Clinical Fellow in Supportive Oncology

The Christie NHS Foundation Trust; Manchester; On-site; GBP 150,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading cancer care institution in Manchester is seeking a Clinical Fellow in Supportive Oncology. This role offers comprehensive training across various oncology disciplines, focusing on supportive treatments for cancer patients. The ideal candidate will hold an MRCP or equivalent qualification and possess experience in oncology or palliative medicine. The position provides a unique opportunity to work within an integrated supportive oncology service, enhancing clinical skills in a collaborative environment.

Benefits

Continuing Professional Development support

Structured training program

Clinical research participation opportunities

Qualifications

• Essential: Medical Degree required.
• Essential: MRCP, MRCGP or equivalent qualification.
• Essential: Full Registration and License to Practice with the GMC is necessary.

Responsibilities

• Supporting inpatient, ambulatory, and outpatient services in supportive oncology.
• Participating in outpatient clinics for pain management.
• Providing supportive treatments with specialist knowledge in oncology.

Skills

Communication skills

Interpersonal skills

Ability to work in MDT

Calm under pressure

Education

Medical Degree

MRCP or equivalent

Full GMC Registration

Job description

This is an exciting opportunity to train in a newly developing field of cancer care at The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, as a Clinical Fellow in Supportive Oncology. The posts provide training in the broad range of skills needed to provide day‑to‑day care across the whole spectrum of the disease, through placements with acute oncology, psycho‑oncology, endocrinology, supportive care (including palliative care), pain medicine and older adult oncology/frailty. This fellowship aims to equip the fellow with experience in various aspects of supportive oncology, providing support for patients with different needs throughout the spectrum of cancer care. The ideal candidate must have obtained MRCP or equivalent qualification (including MRCGP), and ideally will have experience of oncology and/or palliative medicine. These posts may suit those wishing to gain out‑of‑programme experience during ST training, or those who have just completed CCT. The posts are particularly suitable for doctors considering careers in oncology, acute oncology or palliative medicine. You will gain valuable experience working within an integrated supportive oncology service, delivered through the Trust's new Supportive Oncology directorate. Full Registration and a Licence to Practice with the General Medical Council at time of commencement is required.

Main duties of the job

There is no on‑call element associated with this role (although please note variability of work pattern between placements within the job description). The 12‑month placement schedule is shown in the job description/person specification. The successful candidates will be based at The Christie Withington main site, and be allocated a clinical supervisor within each of the placements, as well as an over‑arching educational supervisor who will oversee the programme. There will be a blend of clinical work and shadowing experience to gain insight into specialist areas of cancer care, and the post‑holders will be expected to take an active role in providing clinical services in each of the placements. The clinical part of the role will involve supporting inpatient, ambulatory and outpatient services in the delivery of supportive treatments using specialist knowledge in acute oncology, symptom control and side‑effect management. The fellowships are underpinned by a new national supportive oncology curriculum, through which the post‑holders will be required to achieve defined competencies. Webinars will be provided throughout the year for additional learning. The fellowship is badged by the UK Association of Supportive Care in Cancer (UKASCC) and is endorsed by the Royal College of Radiologists (RCR). If the fellows complete the year successfully, achieving curriculum competencies, they will receive a fellowship completion certificate endorsed by UKASCC and the RCR.

About us

The Christie is one of Europe's leading cancer centres, treating over 60,000 patients a year. We are based in Manchester and serve a population of 3.2 million across Greater Manchester & Cheshire, and as a national specialist around 15% of patients are referred to us from other parts of the country. We provide radiotherapy through one of the largest radiotherapy departments in the world, chemotherapy on site and through 14 other hospitals, highly specialist surgery for complex and rare cancer and a wide range of support and diagnostic services. We are also an international leader in research, with world‑first breakthroughs for over 100 years. We run one of the largest early clinical trial units in Europe with over 300 trials every year. Cancer research in Manchester, most of which is undertaken on The Christie site, has been officially ranked the best in the UK.

Job responsibilities

Duties and Responsibilities

The clinical part of the role will involve supporting inpatient, ambulatory and outpatient services in the delivery of supportive treatments using specialist knowledge in acute oncology, symptom control and side‑effect management. There will also be the option to participate in outpatient clinics to gain experience in the management of pain and common symptoms and support needs throughout the spectrum of cancer care, including late effects. This fellowship aims to equip the fellow with experience in various aspects of supportive care, providing support for patients with different needs throughout the spectrum of cancer care. It is envisaged that across the year, the fellow will spend allocated time in the following placements.

Placements

• Acute Oncology, toxicities management, inpatient care (4 months)
• Supportive Care Team, Enhanced Supportive Care Clinics, Palliative & End of Life Care (4 months)
• Psychological medicine, Endocrinology, Senior adult oncology (4 months)

Continuing Professional Development: 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.

Role Planning: Daily working pattern will cover the hours of 9 am to 5 pm Monday to Friday. However, these are new roles, and the work schedule is based on anticipated timetable requirements. There may be occasions where, due to clinical demand, fellows may be asked to stay beyond the 5 pm finish and, if agreeable, the additional time worked would be given back the following day.

On call Commitments: This role does not require participation in the on‑call rota.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Essential: Medical Degree
• Essential: MBCHB or equivalent MRCP, MRCGP or equivalent
• Essential: Full Registration and Licence to practice with the GMC
• Desirable: Additional qualifications in oncology, palliative medicine or GIM

Training

• Essential: Satisfactory progress in previous posts with evidence of competency at CT2/ST2 equivalent or higher.
• Desirable: Previous palliative care, oncology or general practice experience at ST3 level and above or equivalent non‑training or evidence of overseas experience

Experience

• Essential: Have sufficient experience working in medical specialities (not including foundation level experience) by the advertised post start date. Have at least 24 months experience in medical specialities
• Essential: Ability to work as an effective member of an MDT team.
• Essential: Evidence of contribution to effective clinical audit
• Essential: Awareness of own limitations and consults senior colleagues appropriately.
• Desirable: Research or service evaluation experience
• Desirable: Previous experience in symptom management either in the form of palliative care, oncology or special interest within general practice
• Desirable: Teaching experience

Management / Audit

• Essential: Demonstrates understanding of the importance of audit and research
• Desirable: Evidence of active participation in clinical research / audit
• Desirable: Experience of leadership in focused project and ability to disseminate results

Personal skills

• Essential: Good communication skills in verbal and written English
• Essential: Good interpersonal skills; Working well in a multi‑disciplinary team.
• Essential: Calm, efficient under pressure.
• Essential: Knowing when to ask for help.
• Essential: To recognise personal limitations but to work competently within these boundaries.
• Essential: Reliable, punctual, hard‑working, enthusiastic.
• Desirable: Awareness of specific needs of patients and carers, issues relating to service provision for cancer patients in hospital and the community.
• Desirable: Empathy with patients and carers involved in tertiary treatments and understanding of their special needs.
• Desirable: Advanced communication skills.
• Desirable: Experience of leadership in focused project and ability to disseminate results

Research / Publications

• Desirable: Research or service evaluation experience