Specialist Doctor in End of Life & Palliative Care

Job summary

Applications are invited for a 12 month fixed term Specialist Doctor post in Palliative Care, covering maternity leave. The successful candidate will be a clinical expert in end of life care, working autonomously as a senior non-Consultant within the Specialist Palliative Care Service. They will conduct independent patient visits, formulate management plans, and manage the full range of presentations, while recognising their limits and adhering to the national Specialist grade capabilities framework.

Working as part of an established and growing specialist palliative team to provide expert and compassionate care across Community, Hospice and Hospital you will be joining at an exciting time to develop and shape the specialist palliative care service within central Cheshire.

Applicants must have full registration with the GMC including a License to Practice.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will manage a defined caseload and client group, providing highly specialised information to patients and staff, evaluating existing care and providing innovative and novel models of care. Their scope will include care assessment, intervention, evaluation, investigation and the development of new knowledge; especially within the areas where no precedent exists in order to enhance and advance services and health direction.

About us

Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust provides comprehensive hospital and community services for East Cheshire (population 399K) and West Cheshire and Chester (population 357K). Our services include planned and unplanned/emergency care, cardiac and critical care, child health, maternity, and intermediate care across Leighton Hospital in Crewe, Victoria Infirmary in Northwich, and Elmhurst Intermediate Care Centre in Winsford.

Through our community arm, Central Cheshire Integrated Care Partnership, we deliver extensive services in 26 medical centres and schools in collaboration with Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS FT and the South Cheshire and Vale Royal GP Alliance. With 500 beds and around 5,500 staff, we are one of the area's largest employers.

Since the formation of Integrated Care Systems in July 2022, the Trust has become a key partner in Cheshire East & Cheshire West and Chester and in two provider collaboratives, aligning our strategic goals with the Cheshire & Merseyside Integrated Care System.

As part of the national New Hospital Programme, we're reimagining Leighton Hospital to create a new health and care neighbourhood, transforming healthcare delivery for a Healthier Future. Learn more on ourHealthier Futures website.

At Mid Cheshire, our mission is to inspire hope and provide unparalleled care for the people and communities of Cheshire, helping them to enjoy life to the fullest.

Job responsibilities

Working alongside the wider palliative care medical workforce, they will provide integrated expert care across hospital, community, and hospice settings, complementing the existing Community Specialist Palliative Care Nursing Team and contributing to a weekly multi-professional coordination meeting. The post holder will maintain clinical excellence through audit, quality improvement, research, and CPD, while developing strong working relationships across all sectors to ensure seamless end of life care. The post holder will support operational management, service development and people management for Specialist Palliative Care teams and is a part of the directorate triumvirate team and will be jointly accountable for developing the longer term strategic direction of the specialist palliative care service in partnership with the Clinical Director and Service manager; having delegated responsibility from the service manager for day to day operational management of service.

Person specification

Training

Essential

• Considerable experience in end of life care and advanced care planning
• Basic Life support

Desirable

• Advanced communication skills training Leadership development training

Professional Values and Behaviours

Essential

• Participation in annual appraisal
• Professional values / behaviours as per in GMC Good Medical Practice
• Consistent engagement with mandatory training

Desirable

• Recent multi-source feedback
• Evidence of reflection on own practice
• Logbook of clinical practice

Professional Qualifications and Experience

Essential

• Full Registration with the GMC and a Licence to Practise.
• Primary Medical Degree
• Shall have completed a minimum of 12 years' medical work (either continuous period or in aggregate) since obtaining a primary medical qualification of which a minimum of six years should have been in a relevant specialty in the Specialty Doctor and/or closed SAS grades. Equivalent years' experience in a relevant specialty from other medical grades including from overseas will also be accepted
• Shall meet the criteria set out in the Specialist grade generic capabilities framework. https://www.nhsemployers.org/sites/defaul t/files/2021-06/sas-paper-2-specialistgrade-generic-capabilities-framework- 2021.pdf
• Ability to take full and independent responsibility for the management of palliative care patients
• Ability to work autonomously within practice framework

Desirable

• Additional higher degrees relevant to this post
• Other postgraduate qualification e.g. MD, PhD

Teaching and CPD

Essential

• Experience of teaching/mentoring for different groups
• Commitment to Continuing Medical Education and Professional Development

Desirable

• Recognition as clinical supervisor
• Formal teaching qualification

Quality Improvement

Essential

• Knowledge, interest and commitment to quality improvement
• Active engagement with clinical audit
• An awareness of current subspecialty developments, initiatives, and issues

Desirable

• Completion of audit or quality improvement project

Research

Essential

• Appreciation of the significance and use of research
• Ability to apply research outcomes to clinical problems

Desirable

• Publications and presentations
• Experience of research methodology, and how to critically analyse data
• Evidence of having undertaken original research

Communication

Essential

• Ability to communicate and liaise effectively with patients, their carer and relatives and with colleagues of all disciplines
• Understanding of leadership role and principles

Personal Attributes

Essential

• Ability to organise and prioritise workload effectively
• Energy and enthusiasm and the ability to work under pressure
• An enquiring and critical approach to work
• Caring attitude to patients
• Ability to motivate and develop