-op clinics and cardiopulmonary exercise testing.

We have a busy Obstetric Unit with approximately 6500 deliveries per year.  We also have a busy 32 bed critical care unit that cares for 1600 patients per year. We take medical and surgical emergency patients and postoperative elective patients requiring a higher level of care.

Main duties of the job

The successful candidate will be expected to provide anaesthesia for the broad range of surgical specialties on site. This includes Colorectal, Hepato-Biliary, Vascular, Major Head & Neck, Orthopaedics and Trauma. We also provide anaesthesia for children having surgery over 6 months of age.

The job plan will consist of 10.2 PA per week, including 1.5 for SPA.  There will be 1.2 DCC PA attributable to the on call and the remaining 6 sessions for anaesthetic services (1.25 PA per list).  The on-call commitment will be on a 1:11 basis (1.2 PA per week). This alternates between the Blackburn and Burnley sites. The Blackburn site is the acute site with ED and all general emergencies. The Burnley site on call is for Obstetrics and Gynaecology emergencies requiring anaesthesia.

The job plans are indicative and subject to change as the service demands. There may also be changes associated with “NHS Services, Seven Days a Week”.

The department takes trainees from the North West School of Anaesthesia. Teaching and training are high priorities within the department and all Consultants are expected to contribute to this.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The successful candidate will be expected to provide anaesthesia for a broad range of surgical specialties.  This includes Colorectal, Hepato-Biliary, Vascular, Major Head & Neck, Orthopaedics and Trauma.  We also provide anaesthesia for children having surgery over 6 months of age.

Applicants will hold full registration with GMC and a licence to practise

Applicants will either be on the specialist register or due admission to the register within six months.

Applicants must possess the following skills:

• Ability to communicate with patients and relatives effectively and with empathy.
• Ability to communicate effectively and respectfully with colleagues and staff in all disciplines to facilitate best patient care.
• Experience of supervision of junior staff
• Ability to lead the development of services and provoke best practice amongst the colleagues
• Ability to work in a team and evidence of such

Please refer to the attached job description and person specification for further information.