Specialty Doctor in Palliative Medicine

Cornwall Hospice Care; Hayle, St. Austell; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading Cornish healthcare charity is looking for a Specialty Doctor in Palliative Care to join their dedicated team. In this role, you will provide high-quality palliative care to patients in the hospice, considering their social, spiritual, and medical needs. You will work collaboratively with a multidisciplinary team and contribute actively to the care delivery and improvement processes. The position offers a supportive environment, opportunities for professional development, and is crucial in enhancing the lives of terminally ill patients.

Benefits

Generous annual leave

Training and development opportunities

Contributory pension scheme

Life Assurance

Employee Assistance Programme

Free on-site parking

Qualifications

• Experience of treating patients at the end of life.
• Ability to work flexibly within a team environment.
• Understanding of clinical governance and quality improvement.

Responsibilities

• Provide palliative care and support to patients in hospice.
• Liaise with healthcare professionals regarding patient admissions.
• Maintain comprehensive clinical records.

Skills

Holistic patient assessment

Effective communication

Multidisciplinary teamwork

Clinical assessment skills

Experience in palliative care

Education

Primary medical qualification

Full GMC registration

Certificate in Palliative Medicine

Tools

Electronic prescribing systems

Job description

Cornwall Hospice Care is a 24/7 Cornish healthcare charity that provides end‑of‑life support for people with terminal illnesses. Our clinical staff and volunteers care for patients and their families, carers and friends at Mount Edgcumbe Hospice in St Austell, St Julias Hospice in Hayle, through our Community Services and where appropriate, in people’s own homes and in local care homes.

Our staff and volunteers are at the very heart of everything we do, and every member of our team has a role to play in helping deliver the care we provide. We are all ambassadors in the community too, spreading the word about the end‑of‑life care we provide, care that’s 100% free to our patients and funded by the Cornish community.

About the role

To be part of the medical team to deliver high quality Palliative and End of Life medical care, whilst encouraging and supporting the holistic approach to patients and their families within the hospice, taking social, spiritual, psychological, as well as medical factors into consideration.

Main duties of the job

What you'll do

Provide care to patients with palliative care needs and medical co‑morbidities with strong clinical assessment and with the ability to weigh up risks and benefits of intervention to achieve best patient care. Communicate effectively with patients, families and significant others as appropriate and in accordance with professional practice. Carry out daily management of patients in the inpatient unit, including practical procedures such as venepuncture and IV infusions. Comprehensively and accurately admit patients on admission to the ward. Participate in the multi‑disciplinary team meetings and ward rounds. Liaise with all appropriate agencies in assisting in the support of patients in the community, hospital or care setting where referral for admission to the inpatient unit is being considered.

Please see our website for full job prospectus.

About us

Cornwall Hospice Care is a leading Cornish charity providing specialist care for people with terminal illnesses. This care is provided free of charge at our two hospices Mount Edgcumbe Hospice in St Austell and St Julias Hospice in Hayle, in Cornwall’s hospitals, care homes and in the community. We also run a 24‑hour advice line for other healthcare professionals.

We offer an excellent working environment as part of a dedicated and professional team. In return for the contribution our employees make to the lives of other people, we offer:

A chance to make a real difference.

Supportive working environment

Access to a wide range of training and development opportunities including specialist palliative care qualifications

Generous annual leave entitlement including bank holidays, including the option to buy or sell one week’s annual leave.

Contributory pension scheme; Standard Life or NHS

Life Assurance

Non‑contributory medical cash plan, with the option to include your family members.

Employee Assistance Programme

Early Pay Scheme

Free on‑site parking (Relocation may be available)

Job responsibilities

To work flexibly and collaboratively with all members of the hospice multidisciplinary team to provide day‑to‑day specialist palliative care to patients on the Cornwall Hospice inpatient units.

Organisational responsibilities

Health & Safety

As an employee of Cornwall Hospice you will be expected to work safely and consider the impact on others who may be affected by your work activities. You will need to work in accordance with the Health & Safety Policy and to follow training you have been given when using any equipment, substance, safety device or safe system of work. All safety issues must be reported immediately to the appropriate manager.

Policies and procedures

Aware of and compliant with the Cornwall Hospice’s policies and procedures.

Ambassador

You will be an ambassador for Cornwall Hospice and ensure that whenever possible, you positively promote our purpose and values to the wider public.

IT

IT literacy is a skill required for all Cornwall Hospice positions as you will be expected to use the staff intranet and access information using our IT‑based procedures.

Confidentiality

You will be required to maintain strict confidentiality of all information relating to Cornwall Hospice, its patients, their relatives, staff, volunteers, business matters and shops.

Job‑specific duties and responsibilities

The range of duties considered appropriate for the Specialty Doctor in Palliative Care is set out below. This list is not exhaustive, and the responsibilities will be regularly reviewed and adapted. This will occur at least annually during job planning. The postholder will be expected to be flexible.

Medical Management

The medical management of hospice inpatients to deliver specialist palliative care including the following:

Undertaking a comprehensive holistic assessment on admission, considering physical, psychological, social and spiritual aspects of care.

To work collaboratively with other members of the medical team to review existing hospice inpatients and contribute to their daily ongoing care, under the guidance of local palliative care consultants who act as Responsible Clinicians, supported by Cornwall Hospice’s Specialist Doctor. This will include ongoing management of symptoms such as pain, and of the psychosocial effects of advanced illness, to establish a holistic therapeutic relationship to support patients and those close to them.

To maintain comprehensive patient clinical records in line with Cornwall Hospice requirements to ensure that accurate and up‑to‑date information is always available for multi‑disciplinary colleagues.

To liaise with external multi‑disciplinary healthcare professionals and relevant agencies to support effective and timely admission and discharge from the hospice as appropriate.

To ensure timely accurate completion of referral to local medical examiner service and associated paperwork.

Participate in the on‑call rota for medical cover at both hospice sites.

To engage in hospice quality improvements activities including clinical audit, clinical governance and policy review to ensure our hospice policies and procedures remain up to date with best practice in palliative care. The post holder will actively engage in efforts to improve patient safety, recognising the importance of continuous learning and improvement.

To keep up to date with best practice in palliative care, to maintain personal continuing professional development, engaging with internal professional review, annual appraisal and five‑yearly revalidation with the requirements of the GMC.

Maintain the standards of professional accountability as determined by the GMC.

Contribute to Cornwall Hospice educational programmes including clinical support and training of hospice medical and nursing staff and provide support for clinical placements for medical students from the University of Exeter Medical School (UEMS) within limits of experience.

To comply with the Cornwall Hospice’s mandatory training requirements.

People & Culture

Work across teams and departments to support effective communication and collaborative working through a ONE TEAM philosophy.

Demonstrate the behaviours expected to achieve the charity's strategic objectives.

Positively contribute to the cultivation of a work environment that attracts and retains great people, committed to the achievement of the strategic objectives.

Nurture a culture of collaboration, innovation, commitment and resource efficiency to ensure the provision of exceptional patient care and support.

Hold all staff and volunteers in positive regard and foster a culture of respect and consideration between all members of the charity.

General

This job description is intended to provide an outline of the duties and responsibilities of the post and is not exhaustive and may be amended periodically as necessary. The post holder may be asked to undertake other duties within the general level and scope of the post and to work at other Cornwall Hospice sites as required.

Person Specification

Experience

• Demonstrable relevant clinical experience ideally including specific experience in palliative medicine.
• Demonstrable experience of a commitment to the clinical care of individuals at the end of their lives.
• Ability and experience of assessing patients holistically.
• Demonstrable experience of multi-disciplinary team working.
• Experience of palliative care in a specialist setting, such as a hospice, community palliative care or as part of a hospital specialist palliative care team.
• Experience of teaching a range of students and healthcare professionals.
• Experience of using electronic prescribing and patient record systems.

Knowledge and skills

• Understanding of the principles of clinical governance and quality improvement and their contribution to ensure patient safety.
• Understanding of the complexities of working with individuals at times of distress and conflict.
• An understanding of communication skills needed to support important conversations in challenging circumstances.
• Developed communication and interpersonal skills to facilitate communication with patients, those close to them and other healthcare professionals.
• Developed ability to work effectively and collaboratively alongside other professionals, within a multidisciplinary team.
• Ability to synthesize complex information applying evidence‑based ability to manage a complex workload.
• Experience of palliative care in a specialist setting, such as a hospice, community palliative care or as part of a hospital specialist palliative care team.
• Experience of teaching a range of students and healthcare professionals.
• Experience of using electronic prescribing and patient record systems.
• Understanding of the key issues relating to end‑of‑life care including national strategies and policy development.

Qualifications

• Primary medical qualification.
• Full registration as a medical practitioner with the General Medical Council (GMC).
• Membership of a recognised medical defence organisation.
• A minimum of four years postgraduate experience, with at least two years in a relevant specialty, for example, palliative medicine, general practice, oncology or elderly medicine.
• Membership of the Royal Colleges of Physicians or Royal College of General Practitioners, or equivalent qualification.
• Certificate, Diploma or MSc in Palliative Medicine.
• Advanced communication skills training.

Personal Attributes

• A passion for hospice and palliative care.
• An engaging personal style and ability to take an interest in all kinds of people.
• Calm and approachable with a good sense of humour.
• Willingness to learn and develop new skills.
• Ability to work as part of a team, prioritise clinical workload and manage time effectively.
• Ability to work autonomously, problem solve and take responsibility, with more senior support when required.
• Positive and confident outlook, empathetic with patients, those close to them and colleagues.
• Commitment to continuing professional development (CPD) appraisal and revalidation processes, and to the requirements of clinical governance and audit.
• Awareness of equality, diversity and inclusion in all aspects of work.
• Flexible and thoughtful in approach, with the ability to respond positively in a rapidly changing environment and handle contentious or challenging situations in creative, non‑judgemental ways.
• Enthusiastic approach to teaching.

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.