Consultant Medical Oncologist

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a candidate interested in a permanent medical oncology consultant post at Barking, Havering & Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust.

We are looking for an enthusiastic medical oncologist to join our well-established, dedicated and supportive team.

The successful applicant will cover breast and one other tumour subsite depending on your interests, and have full registration with the General Medical Council with the licence to practice.

You will be primarily located at Queen's Hospital, Romford, Essex where the Oncology department is based.

There are opportunities for you to develop further your interests in research, leadership and teaching.

We are a friendly and supportive team into which we would love to welcome you.

If you are the right person for this role and would like an informal discussion, please contact Dr Amy Ward or Dr Simon Ball (tel: 01708 435 000 ext 2078).

Main duties of the job

The post holder will be expected to provide, to a high standard, the full range of specialist diagnosis, treatment and care to patients requiring oncology services as outlined in the proposed program, including the following:

• Medical oncology management of breast malignancy.
• Input into the Acute Oncology Service.
• Outpatient clinic reviews and inpatient clinical opinions.
• To work with and support the established multi-disciplinary site-specific teams.
• To participate in the out of hours on-call service (1:13).
• To take an active role in research and clinical trials.
• Contribute actively to clinical governance within the department.
• To support and develop quality improvement projects within the department.
• Flexibility to undertake different appropriate clinical tasks within allocated DCC sessions at the request of the Clinical Leads.
• Actively participate in the department's teaching programme and undertake supervision, teaching and training of medical trainees and other multi-professional staff, in line with guidance from the relevant Royal Colleges or specialty bodies.
• To participate in clinical guidelines development, audit and CPD and ensure successful revalidation when required.

About us

We're an organisation that is getting better and better. We were the most improved Trust in England for A& E performance in 2023/24 we're no longer in special measures and Matthew Trainer, our Chief Executive, has been named the top CEO by the Health Service Journal. Our improvements are driven by a determination to deliver care we're proud of and that our patients are happy with.

Many of our 8,000 staff - who come from 146 different countries - live in the three diverse London boroughs we serve and the majority are from black, Asian and minority ethnic groups. More than 400 of them are on apprenticeship programmes and we're proud to be a London Living Wage employer.

We operate from two main sites - King George Hospital (KGH) in Goodmayes and Queen's Hospital in Romford. We have two of the busiest emergency departments in London - more than 300,000 people visited our A&Es in 2023.

Patients across northeast London are benefitting from two new state of the art theatres at KGH and our Community Diagnostic Centres at Barking Community Hospital and St George's Health and Wellbeing Hub will significantly increase the number of scans that can be carried out.

We're looking forward to introducing an electronic patient record next year. This will mean the records of any patient visiting one of the seven hospitals run by BHRUT and Barts Health will be accessible to the clinical teams. It'll make things easier for staff and will be better for patients.

Job description
Job responsibilities

To provide, to a high standard, the full range of specialist diagnosis, treatment and care to patients requiring oncology services, as outlined in the proposed program, including the following:

Medical oncology management of breast malignancy.

New patient numbers approx. 170-200 per annum. This will be four to five patients per week based on a 42-week year.

Input into the Acute Oncology Service this service is led by a team of three acute oncology nurses who field calls and review patients. The acute oncology ward round/consultant supports the AOS nurses in this role and undertakes ward reviews and offers oncology advice as necessary.

This will be reviewed in at the initial job planning meeting and level of input will be based on any tumour subsite specialty in addition to breast, taking into account the overall workload.

Clinic reviews.

To work with and support the established multi-disciplinary site-specific teams.

Outpatient chemotherapy and inpatient clinical opinions.

Participate in the out of hours on-call service:

• • Consultants on-call frequency is 1:13 offsite for advice on oncology inpatients and to offer oncology advice to other teams.
  • On-call Monday to Friday covers after 5pm until 9am the following morning.
  • On-call on Saturday and Sunday covers the entire weekend supported by an on-site oncology registrar 9am-5pm, and the medical team overnight. There is an expectation of weekend consultant-led ward rounds of new admissions/any unwell patients. Acute admissions are taken by the medical team out of hours, but oncology review may be requested the following day. This would only be needed for acutely unwell, complex patients.
  • Time in lieu (such as for weekend working) will be considered by the Clinical Leads.
  • A second on-call clinical oncology consultant will be available for radiotherapy emergencies between 9am-5pm on Saturday and Sunday.

To take an active role in research and clinical trials.

Contribute actively to clinical governance within the department.

To support and develop quality improvement projects within the department.

Flexibility to undertake different appropriate clinical tasks within allocated DCC sessions at the request of the Clinical Leads.

Actively participate in the departments teaching programme and undertake supervision, teaching and training of medical trainees and other multi-professional staff, in line with guidance from the relevant Royal Colleges or specialty bodies.

Participate in clinical guidelines development, audit and CPD, and ensure successful revalidation when required.

Where core SPA is allocated 1.5PA, additional SPA will be offered in discussion with the Clinical Leads for attending governance activities and taking on any lead roles (for example but not limited to) research, audit, mortality and teaching.

Appropriate desk space and secretarial support will be available.

Programmed Activities

You and the Clinical Leads will agree a prospective job plan that sets out your main duties and responsibilities, a schedule for carrying out your Programmed Activities, your managerial responsibilities, your accountability arrangements, your objectives and supporting resources.

The Breast Oncology Service

You will join a team of two other oncologists, currently one other medical oncologist and a clinical oncologist. There is support from a dedicated breast oncology specialty doctor and clinical oncology SpR. Metastatic breast cancer patients are supported by a specialist clinical nurse specialist and support worker. There is a dedicated pharmacist-led clinic to review patients established on long term or adjuvant SACT. This is an exciting time as investment has just been secured for further expansion. We plan to add a further clinical oncologist and nurse consultant to the team over the next six to nine months.

Indicative job plan

Please refer to the attached job description for the indicative job plan.

Proposed weekly timetable

Please refer to the attached job description for the proposed weekly timetable.

Applications should be made online, however, queries regarding the application process, assistance with completion of the application form or if you require any adjustments (for applicants with a disability) please contact Azeez: Recruitment Advisor, on 01708 435000 ext. 4440.

Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential

• Full and Specialist registration and a license to practice
• Holder of Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT) or CCT date is within six months of interview
• Understand and be competent at management of all stages of Oncology to CCST or higher
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of treatment regimens and research developments
• Able to take responsibility, show leadership, make decisions
• Experience of teaching and training of undergraduates and junior medical staff
• Evidence of achievement appropriate to appointment at consultant level
• Involvement in clinical trials
• Understanding the principles of clinical audit
• Excellent written and spoken communications

Desirable

• MD
• Leadership Qualities Management Course
• Formal training in teaching techniques
• Published Audit
• Publications
• Completed CCST portfolios/appraisal/revalidation