IBD Clinical Fellow | Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

This is an exciting post for 12 months aimed at a senior Gastroenterology trainee or accredited specialist wishing to garner further specialist experience in Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) delivery in a large teaching hospital Gastrointestinal unit. A core component of this post is the delivery of lower GI endoscopy (diagnostic colonoscopy), with a particular focus on IBD assessment and surveillance. The post also comes with the opportunity to participate in clinical research and clinical trials, with time set aside within the job plan to enable this to occur.

The IBD Team has strong links to the Royal Colorectal Team, as well as the Alder Hey Children’s Hospital Paediatric Gastroenterology Team and Liverpool Women’s Hospital Obstetric Team. There will be an opportunity to undertake clinic work in aspects of the service to meet the needs of the department and the learning needs of the successful applicant. There are a variety of different facets to the IBD service.

• IBD MDT and radiology (APEX)/histology MDTs
• Clinical Governance, Directorate and Mortality and Morbidity
• Educational meetings
• Opportunities will be available to gain all relevant CPD points
• Research/Audit/Quality Improvement (QI)

Below is an example of a current time-table but this will be flexible and aimed to meet the fellows needs.

AM (08.30-12.30) PM (12.30-16.30)

• Monday: IBD Flare clinic / Specialist monthly IBD clinic; APEX meeting followed by M+M, Directorate and Clinical Governance meetings; Histology MDT meeting/Research
• Tuesday: Admin time; Journal club and LUNCH; Main IBD clinic (RIBDFTF)
• Thursday: Research/QI time
• Friday: IBD MDT; Main IBD clinic (RIBDFTF); Admin time

The IBD team at the Royal Liverpool Hospital consists of:

• Consultant Luminal Gastroenterologists
• Clinical psychologist
• Dietician
• IBD Administrator
• Specialist Registrars

General IBD clinics are an essential part of the IBD service as the main IBD clinics run on a Tuesday and Friday and occur either virtually (telephone) or face to face. A successful applicant will be expected to work in both clinics and see unselected patients and discuss and escalate any concerns to the IBD consultant and/or nurses within the Team.

IBD MDT occurs every Friday morning and is an important opportunity to discuss complex and challenging cases but also learn about the latest advances and uncertainties in IBD patients. Attendance is mandatory and presentation of cases and implementation of MDT plans is essential.

The applicant is expected to deliver at least 2 lower endoscopy lists per week at the Royal Liverpool or Broadgreen sites. Full JAG colonoscopy accreditation is a mandatory requirement for this post. Exposure to IBD endoscopy including chromoendoscopy for dysplasia, pouchoscopy, capsule endoscopy, and stricture dilatation will be facilitated depending on experience and interests of the candidate.

Transition clinic runs weekly (for follow up patients), with new patient clinics occurring monthly with the Alder Hey Children’s Hospital paediatric team. A successful applicant should be encouraged to attend clinics as frequently as other service delivery allows to experience working alongside IBD Nurses, psychologists and paediatric team members.

Managing IBD and pregnancy can be challenging and so the Royal Liverpool IBD team run a joint clinic every month at the Liverpool Women’s Hospital. A successful applicant should be encouraged to attend clinics as frequently as other service delivery allows to experience working alongside Obstetricians, midwives and IBD Nurses.

There is an expectation that a successful applicant will participate in all departmental meetings and all aspects of clinical governance, including departmental/service audits and QI projects.

Many of the MDTs listed above have educational content and key learning points which a successful applicant should seek to learn from. In addition, as the main teaching hospital in the region we have work experience students, medical students (including those on special study modules) and other allied healthcare professionals whom we have a duty to teach (and in many cases, learn from).

A successful applicant will be encouraged into participating in all aspects of the departmental education programme – both as a learner and teacher. Opportunities will be available to gain all relevant CPD points (external and internal) throughout the year of the fellowship, including attendance at national and international meetings.

The successful applicant will be expected to identify a research/audit/QI project to be completed during the training period with a view to publication/presentation at national/international Gastroenterology meetings such as ECCO or the BSG. The applicant will be supported in doing this by their educational supervisor/mentor.

The department is keen to develop more patient led initiatives within the department, such as a ‘Patient Panel’. A successful applicant could help spearhead such initiatives alongside existing IBD team members.