Specialty Doctor in Trauma and Orthopaedics

Job overview

The James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is seeking to appoint a Fixed Term Speciality Doctor in Orthopaedics.

This position provides an excellent opportunity to actively contribute to the further development of a modern Trauma & Orthopaedics service.  The Trust is a highly regarded hospital with its wide range of acute and community services, which will afford high professional visibility.  The successful candidate will have a first-class opportunity to build a strong reputation as a Speciality Doctor.

This position provides an excellent opportunity to actively contribute to the further development of the Orthopaedic and Trauma service within this Trust. The department serves a population of approximately 230,000 with a typical case mix for a District General Hospital. The Trust is forward-looking and highly regarded within the local region. The James Paget University Hospital is modern with state of the art scanning and diagnostics.

Main duties of the job

The Department of Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery

The Orthopaedic department comprises two wards with 42 beds, 3 dedicated theatres and an outpatient department.  In addition there is access to wards for children, young adults and day cases.  More than 14,000 operations are performed each year of which approximately 70% are day cases. Regional specialist facilities for spinal plastic surgery and vascular surgery exist at the Norfolk & Norwich University Hospital.  Neurosurgery is undertaken at Addenbrookes hospital, Cambridge.  Severe, chronic spinal Injuries are referred to Lodge Moor, Sheffield.

There is a fully equipped plaster room staffed by 2 experienced technicians.  The Orthotics department is also attached to the outpatient unit.

The Orthopaedic department is supported by a well equipped diagnostic imaging department providing all the standard diagnostic imaging facilities including Helical CT, MR scanner and ultra-sound

The hospital has a good Physiotherapy department.  There are also facilities at Lowestoft, Great Yarmouth, Beccles, Halesworth, Southwold and the GP Practices.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Main Duties

• The post holder will join, the current workforce of the Trauma & Orthopaedics department, which has 10 Consultants, 6 Speciality Doctors and 2 SPRs and 2 Associate Specialists. The department also have 10 Junior Doctors (FY2, Core Surgical Trainees, and Clinical Fellows).

• The clinical duties of the post will consist of theatre and outpatient sessions. There will be ward rounds with the Consultant and junior medical staff. The successful candidate will attend Department meetings and will be expected to participate in audit / research, teaching and training of medical students and junior medical staff.

• Although each firm is Consultant led, the successful applicant will be expected to operate independently on both trauma and elective cases (including joint replacement surgery). It is desirable to have developed a special interest and to have an interest in research and audit. This post gives a valuable opportunity for the successful candidate to work towards Article 14 conversion.

• The department operate a “trauma week” system with a frequency of 1 in 8. The On-call team (consultant, middle grade and junior) admit patients from Friday to Friday. The successful applicant will be non-resident on-call over the weekend (Friday – Monday) and once overnight during the week. No elective activity occurs during this week. (add the timetable for the on call week p14 here)

• Out of hours, the Trust operates a Hospital at Night system and the FY2/ST1/ST2 orthopaedic trainees participate in this rota.

• The successful candidate will be expected to supply cover for his or her colleagues on a mutually agreed basis for annual leave and other authorised absence.