The successful applicant will be expected to help develop our new Acute Geriatric Service in line with national recommendations, enabling the further development of a rapid turnaround acute elderly ward (Durrington ward), ultimately co-located with MAU. This part of their job plan will enable consultant input into the rapid comprehensive Geriatric Assessment of acutely unwell older people, with a view to discharging them when they are medically stable with adequate community support and specialist support via RACE clinics (rapid access for the Elderly clinics).
The primary bed-base of this post will be Durrington Ward, with outpatient commitments to the RACE clinics, as well as any speciality clinics. General elderly care referrals will be expected on a weekly basis.
The job plan will also allow for some community-based sessions to enable outreach consultant input to an integrated community care team. This work will include specialist follow-up of recently discharged patients, input into intermediate care beds, as well as supporting local residential and nursing homes, and facilitating urgent domicillary / home visits.
The post does allow for development of a specialist interest of choice, although an expressed interest in Parkinson’s Disease or Orthogeriatric Liaison would be beneficial in order to support colleagues in these areas.
As well as this, the post allows other specialists, for example in gastroenterology and stroke to reduce some of their general medical commitments so as to offer additional out of hour’s services. The latter will need to be confirmed by the trust but the successful applicant’s rota will be 1 in 12 in acute medicine. In addition this post will also allow some flexibility in the timetables of all the 5 consultants in the Elderly Care Department to meet changing needs within the Trust.
The actual timetable may be subject to change but in general the post holder will be required:
- To perform a 3 times a week acute Elderly Care ward round and MDT.
- To perform a twice weekly full Durrington ward round.
- To perform a weekly RACE clinic
- To see promptly ward referrals when required
- To allocate 2 sessions per week to developing his / her own specialist interest.
- To participate on the general medical rota on a 1 in 12 basis (with cross cover), involving a post-take ward round the following day. At weekends this will be a twice daily acute ward round of 3 hours each, equating to 8 hours per day of ordinary time.
- To contribute to medical ward inpatient care on a 1 in 12 basis (3.5 hours on Saturday and 3.5 hours on Sunday). This is in keeping with all other physicians within the department of medicine. This would not involve any other cover or on-call commitments on the weekend. It is independent of the physician on call for the weekend and is not a “second on call” commitment;
- To assist with training of staff, audit and managerial responsibilities
- To become an integral member of the Trust’s structure in providing continuity of care arising through initiatives to address the EWTD with increasing personal input as a consultant in direct patient care;
- To agree to a flexible job plan that will entail undertaking some planned ward or outpatient work in the weekday evenings and weekends in lieu of DCC work during the week. This will be in line with that which applies to other departments.
If you are available for this permanent opportunity please email us at website@totalassist.co.uk and we will contact you asap
