Specialist in Anaesthetics

Job overview

We are recruiting a Specialist in Anaesthetics who wishes to join #TeamIOWNHS. We are a friendly, genuinely supportive and active department looking to recruit an enthusiastic individual who will take part in the high-quality delivery of anaesthetic services on the Isle of Wight.

You should share our passion and drive to ensure that our patients receive quality and compassionate care. We have excellent links both with our partner hospital Portsmouth University Hospital NHS Trust and the regional tertiary centres.

We are committed to endorsing inclusion, diversity and multiculturalism throughout our services and as such, our procedures and policies ensure that applicants are always treated fairly throughout the recruitment process.

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Main duties of the job

This Specialist Grade level post within the Anaesthetic Department includes Consultant and middle grade level responsibilities. The post holder must be able to work to a high level of performance, autonomy and independence.

The successful candidate will be on the consultant on call rota in hours and the resident middle grade rota out of hours. As the specialist on call, the post holder will be expected to support colleagues with any emergency or difficult cases that arise, supervise less experienced anaesthetists, and be part of decision making when operational issues arise, to ensure clinical safety & efficiency. It is desirable the post holder has key interest in one of the areas of obstetric anaesthesia, pre-assessment or ICU.

For an overview of the main duties of the role please see the Job Description and Main Responsibilities section below. To understand the day to day responsibilities in more detail please read the full job description document attached.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Duties of the post

The anaesthetic department uses a rolling 12 week rota.

The department welcomes those who wish to work flexibly; within their job plan the post holder will be expected to undertake the minimum of 2 sessions/week GA lists; one PAAU clinic/week; and an equitable share of on call duties during the day (062).

The Anaesthetic Department

The department provides anaesthetic services for general, ophthalmic, maxilla-facial, ENT, urological, orthopaedics and gynaecological surgery. We have 7 operating theatres (4 main, 2 in a separate day case unit, 1 eye satellite unit) and a dedicated obstetric theatre.

We also provide anaesthetic and resuscitation services to obstetrics, paediatrics, radiology, ECT and the ED. The relative geographical isolation means that all anaesthetists must maintain a wide range of core skills in order to be able to safely deliver these low frequency but high impact services

We are currently 17 consultants and 17 specialty doctors/ Specialist. We have a single training post in anaesthesia (which is at present occupied by a FY2 post in Intensive Care) and also have a training commitment to several ED doctors undertaking consultant accreditation via the CESR route as well as a constant influx of medical students.

The Department operates a mentor scheme for all new appointees.

Allied Services

We have 7 operating theatres (4 main, 2 in a day case unit, 1 satellite eye theatre) and a dedicated obstetric theatre.

Pre-Assessment

The nurse led pre-assessment process of all elective patients is well established at St Mary’s Hospital. There is a daily consultant anaesthetic clinic available to review anticipated difficult cases and to communicate potential problems to colleagues.

Obstetrics

The Maternity unit has about 1200 deliveries per year with an epidural rate of approximately 25% and a caesarean section rate of around 17%. The Anaesthetic department provides Consultant cover in hours to the labour ward. Out of hours there is a dedicated specialist doctor to provide anaesthesia for obstetrics.

Intensive Care Unit (ICU)

We have daily multidisciplinary ward rounds with colleagues from pharmacy, microbiology, dietitians, and physiotherapists. The unit admits about 400 patients a year. The majority (70%) are critically ill adult medical patients.

We have up to date equipment, monitoring and ventilators that can be expected from a general high quality intensive care unit.

The Trust is currently developing an ICU follow up service and enhanced care provision for level 1+ patients. There is ample opportunity for the post holder to be involved in these developments.

Critical care outreach is well established, and this nurse delivered service also leads the hospital at night team, providing 24/7 cover in supporting amongst other things the referring teams in timely assessment and referral of critically ill patients. This team has strong links to ICU as well as an expanded role throughout the hospital and is playing a pivotal role in many aspects of keeping patients safe.

Tertiary ICU services including paediatric the regional neurological unit are based in Southampton. Initial assessment, resuscitation and stabilisation of these patients involves the anaesthetic team. Due to the remote location the anaesthetic team may also be involved in transfer by helicopter or ferry to mainland services.

Medical staffing consists of 7 consultants, each of whom undertake weeks on ICU. There is a resident SAS doctor 24/7 as well as an FY2 trainee post. Out of hours the consultant support is shared with the anaesthetic department. To strengthen the ICU specialist advice out of hours there are weekend morning ICU consultant ward rounds.

The medical team run regular M&M and consultant team meetings to ensure high quality standardised care. There are well established links to PUHT ICU educational meetings and attendance at their educational meetings is encouraged.

Acute Pain Service (APS)

The APS is provided by a consultant anaesthetist and a full-time acute pain nurse, supported by ward-based link nurses. As well as a clinical service, it provides teaching and education for medical and nursing staff.

Post-operative pain is managed in a variety of ways including PCA and PCEA. Ultrasound guided nerve and plexus blockade are also commonly employed techniques. We have recently invested in several state-of-the-art ultrasound machine and developed a protocol for local anaesthetic wound/nerve catheter infiltration postoperatively.

Chronic Pain Service (CPS)

This is an outpatient service open to GPs for malignant and non-malignant pain syndromes. It is provided by a team of two consultants and 1 Specialist from the Department, a Clinical Psychologist and part-time Nurse Specialist, as well as Specialist Physiotherapists providing Physical Therapy and Acupuncture sessions.

The Earl Mountbatten Hospice provides malignant pain control, respite services and terminal care and cooperates closely with the Hospital CPS.

The service runs a Pain Management and a Functional Restoration Program on the Island.

Job Planning and Appraisal

Post holders will take part in Annual Appraisal and performance review against objectives as well as specific requirements laid out above.

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.