Specialty Doctor in Palliative Medicine

SPECIALTY DOCTOR POST IN PALLIATIVE MEDICINE

This substantive post is an exciting opportunity for an enthusiastic doctor to join our dynamic palliative care team at Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, which has been rated as 'outstanding' for end-of-life care. This position has arisen in response to an increased demand for specialist palliative and end of life services. The successful candidate will work 4 days per week (Monday to Friday). Working days and hours are potentially flexible in keeping with Trust policy, and time will be made in the job plan for supporting professional activities (SPA). The Specialist Palliative Care Team provides a 7-day service, and the successful candidate will be expected to take part in the 1:7 resident weekend on-call (0900-1700). If the successful candidate does not have sufficient experience of hospital palliative care, involvement in the weekend rota can be phased in over the first 6 to 12 months and supported by the consultant team.

Main duties of the job

To work with the Consultants and other MDT staff to see patients with Specialist Palliative and end of life care needs within NNUH. Daily ward review of patients. Outpatient clinics are possible if desired (after relevant training). Support to resident doctors on the wards, including education relevant to palliative and end of life care. Communicating with peers and seniors in referring specialties as needed for patient care. Proactive participation in service development and quality improvement. Involvement with clinical governance as required by all Trust employees. Active involvement in the education activity carried out within the service including providing teaching and support to the nursing team, undergraduate medical students, F2 doctors, GP trainees, elective students etc. Contribution to the 1:7 weekend resident on-call in the hospital.

About us

The NNUH Specialist Palliative Care Team is one of the busiest in the country and we have grown to be among the largest hospital palliative care teams in the country to reflect this demand. We are an advisory service within the hospital, so no patients are directly admitted under our care. We provide specialist palliative care input to patients in all parts of the hospital except paediatrics, from A+E to ITU, and work with our colleagues across all medical and surgical directorates. We receive up to 300 referrals per month, and 98% of these have an initial review within 48 hours. Between 40% and 60% of our referrals come from oncology.

Our consultants hold several outpatient clinics including a multi-disciplinary MND clinic based at Priscilla Bacon Lodge and an outreach clinic at Cromer hospital for patients living in the north of the county. We have a well-established breathlessness clinic run by our Band 8a Clinical Nurse Specialist, and a newly developed Advance Care Planning clinic run at Cromer hospital by one of our Band 7 nurses. In January 2025 we will be joined by a senior Clinical Psychologist, who will provide both inpatient and outpatient support to the team and our patients. We are aiming to develop a renal supportive care service, liver supportive care service and a Vulnerable Adult service when resources allow.

Job description
Job responsibilities

Please read the attached job description for full details for this substantive Specialty Doctor post.

Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential

• Basic medical qualification MBBS/MBChB or equivalent.
• Full GMC Registration with licence to practice.

Desirable

• MRCP/ MRCGP
• Diploma in Palliative Medicine

Aptitudes
Essential

• Excellent communicator
• Good knowledge of, and ability to use, spoken and written English
• Capable of working in a multi-disciplinary team
• Enthusiasm for service development and teaching
• Ability to organize and prioritise workload
• Caring and compassionate nature
• Flexibility and responsiveness to changing or unpredictable situations

Desirable

• Prepared to work in shared office space
• Management skills

Experience
Essential

• Have at least 2 years full time general medical experience
• Experience of audit and willingness to participate
• Previous experience of Palliative Medicine
• Experience of providing education

Desirable

• Experience of working in oncology or other specialties of relevance to palliative care
• Recent experience of working in an acute hospital setting

234-MS2276