Locum Consultant in Orthodontics

Job overview

The post holder will provide Locum Consultant Orthodontic services within the Orthodontic Unit at Queen Victoria Hospital (QVH). While the current job plan is based at QVH, it may be subject to future review and adjustment to meet the evolving needs of this growing and developing service.

The Orthodontic Department is housed within a modern, purpose-built facility comprising nine fully equipped clinical surgeries, designed to support the delivery of high-quality patient care. Each surgery has access to the Hospital Intranet, departmental databases, and Dolphin orthodontic treatment planning software, facilitating efficient clinical management and multidisciplinary working.

The department has embraced a comprehensive digital workflow, incorporating intraoral scanning technology alongside established digital photography, radiography, and 3D treatment planning platforms. This advanced technological infrastructure supports accurate diagnosis, treatment planning, and patient care, ensuring the department remains at the forefront of modern orthodontic practice.

Main duties of the job

The configuration of responsibilities will be reviewed periodically to ensure that service requirements continue to be met. The post holder will be expected to work closely with consultant colleagues and the wider multidisciplinary team to provide a high-quality, responsive, and efficient orthodontic service.

In collaboration with consultant colleagues, the appointee will be responsible for the provision and development of the following services:

• Providing consultant-led orthodontic services for the population served by Queen Victoria Hospital and the surrounding catchment area.
• Actively participating as an integrated and collaborative member of the Orthodontic Department, promoting excellence in patient care and service delivery.
• Contributing to the strategic development and continuous improvement of orthodontic services at Queen Victoria Hospital.
• Supporting the department in meeting service demands and maintaining performance against the 18-week Referral to Treatment (RTT) standard.
• Providing specialist advice and guidance to dental and medical practitioners working within primary care settings.
• Providing expert orthodontic advice to hospital clinicians, including consultants in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Special Care Dentistry, Restorative Dentistry, Paediatric Dentistry, Paediatrics, Plastic Surgery, Sleep Medicine, and Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) services.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• Developing and maintaining close working relationships with specialist orthodontic practitioners in primary care to support effective patient pathways and continuity of care.
• Providing second opinions for patients at the request of dental and medical practitioners or consultant colleagues.
• Assessing and treating patients presenting with severe malocclusions and complex orthodontic needs.
• Managing patients requiring multidisciplinary care, including those with cleft lip and palate, orthognathic conditions, dentoalveolar discrepancies requirements, and sleep-disordered breathing conditions.
• Participating in joint multidisciplinary clinics and multidisciplinary team meetings, contributing specialist orthodontic expertise to the assessment, treatment planning, and management of complex cases.
• Advising and counselling patients where treatment is not indicated or is unlikely to deliver significant health benefit.
• Providing treatment plans and specialist advice to dentists, specialist practitioners, and referring clinicians.
• Supporting and helping to lead the education and training of Specialist Practitioners, Specialty Registrars, and Orthodontic Therapists, working in collaboration with educational colleagues at Guy’s and King’s College Hospitals.
• Participating in the education, training, and professional development of all departmental staff.
• Undertaking clinical audit and quality improvement activities at local, regional, and national levels.
• Participating in continuing professional development (CPD) and maintaining professional standards in accordance with General Dental Council requirements.
• Actively contributing to departmental clinical governance activities, including risk management, patient safety initiatives, morbidity and mortality review, audit, and service improvement programmes.

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.