Locum Paediatric Neurosurgeon

Job overview

OXFORD UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS NHS TRUST LOCUM CONSULTANT IN PAEDIATRIC NEUROSURGERY

We are looking for a Locum Consultant to join us at Oxford University Hospitals on a fixed term 12 month contract.

The successful applicant will join a current team of 4 substantive Consultants. The post-holder’s commitments will include routine care of emergency and elective neurosurgical patients. This will therefore include the whole spectrum of paediatric cranial and spinal neurosurgical pathologies. The distribution of these specialist patients can be adjusted depending on the skills of the successful candidate. Appropriate administrative support will be provided to support this post.

Our neurosurgery department has a dynamic and vibrant training programme with excellent links to the children’s specialist services. In addition, the applicant will be involved in teaching both under and post-graduates and training neurosurgery specialist trainees. Close clinical ties with our adult neurosurgery colleagues exist, and teaching/audit is done jointly with the adult service.

Applicants should possess full neurosurgical training (to FRCS or equivalent), and subspeciality fellowship level training in paediatric neurosurgery.

Applicants should also either be on the Specialist Register for neurosurgery at the time of interview.

Main duties of the job

The postholder’s duties will be primarily at the John Radcliffe Hospital but it is a condition of the appointment that the postholder will be willing to work in any of the Trust’s locations, throughout the county (including Banbury or Witney if needed).

Clinical: The department work using a team-based approach, with joint ward rounds being held every weekday morning. The successful candidate will take part in a 1:4 on call with prospective cover. Thus, all paediatric neurosurgery patients admitted on their take will become their patients. Close working between consultants means a high level of collaborative decision making and operating does take place.

Teaching/Research: Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust is a teaching hospital trust, and the postholder will be required to participate in programmes for teaching undergraduate clinical students, training junior doctors, multidisciplinary teaching and in clinical examinations. It is expected that this will be an integral part of everyday clinical activity. The post-holder’s contribution to teaching, training and research will be included in the regular job plan review. This post is envisaged to spearhead the research activity in the department. Therefore, a postgraduate level of research training is required –ideally to Masters or PhD level.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

PRINCIPAL ACTIVITIES: The postholder’s duties will be primarily at the John Radcliffe Hospital but it is a condition of the appointment that the postholder will be willing to work in any of the Trust’s locations, throughout the county (including Banbury or Witney if needed).

Clinical Governance: The postholder will attend and contribute to the regular audit and clinical care meetings. Each Consultant is expected to participate in incident reporting, review of complaints, risk management, CPD and development of evidence-based guidelines.

Personal and Professional Development: The post-holder will be required to keep himself/herself fully up to date with their relevant area of practice and to be able to demonstrate this to the satisfaction of the Trust through the appraisal and revalidation process. Professional or study leave will be granted at the discretion of the Trust, in line with the prevailing Terms and Conditions of Service, to support appropriate study, postgraduate training activities, relevant CME courses and other appropriate personal development needs. A study leave allowance is available in contribution in support of these activities up to an agreed limit.

Management: The post-holder will be required to work within the Trust's management policies and procedures, both statutory and internal, accepting that the resources available to the Trust are finite and that all changes in clinical practice or workload, or developments requiring additional resources must have prior agreement with the Trust. He/she will undertake the administrative duties associated with the care of his/her patients, and the running of his/her clinical service under the direction of the lead clinician and/or directorate chair.

General : The post-holder will assume a continuing responsibility for the care of patients in his/her charge and the proper functioning of his/her department. The post-holder must take reasonable care of his/her own health and safety and any other personnel who may be affected by his/her omission. Trust policies and regulations must be followed at all times.

The Trust: The Oxford University Hospitals Trust is the 4 the largest Trust in the UK, consisting of 4 hospitals: John Radcliffe Hospital, Churchill Hospital, Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre and Horton General Hospital. The children’s services are based at JR and HGH, with all Paediatric neurosurgery services delivered at the JR. The Children’s Hospital of Oxford is embedded within the main John Radcliffe Hospital, maximising access to facilities. The hospital provides emergency, secondary and tertiary services to paediatric patients within Oxford and the Thames Valley network. The Children’s Hospital has approximately 106 children’s beds, including a Paediatric Critical Care and High Dependency Unit, Children’s Decision Unit, Children’s Day Care, medical (2 wards), surgical, surgical specialities/neurosciences, haematology/oncology and adolescent wards. There is a large neonatal unit with 53 cots divided between LDU/HDU and Intensive Care.

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.