Consultant in Palliative Medicine

Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust; Maidstone; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust seeks a Consultant in Palliative Medicine to provide specialist care with full clinical responsibility for patients under their charge.

The post holder will be part of a multidisciplinary setting, with scope to rotate into a lead palliative care clinician role in the future, and will contribute to governance and evidence-based practice through trials and R&D.

Qualifications

• Full GMC registration and licence to practise.
• MRCP (UK) or equivalent and entry on the GMC Specialist Register for Palliative Medicine.
• CCT or equivalent pathway, or nearing award at interview stage.

Responsibilities

• To clinically manage patients requiring specialist palliative and enhanced supportive care within MTW.
• To maintain continuing clinical responsibility for patients in the post-holder's charge with proper delegation and training.
• Potential future rotation to lead palliative care clinician via job planning.
• Participate in the Trust and Oncology Centre Clinical Governance programme.
• Participate in Clinical Trials and R&D to ensure evidence-based practice.
• Prepare business cases for new or developmental therapies for network/trust approval.

Skills

Enthusiasm for development of service

Organise workload

Palliative care assessments

Mentoring junior staff

IT skills

Education

MRCP (UK) or equivalent

GMC Specialist Register in Palliative Medicine

Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT) or equivalent

Research degree (MD/PhD)

Job description

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

1. The post-holder will be accountable to the Clinical Director, who in turn is accountable to the Medical Director and the Chief Executive.

2. The post-holder will be a member of the Trust Consultant's Committee and will be expected to represent colleagues at various committees.

3. The post-holder will have full clinical responsibility for patients in their care.

4. The post-holder is expected to communicate widely, including:

• Chief of Service
• Clinical Director
• Consultant Oncologists
• Hospital Consultants
• Lead nurse for Palliative and End of Life Care
• General Manager Kent Oncology Centre
• General Manager Specialist Services Division
• Cancer Lead Nurse
• Oncology Site Managers
• Commissioners of Health Services
• GPs
• Specialist Palliative Care Services
• Agencies concerned with Health Care Services and those representing consumers' interests.
• Medical Director
• Chief Nurse
• Acute oncology Team
• Cancer site specific Nurses

Clinical Responsibilities

1. To clinically manage patients requiring specialist palliative and enhanced supportive care within MTW.
2. To maintain continuing clinical responsibility for the patients in the post-holder's charge allowing for all proper delegation to, and training of, medical staff.
3. It is anticipated that in the future that the post holder may wish to rotate to the role of lead palliative care clinician, this will be facilitated through job planning.
4. To participate in and contribute to the Trust and Oncology Centre Clinical Governance programme.
5. To participate in Clinical Trials and R&D programmes in order to ensure that clinical practice is evidence based.
6. To prepare business cases for new / developmental therapies for network / trust approval.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria

• Full registration and a licence to practise with the GMC:
• MRCP (UK) or equivalent
• Entry on the GMC Specialist Register for Palliative Medicine by CCT or Portfolio Pathway in Palliative Medicine, or training to a level commensurate with the award of Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT), or within six months of award of CCT by date of interview

Desirable criteria

• Research degree in allied fields (MD/PhD)

Experience

Essential criteria

• Ability to take full and independent responsibility for clinical care of patients
• Clinical training and experience equivalent to that required for gaining UK CCT in specialty.
• Experience in working effectively within a multidisciplinary team and specialist palliative care unit.
• Ability to provide palliative care advice and support to other healthcare professionals in the palliative care team, hospital and community settings.

Desirable criteria

• Experience in Clinical Audit and/or Research
• Experience in medical education
• Experience in Enhanced Supportive Care or equale

Skills

Essential criteria

• Enthusiasm for development of service.
• Ability to organise and manage workload.
• Ability to undertake palliative care assessments in a variety of settings including hospital wards and outpatient clinics.
• Ability to undertake training & mentoring of staff in junior grades
• Ability to use IT equipment (e-mail, word processing etc) and learn clinical IT systems use

Desirable criteria

• An interest and a capacity to teach and learn from members of the multidisciplinary team
• Sound knowledge of NHS Management structures/systems

At MTW, we seek to develop a culture where everyone can reach their full potential with opportunities to grow and develop their career. We recognise and value the unique contributions that each of our staff bring, delivering the best quality care and service to our patients. We are committed to being a diverse employer and strive to reflect everyone in our local communities. We welcome applications from people of diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences and celebrate the diversity of thought, viewpoints, and ideas that will make our Trust the best place to work.

We support our staff with disabilities to ensure they have the adjustments they need to be the best they can be in the workplace. Collaborating with Access to Work means that experts in the workplace assess our staff and we ensure that their recommendations are implemented as quickly as possible. You can find out more here: