ST3+ Trust Doctor in Cardiothoracic Surgery

Job overview

Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust is one of the UK’s leading University Teaching Hospitals at the cutting edge of clinical practice and research.

The Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery at Imperial was formed as a result of the merger between the departments at St Mary’s and Hammersmith Hospitals in 2010. The recognised areas of expertise in those departments has been retained and we offer all aspects of cardiac and thoracic surgery except for cardiopulmonary transplantation. There is specific expertise in complex aortic surgery, minimally- invasive surgery and mitral valve repair.In thoracic surgery, video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (via multi-, bi-, or uniport) is routine for anatomical and lesser lung resection as well as in surgery for pleural and mediastinal pathology.

Following recent expansion, there are 4 substantive Consultant Thoracic Surgeons and 6 substantive Consultant Cardiac Surgeons at Imperial. The department has a 2 Specialty Doctors (1 cardiac, 1 thoracic), 2 NTNs and 7 Trust SpRs. We have developed a unique nursing role (Advanced Cardiothoracic Nurse Practitioners) to support resident doctors on the wards. The elective thoracic work is supported by a team of 5 Lung Specialist Nurses and 2 x Pre-assessment nurses. A Hospital-at-Night scheme operates out-of-hours. The Cardiac Intensive Care Unit is run and staffed by the Directorate of Anaesthesia and Critical Care.

Main duties of the job

• Pre-operative assessment and preparation of patients to undergo thoracic surgery, in outpatients, for urgent referrals (including emergency trauma cover at St Mary’s site) and the specific cardiothoracic pre-assessment clinics
• Capacity to be a competent operating surgeon with direct or indirect supervision and also assisting the consultants in the operating theatres as required and providing training/supervision to more junior staff and Surgical Care Practitioners, as appropriate
• Continuing responsibilities for post-operative critical care of the patients undergoing cardiac and thoracic surgery and subsequent Level 0/1 care on the wards
• Post-operative follow-up of patients in the outpatient, chest drain or would clinics, working with where indicated
• Partaking in the middle-grade on-call rota
• The accurate and timely recording of clinical data, both written & electronic, as outlined in the Principles of Good Medical Practice described by the GMC, participation in clinical audit and familiarity with Trust IT and information systems
• Communicating effectively with both junior and senior medical colleagues, nursing staff (including Clinical Nurse Specialists for Lung and Cardiothoracic ANPs for ward care), HCSs/AHPs and other hospital staff. Particularly good communication skills with patients, their relatives and carers.

There will be opportunities to make presentations and to be involved in teaching

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

This post would be especially suited for someone with prior experience in Cardiac or Thoracic Surgery at ST3+ or equivalent level, having MRCS or equivalent, wishing to progress to CCT in Cardiothoracic surgery.

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.