Specialty Doctor - Palliative Medicine

Integrated Care System; Dorchester; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

A prestigious charitable organization in Dorchester is seeking a Specialty Doctor to join their compassionate multi-disciplinary team. The role involves providing vital end-of-life care within the inpatient unit and the community, ensuring the highest level of support for patients and their families. Candidates must hold full GMC registration and have substantial postgraduate training, with a commitment to professional development. This role offers a flexible work environment dedicated to enhancing palliative care in the region.

Benefits

Six weeks annual leave

NHS pension scheme eligibility

Potential for private practice

Qualifications

• Full registration with the General Medical Council required.
• Experience with clinical audit is essential.
• Commitment to multi-disciplinary teamwork necessary.

Responsibilities

• Provide continuity of medical support in the inpatient unit.
• Participate in the on-call rota, offering advice and support.
• Conduct community visits and outpatient consultations.

Skills

Palliative care

Multi-disciplinary team working

Clinical audit

Basic computer literacy

Education

Full GMC registration

Completed at least four years full-time postgraduate training

Palliative care qualification

Job description

As an enthusiasticSpecialty Doctor at Weldmar Hospicecare, you will join our well-established andfriendly multi-disciplinary team that aims to make a difference every day

Youll be based in the beautifulsurroundings of our 12 bed Inpatient Unit in Dorchester and as required, workin an outpatient or community setting.

Working 2 days per week usuallyfrom 9am until 5pm with some flexibility, which will allow you the space andtime that patients and families need.

Main duties of the job

You will form part of the WeldmarHospicecare on call rota, which is non-resident and provides cover for theinpatient unit.

You will have full GMCregistration with a license to practice and ideally will have completed fouryears full time postgraduate training (or equivalent gained on a part time orflexible basis) at least two of which will be in relevant specialty training. Salarywill be according to experience and qualifications.

Youare welcome to have an informal chat with our department lead to find out more,or arrange a visit using the contact details below.

About us

AboutWeldmar Hospicecare: RatedOutstanding by the CQC, Weldmar Hospicecare providesspecialist care to adults in Dorset with a life limiting illness, and supportto their loved ones. This care is given in the comfort of patients own homes,in the community, and at our Inpatient Unit in Dorchester. All care is providedfree of charge and mainly funded by the continued support of our localcommunity, via fundraising initiatives and events, our retail chain, and giftsleft in wills, enabling us to raise the £26,000 we need every day to keep ourservices going.

Job responsibilities

Job Description and Person Specification

Job Title: Specialty Doctor

Hours of work: Potentially 4-8 PAs plus participation in on call rota

Grade: Specialty Doctor (2021 contract) pay scale

Reports to: Associate Specialist

Responsible for:

Weldmar Hospicecare is an independent charity that provides specialist end of life care to patients and those that are important to them throughout Dorset. This care is given in the comfort of patients own homes by Weldmar Community Nurses and our Weldmar at Home team, via Day Services held across the county or as inpatients at our hospice in Dorchester. Our team of dedicated staff and volunteers ensure that we can continue to support patients through one of lifes most difficult journeys. We work closely with other health care providers including the NHS to ensure that our patients receive the highest possible care.

We do receive some funding from the NHS but the majority of our income is generated by our fundraising and retail teams, which plays a vital part in securing income to fund our care, both now and in the future.

The principal clinical services are:

A 12 bed inpatient unit in Dorchester serving some 300 people a year.

A community based specialist palliative care service led by 13 specialist nurses. This supports some 650 patients each year.

A neurological service for people living with motor neurone disease and PSP

Day Services in various centres across Dorset.

As a specialist palliative care service, we aim to enhance palliative care throughout Dorset by:

Providing expert care that is centred on the patient and family.

Providing multi-disciplinary advice and support.

Delivering education and development programmes.

Working in partnership with outside agencies to achieve an integrated service.

Ensuring quality improvement by constant planned review.

Continuing to work as a charity mainly supported by public donation in order to provide a service free to patients and solely based on clinical need.

The service is provided by a wide range of staff fully committed to multi-disciplinary team working. As well as our inpatient unit, we have Day Services, Community Palliative Care Nurse Specialists, Social Worker and Family Support Team, Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapists and Complementary Therapists to support the Medical and Nursing teams.

There is an active education programme, and we have academic links with the University of Southampton.

We have a strong clinical governance structure to ensure our care is safe, evidence based, patient centred and effectively delivered.

Current Medical Staffing

2 Consultants in Palliative Medicine

1 Associate Specialist

2 Specialty Doctors

Plus 2 Advanced Nurse Practitioners

Job Purpose

The Specialty Doctor post is mainly concerned with providing continuity of medical support and care in the inpatient unit. However at times it may involve outpatients or domiciliary visits

Scope and Limits of Authority

The medical and nursing teams work very closely together. While the postholder will exercise their own professional judgement, the advice of other clinical and nursing staff will be important in informing their decisions.

The postholder will therefore be consulting regularly with Weldmar Hospicecares:

• Consultants in Palliative Medicine
• The Associate Specialist
• The Director of Clinical Services
• The lead nurses for the inpatient unit and community nurses

Sound links with GPs and hospital based teams are also essential.

Attendance at meetings of the Charitys Medical Staff is expected.

