Sub-Specialist Consultant in Maternal-Fetal Medicine

Job overview

We are looking for a sub-specialist in Maternal-Fetal Medicine with a commitment to providing the highest level of care to our patients and attaining the best treatment outcomes in the UK.

This is an exciting opportunity to join our dynamic MFM team at Liverpool Women’s NHS Foundation Trust in our purpose-built Fetal medicine unit. Liverpool Women’s Hospital is one of the largest purpose-built maternity units in Europe.

Main duties of the job

The clinical duties will be negotiable depending upon the individual's specialist areas of expertise and skills. Job plans will be annualised which provides a clear expectation of activity and flexibility.

Propose duties are note below (note the frequency of on-call, weekend work is subject to change as new colleagues are appointed)

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Clinical Duties

The clinical duties will be negotiable depending upon the individual’s specialist areas of expertise and skills. Job plans will be annualized, which provides a clear expectation of activity and flexibility. Proposed duties are below (note the frequency

Fetal Medicine

• f on-call, weekend work is subject to change as new colleagues are appointed).

It is expected that the successful candidate will have approximately 2-2.50 fetal medicine sessions/week depending on the candidate and service needs. This is not an exact number and will require discussion. There will be an opportunity to develop dependent on the interests and experience of the successful candidate, examples could include roles within tertiary fetal medicine, multiple pregnancy, echocardiography and fetoscopy/laser service

Maternal Medicine ANC

The successful candidate will have 2-2.50 maternal medicine clinic/week . This is flexible and will reflect the on-going needs of the directorate and interests of the successful candidate

Delivery Suite

This post will have approximately 1 long day every 6 weeks of direct clinical care programmed activities on delivery suite. This would usually be on a fixed weekday. This equates to circa 9-10 days (08:30 – 21:30) per annum.

Leadership/Training duties

The successful candidate will be expected to join the current sub-specialists in supporting the training of sub-specialty trainees and trainees undertaking the Fetal Medicine ATSM. In addition, they will develop the service in light of specialist commissioning requirements and enhance the sub-specialty training program. There is scope to develop a leadership role to support national proposals for networked Fetal Medicine services.

Management Duties

The post holder will be expected to take an active role in the decision-making process within the Division and play an active role in the monthly Maternity Clinical Committees with the other Obstetricians. Involvement in PMRT both locally and regionally, contributing to guideline development and local governance is expected.

Education and training

Participation in a continuous training and education program for all clinical staff is a requirement of this post. Involvement in undergraduate teaching would also be expected. Postgraduate training includes subspecialty training in MFM, ATSMs maternal, fetal medicine and advanced labor ward practice, and basic / intermediate ultrasound skills. The post holder will be expected to have the minimum requirements for level 1 educational supervision and would be encouraged to gain level 2.

Ward-rounds and maternity assessment unit

As this is primarily a Maternal-Fetal Medicine sub-specialist role, the post-holder will not be expected to participate in the consultant of the week ward round rota nor maternity assessment unit work unless they wish to. There will be weekend ward cover as part of on call commitments.

Twilights and On Call rota

The successful candidate will participate in the twilight on-call Rota on an approximate 1 in 28 basis; the frequency potentially reduced with additional appointments. These shifts are paid as part of job planned PA allowance, rather than as an on-call supplement.

The twilight Rota runs on a 2:2:3 format, and the consultant must be resident on delivery suite from 20.30-00.00 hours and resident on call in purpose built on call facilities from 00.00-08.30 hours. They must attend clinical situations as mandated in the RCOG ‘Roles and responsibilities of the consultant providing acute care in obstetrics and gynaecology’ document (2021). There will be no daytime clinical activity scheduled during this period and appropriate and generous compensatory rest will be provided.

Daytime weekend work consists of a long day 08:30-21:00 covering acute obstetrics and a short day 09:00-12:00 covering to antenatal and postnatal ward round on a 1 in 28 Rota. Bank Holiday work is timetabled within the programmed activity 08.30-20:30 hours, on a 1 in 28 Rota.

Research

Consultants and academic staff providing gynaecology, obstetric, fetal and maternal medicine services within the Trust have an active research profile, with expertise in randomized trials and systematic reviews. Laboratory facilities are available within the University Department, and there are close collaborative links with the Department of Physiology. The Trust recruits to many NHIR studies, therefore GCP training would be desirable but not mandatory. There is no research PA allocation available with this post.

Weekly Programmed Activities (PAs)

The program is flexible, subject to the development of the service, and the interests of the successful candidate and can be discussed with the clinical lead/clinical director. A contract of 10 PAs will likely include 7.5 DCC, 1.5 PA for Supporting Professional Activities and an additional 1 PA for nominated roles.

Applicant requirements

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.