Specialty Doctor

St Helena Hospice; Colchester; On-site; GBP 61,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A local healthcare provider in Colchester is seeking a passionate Specialty Doctor to join their Palliative Care team. The role combines direct patient care, including ward reviews and community work, and offers opportunities for professional development in a supportive environment. Candidates should possess full GMC registration, experience in palliative medicine, and a commitment to education. This full-time position requires a caring attitude and effective communication skills, with remuneration ranging from £61,542 to £79,038 annually.

Qualifications

• Minimum of four years postgraduate medical training.
• Experience in palliative medicine.
• Planning and completion of audits.
• Ability to manage junior doctors.

Responsibilities

• Provide medical care to hospice inpatients.
• Conduct patient assessments and prescribe treatment.
• Liaise with Primary and Secondary care.
• Participate in educational roles within the hospice.

Skills

Communication skills

Ability to work in a multidisciplinary team

IT literacy

Understanding of clinical governance

Caring attitude

Planning and delivery of teaching

Education

Full GMC registration

MBBS or equivalent

Palliative diploma or master's degree

Job description

We are a friendly team who pride ourselves inoffering excellent patient care and supporting colleagues. We all work flexiblyacross settings to ensure that patients receive the right care, at the righttime, in the right place.

We host a range of Resident Doctors in 5 posts,allowing them to gain experience to Palliative Care as part of Generalist orSpecialist training.

We are engaged in teaching and welcome medicalstudents from ARU, Cambridge and St Bartholomews and the Royal London Medicalschools. We also have an active work experience programme for Sixth FormStudents.

We undertake Quality Improvement Projects andAudits. We are keen to build on our Research Experience with some upcomingopportunities.

Our senior doctors hold a range of additionalresponsibilities including Medical Director, Medicines Management lead,Safeguarding lead, EoE Training Programme Director for Palliative Medicine,Guardian of Safe working, Lead for Palliative and End of Life Care at ESNEFTand Senior Appraiser.

Main duties of the job

What are we looking for?

A doctor who ispassionate about Palliative and End of Life care with great communicationskills. Someone who is keen to pursue a career within the Hospice by building aportfolio based on the Specialist Trainee curriculum which could allowprogression to a Specialist Doctor role in the future.

All permanentdoctors work across the In-patient unit, Specialist Palliative Care VirtualWard and Community Teams. The role would include both direct patient care suchas ward reviews, home visits and outpatient appointments, as well as advice toother Health Care Professionals both within and outside St Helena.

The post would be 6.75sessions (3 days a week, 08.00-17.00) and be non-resident on call (1 in 5nights and weekends).

Renumeration wouldbe 7.42 sessions (including sessions based on average on call work) plus 5% oncall availability supplement.

About us

Here at StHelena, we believe that everyone living with an incurable illness has the rightto live and die with choice, compassion and dignity. Families deserve to becared for and anyone coping with loss should be supported through their grief.

Our vision isto create a community where everyone knows that as the end of their story drawsnear, they will be cared for and die where they choose to be; where loved oneshave the opportunity to make the most of life together, surrounded by peoplewho care and support one another.

Since weopened in 1985, this belief drives us to provide the best end of life care andbereavement support to everyone in north east Essex, not just today but foryears to come.

Job responsibilities

Clinical

The Specialty Doctor will be involved in the admission of and provision of medical careto inpatients at the hospice, under the clinical supervision of the senior doctors.The Specialty Doctor will be involved in the admissionof and provision of medical careto inpatients at the hospice, under the clinical supervision of the senior doctors.

To ensure that all inpatients receive continuous medicalassessment, and appropriate medical care, ensuringwhere possible that medicalcare is evidence based and/orbest common practice.

To ensure that all prescribing is in accordancewith hospice policy and statutory requirements.

To ensure clear documentation of assessments,interventions and ward rounds in patients clinical records in accordance with hospice policy.

To liaise with Primary and Secondary care asappropriate, to ensure continuity ofmedical care.

To work alongside and support the AdvancedNurse Practitioners within the medical team.

To providemedical care to patients inthe community and outpatient settings, with support from senior doctors.

To provide advice to other Health CareProfessionals in line with their experience and with support from the seniordoctors.

To provide adhoc medical cover to patientsattending St Helena led activities on site.

To ensure that clinical practice complementsand facilitates the provision ofmulti-disciplinary care recognising the physical, psychosocial, emotional and spiritual needs of the patient and their family.

To keep patients (and/or families and carerswhere appropriate) informed about their condition and plan of care.

To involve patients (and/or families and carerswhere appropriate) in decision making about their care and treatment.

To participate in the provision of firston-call medical cover for inpatientsof St Helena Hospice (currently 1 in 5 weekdays and weekends), providing telephone advice to healthcareprofessionals working with patients in hospitals and in the community. At theweekend, this will constitute a `troubleshooting ward round of the IPU, to see patients which the nursingteam have concerns about and any urgent admissions to the IPU. Other than this,most of the on-call is non-resident.

Education

To have a commitment to continuing professionaldevelopment. 1 PA pro rata for CPD andpreparation for revalidation will be incorporated into the job plan. Study and professional leave are available to achievethis and will be agreed and reviewed during clinical supervision and appraisal.It is envisioned that the successful candidate will wish to use the PalliativeMedicine Specialist training curriculum as a guide to assessing development.

In conjunction with the medical director,education team and other members of the multi-professional team, participatein the educational role of the hospice.

To receive monthly supervision meetings (prorata) with a consultant to ensure that the doctoris meeting their professional and educational goals

To participatein annual GMC appraisal

To participate in local appraisal and job plan review.

Leadership

Model professional behavior at all times

Organise own workload ensuing all areas ofpractice are prioritized appropriately. Encourage this behavior in others.

Maintain professional standards and obligationsas set out from time to time by the General Medical Council (GMC) and comply inparticular with the GMCs guidance on Good Medical Practice as amended orsubstituted from time to time.

To be aware of, and participate in the formaland informal staff support systems availablewithin the hospice.

To supervise and support the rotational juniordoctors when working directly with them.

Research

In conjunction with appropriate staff, identifyareas of research and audit, initiate and participatein agreed research programmes and audit projects.

To be aware of andcomply with SHH policiesand procedures. To contributeto the review of policies in line with up to date guidance.

Person Specification

Communication

• Ability to communicate effectively with patients, relatives, colleagues, and external healthcare professionals
• Evidence of communication skills training
• Advanced communication skills training

Skills and Knowledge

• IT literate with knowledge of healthcare and office systems

Qualities

• Ability to work in a multidisciplinary team
• Good interpersonal skills.
• Enquiring, critical approach to work
• Caring attitude to patients, carers and colleagues
• Commitment to Continuing Medical Education and the requirements of Clinical Governance and Audit
• Ambition and drive
• Car owner with a full driving licence

Qualifications

• Full GMC registration with licence to practice
• MBBS or equivalent medical qualification
• Palliative diploma and/or masters degree

Experience

• Minimum of four years postgraduate medical training (or its equivalent gained on a part-time or flexible basis) at least 2 of which are in a specialty training program, relevant specialty, or as a fixed term specialty trainee.
• Planning and delivery of teaching to medical undergraduates, junior doctors and multi-professional teams.
• Planning and completion of audit and/or quality improvement projects.
• Palliative medicine experience
• Experience of managing more junior doctors
• Familiarity with the current structure and developments within the NHS and palliative care and cancer fields

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

£61,542 to £79,038 a yearFull time equivalent