Specialist in Emergency General Surgery

Job overview

This is an exciting opportunity to be part of an Emergency General Surgery team based at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford. The General surgical department is one of the busiest and most highly rated units in the UK and the Emergency Service is held as a Gold Standard for England.

Candidates are highly recommended to visit the department and are invited to contact Mr Geoffrey Roberts, Consultant Emergency Surgeon- Clinical Lead for SEU (Tel: 01865 234379) or email [email protected]

Main duties of the job

The service

The Surgical Emergency Unit (SEU) comprises a dedicated surgical triage area, 50 dedicated emergency surgery beds, a surgical ambulatory care unit, access to emergency general surgery theatres with timely and appropriate access to all diagnostic services.

The SEU is a friendly and collaborative place to work. You will be working closely with a dedicated and caring multi-disciplinary team who strive to provide gold standard care with compassion: we urge you to visit the unit prior to interview.

Oxford University Hospitals Trust is developing its Emergency General Surgery Department based on 8 Consultant Emergency General Surgeons, 2 Specialists in Emergency General Surgery, 6 Senior Clinical Fellows, 4 Advanced Nurse Practitioners and daily Consultant Peri-operative Physician input. This is supported by appropriate access to emergency and urgent operating theatre lists, level 1 and 2 critical care support for perioperative care, and timely access to all diagnostic services.

Specialist in Emergency General Surgery    This post is for one of two Specialists providing leadership and service at all stages of the emergency surgery pathway from initial triage and assessment to surgery and post-operative care. Specialist roles in the unit include leading the on-call take, dedicated emergency theatre days, ward and emergency clinic cover. There is job-planned time for elective clinics and operating.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Main duties of the job

The postholder will be responsible for the care of Emergency General Surgery inpatients working autonomously in the department. Your 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.

Clinical:

Daily duties will include assessment and management of the acutely unwell surgical patient, providing senior input to general surgical emergency and major abdominal trauma patients, both on the SEU and in the Emergency Department.

As a Senior Surgeon you will undertake and manage independent operating as well as ambulatory care and outpatient clinics.  It will be expected that candidates will have a declared subspecialty interest in complex biliary surgery.

Elective outpatient clinics and operating lists will form part of the job plan.

Teaching:

The Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is a high-level teaching hospital within the world-class Shelford Group. The Shelford Group represents ten of England’s leading Academic Healthcare Organisations.

The post-holder will be required to actively participate in the Oxford University Medical School education programme for medical students and aid in the organisation and execution of the clinical examinations.

Active participation in weekly academic meetings, lectures and journal clubs will be actively encouraged. There is the opportunity to become a member of the teaching faculty with several Oxford University’s Colleges and to become part of the trust’s mentorship programme.

Clinical Governance:

The post holder will take on the role of Clinical Governance Lead for the Surgical Directorate.

The post holder will work closely with the administrative team to coordinate the weekly emergency surgery morbidity and mortality meeting, and wider departmental governance meetings.

The post-holder will participate in clinical governance activities, including clinical audit, clinical effectiveness, risk management, quality improvement activities as required by the Trust and external accrediting bodies.

Research and Audit:

The unit is actively involved in local, regional, and national research programmes, where it takes the lead in many areas. There will be extensive opportunities to be involved in research and audit with the likelihood of publication.

Personal and Professional Development:

The post-holder will be required to keep themselves fully up to date with their relevant area of practice and to be able to demonstrate this to the satisfaction of the Trust. 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 personal development needs. The Trust currently makes a financial contribution in support of these activities up to an agreed limit.

Continuing Professional Development (CPD)

The Trust supports the requirements for continuing professional development (CPD) as laid down by the GMC and surgical colleges and is committed to providing time and financial support for these activities.

Revalidation

The Trust has the required arrangements in place to ensure that all surgeons have an annual appraisal with a trained appraiser and supports surgeons going through the revalidation process.

Mentoring

A mentorship scheme will be offered to all new Specialists to help them settle into work as easily as possible.

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.

Administrative Responsibilities:

The postholder will undertake the administrative duties associated with the care of their patients and the running of their clinical service under the direction of the lead clinician and/or directorate chair.

Office accommodation and secretarial support is provided within Administration offices on the John Radcliffe Hospital site.

Risk Management

The management of risk is the responsibility of everyone and will be achieved within a progressive, honest, and open environment.

Staff will be provided with the necessary education, training, and support to enable them to meet this responsibility.

Staff should be familiar with the:

• Major Incident Policy

• Fire Policy

and should make themselves familiar with the ‘local response’ plan and their role within that response.

Responsibilities for Health & Safety

The post holder is responsible for ensuring that all duties and responsibilities of this post are carried out in compliance with the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974, Statutory Regulations and Trust Policies and Procedures.  This will be supported by the provision of training and specialist advice where required.

Infection Control

Infection Control is everyone’s responsibility. All staff, both clinical and nonclinical, are required to adhere to the Trusts’ Infection Prevention and Control Policies and make every effort to maintain high standards of infection control at all times thereby reducing the burden of Healthcare Associated Infections.

All staff employed by the Trust have the following key responsibilities:

• Staff must decontaminate their hands prior to and after direct patient contact or contact with the patient’s surroundings.

• Staff members have a duty to attend mandatory infection control training provided for them by the Trust.

• Staff members who develop an infection (other than common colds and illness) that may be transmittable to patients have a duty to contact Occupational Health.

Equality and Diversity

The OUH values equality and diversity in employment and in the services we provide.  We are committed to promoting equality and diversity in employment and will keep under review our policies and procedures to ensure that the job-related needs of all staff working in the Trust are recognised.

The Trust will aim to ensure that all job applicants, employees, or clients are treated fairly and valued equally regardless of sex, marital status, domestic circumstances, age, race, colour, disablement, ethnic or national origin, social background or employment status, sexual orientation, religion, beliefs, HIV status, gender reassignment, political affiliation or trade union membership.  Selection for training and development and promotion will be based on the individual’s ability to meet the requirements of the job.

Freedom of Information

The post holder should be aware of the responsibility placed on employees under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and is responsible for helping to ensure that the Trust complies with the Act when handling or dealing with any information relating to Trust activity.

Patient and Public Involvement

The Trust is committed to, and has a statutory duty to involve service users, carers and the public in the work of the organisation.  We consider that patient and public involvement is the responsibility of every individual working for our Trust.  All staff have a responsibility to listen to the views of patients and to contribute to service improvements based on patient feedback.  You will be expected to support the Trust with this through your working practice.

Serious Incidents

All staff must report incidents and near misses so that the Trust can reduce the risk of harm by investigating and incorporating risk reducing measures to safe guard patients, visitors and staff, in accordance with the Trust Incident Reporting Policy.

Children’s Rights

The post holder will endeavour at all times to uphold the rights of children and young people in accordance with the UN Convention Rights of the Child.

Safeguarding Children and Vulnerable Adults

The Trust is committed to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults throughout the organisation. As a member of the trust there is a duty to assist in protecting patients and their families from any from of harm when they are vulnerable.

Information Governance

You must maintain a Trust email account.  All staff must complete annual information governance training. which can be completed on-line. For further details, go to the Information Governance intranet site: http://orh.oxnet.nhs.uk/InformationGovernance/Pages/Default.aspx

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.