Key areas of responsibility

• Admission of new patients
• Management of existing patients
• Community visits and Outpatient consultations at the IPU are undertaken at the request of the Community Palliative Care Nurse Specialists and primary care colleagues.
• Participation within the IPU in the MDT meetings and handovers
• Provision of advice and support by telephone to the Palliative Care Nurse Specialists in the Community and at Dorset County Hospital and to GPs as appropriate
• Full participation in professional activities including clinical audit, training and quality assessment activities
• Whilst the GPVTS doctors on placement are clinically supervised by the Consultants, the Specialty Doctors are expected to monitor and feed back any issues relating to their performance
• Commitment to meeting CPD requirements, with appropriate support to enable this
• Commitment and full participation in the annual performance appraisal process in line with GMC guidance. Line management will be provided by the Associate Specialist or Consultant.
• Participation in teaching for medical students from Southampton University and GPVTS doctors in association with the Consultants.
• 1:5 on call rota in support of the hospice and community teams
• Cover for the other medical staff for holidays and training
• Involvement in all aspects of clinical governance
• Participation in training
• Maintain computer skills especially in SystemOne

Person Specification

• Full registration with the General Medical Council
• Completed at least four years full- time postgraduate training( or its equivalent gained on a part-time or flexible basis) at least two of which will be in a specialty training programme in a relevant specialty or as a fixed term specialty trainee in a relevant specialty; or shall have equivalent experience and competencies.
• A palliative care qualification is desirable.
• Experience of clinical audit
• Commitment to multi-disciplinary team working
• Basic computer literacy

The post holder must live within 30 minutes of the IPU which is situated in Dorchester, to participate in the non-residential on call rota

The Charity operates a 1-in-5 first on-call system for weeknights and weekends.

The Specialty Doctor will have office accommodation with computer. There is administrative cover by a clinical administration team.

This post will have potentially 4-8 programmed activities per week plus on call payments and a job plan agreed.

Other Requirements

• An Enhanced plus barred list Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Check: which will disclose any spent and unspent convictions and cautions (subject to filtering), as well as any relevant police information plus a check of the relevant Barred List/s. It may disclose other information that the police consider is relevant to the role and level of check applied for.
• Commitment to the values and ethos of Weldmar Hospicecare
• Act as an advocate and ambassador for the Charity
• Commitment to and understanding of equality and diversity and how this translates into good practice
• Understands and conforms to Weldmar Hospicecare infection prevention and health and safety policies and actively promotes best practice at all times.
• Commitment to own continued professional and personal development
• Ability to travel which requires a full valid driving licence and business insurance (if applicable)

Key Terms and Conditions of Appointment

Salary: Actual starting salary, dependent on experience and qualifications, in line with NHS Specialty Doctor Pay Scales (2021 contract)

Pension:

Postholders already in NHS pension scheme can continue to pay into it as long as they have been paying in within the last twelve months. The Charity has its own pension scheme with Standard Life which can be joined after three months service eligible staff will be automatically enrolled into workplace pension scheme, employee contribution 5%, Employer 4%

Hours: Sessions to be worked in agreement with the Lead Consultant

Annual Leave: 6 weeks per annum and Bank Holidays pro rata.

Medical indemnity: the post holder will be expected to have full Medical indemnity Insurance. They will be expected to pay their own premium and produce annual evidence of such insurance.

Domiciliary Visits: if these take place, mileage will be paid but not a fee

Private Practice: It is acceptable in principle for the postholder to undertake some private practice outside his or her normal contractual working hours and following a formal notification to the Board of Weldmar Hospicecare

Fees: It is agreed policy that cremation fees due to medical staff working at the hospice are payable direct to the Charity

Notice: Theagreed minimum notice period is three months by either party

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Full registration with the General Medical Council
• Completed at least four years full- time postgraduate training( or its equivalent gained on a part-time or flexible basis) at least two of which will be in a specialty training programme in a relevant specialty or as a fixed term specialty trainee in a relevant specialty; or shall have equivalent experience and competencies.
• A palliative care qualification is desirable.

Experience

• Experience of clinical audit
• Commitment to multi-disciplinary team working
• Basic computer literacy
• The post holder must live within 30 minutes of the IPU which is situated in Dorchester, to participate in the non-residential on call rota
• The Charity operates a 1-in-5 first on-call system for weeknights and weekends.
• The Specialty Doctor will have office accommodation with computer. There is administrative cover by a clinical administration team.
• This post will have potentially 4-8 programmed activities per week plus on call payments and a job plan agreed.

Other requirements

• Other Requirements
• An Enhanced plus barred list Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Check: which will disclose any spent and unspent convictions and cautions (subject to filtering), as well as any relevant police information plus a check of the relevant Barred List/s. It may disclose other information that the police consider is relevant to the role and level of check applied for.
• Commitment to the values and ethos of Weldmar Hospicecare
• Act as an advocate and ambassador for the Charity
• Commitment to and understanding of equality and diversity and how this translates into good practice
• Understands and conforms to Weldmar Hospicecare infection prevention and health and safety policies and actively promotes best practice at all times.
• Commitment to own continued professional and personal development
• Ability to travel which requires a full valid driving licence and business insurance (if applicable)

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.

Depending on experienceNHS Specialty Doctor Scale