Consultant Haematologist

County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust is one of the largest integrated care providers in England, serving a population of around 600,000 people. We are a high‑performing organisation with a track record of success. We are an enthusiastic and motivated unit providing opportunities to develop the Haematology services in County Durham and Darlington. We are looking for a colleague who will be able to work with us to achieve this goal. The post is on a whole‑time basis with the department willing to explore flexibility in job plans to attract the right candidate. The appointee will form part of a current team of six Consultant Haematologists across the Trust. This appointment will facilitate and contribute to the development of Haematology services within the Trust and clinical networks. Within this role there will be scope to develop a specialist interest. You must be fully registered with a GMC licence to practice and be on the specialist register (or within six months of entry) on the date of the interview. The Trust welcomes all applications, regardless of age, gender, race, disability or sexual orientation.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will be expected to undertake clinical work in conjunction with their colleagues and other professional staff in order to maintain and develop haematology services and develop specialist skills in accordance with the needs of the department. They will also be responsible, in conjunction with colleagues, for planning future development of these services. The post holder will be expected to work with appropriate stakeholders in primary care and tertiary centres to continue to develop integrated services. The post holder will have continuing responsibility for the care of patients in their charge and will be expected to provide a comprehensive clinical service to consultant colleagues in other clinical disciplines in the hospital and to general practitioners within the locality. The post holder will participate in a weekday and weekend on‑call rota for haematology services. They will be expected to cover colleagues in their absence and ensure continuous patient care. The post holder will also deputise in the absence of colleagues in cases of annual leave, study leave and sickness as far as is practicable.

About us

We provide hospital services from two acute sites – Darlington Memorial Hospital and University Hospital of North Durham. We have a centre for planned care in Bishop Auckland and provide care from community hospitals in Chester‑Le‑Street, Shotley Bridge, Barnard Castle, Sedgefield and Weardale as well as over 80 other community‑based settings and providing care in patients' homes. We particularly welcome applications from disabled and Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) candidates as they are currently under‑represented.

Job responsibilities

Inpatients are admitted under the care of the physicians, either on ward 42 in Darlington Memorial Hospital (where there is generally a mix of haematology, oncology, specialty and general medical patients) or other medical wards. Inpatient management of haematological aspects of patient care is undertaken by the haematologists in a joint liaison role with the physicians. The bulk of the haematology caseload is outpatient and day‑cases; there are regular busy clinical sessions for these cases in each of Darlington, Bishop Auckland, Durham and Shotley Bridge Hospitals. Each day unit provides facilities for bone‑marrow biopsy, intravenous chemotherapy, venesections etc. Chemotherapy‑trained nurses assist on the day units at all sites. The day units facilities are shared with visiting oncologists. The Trust works in partnership with the Northern Cancer Alliance and delivers level 2a care. Level 2b care upwards (approximately 15 cases per year) is delivered by the neighbouring trusts (South Tees and Newcastle Hospitals). Level 3 and 4 care is provided at the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle. The clinical team attend the weekly lymphoma and leukaemia/myeloma MDTs at Freeman Hospital in Newcastle (either in person or via Teams). We use the chemocare chemotherapy prescribing system in line with most other haematology services in the region. Paediatric haematology and haemophilia services are organised on a regional basis via RVI Newcastle, but there are instances where the post holder will be involved e.g. new cases. The anticoagulant service is managed by nurse‑led clinics via near‑patient testing. These clinics are held in four sites (UHND, DMH, Richardson Hospital and BAH). The clinic nurses also carry out face‑to‑face consultations in various GP practices across county Durham. We also have almost 500 patients who self‑test; they submit their results and receive dosing instructions using a digital solution (either via telephone or e‑mailing system). This clinical care group contains the pathology specialties haematology and blood transfusion, microbiology, cellular pathology, biochemistry and immunology. The consultant haematologists provide liaison and advisory services for the other clinical services within the Trust and Primary Care, including non‑haematological bone marrow examinations, outpatient transfusion and support for antenatal services. CDDFT have a lead for haemostasis and thrombosis and for Blood Transfusion and is supported by a full‑time Transfusion Practitioner and two Associate Transfusion Practitioners. All new diagnoses of malignant haematology conditions are reviewed through NEHODS (North East Haemato‑Oncology Diagnostic Service) where bone marrow biopsies and material for cell markers and molecular biology studies are sent. This links in with the weekly MDT.

Special Requirements

• ALS
• Interest in promoting and/or performing research in the Trust

Special Skills & Knowledge

• Ability to work in a team with medical and nursing colleagues, managers, biomedical scientists and patients.
• Broad range of IT skills.
• An understanding of clinical governance.
• Evidence of participation in audit.
• Good knowledge of and ability to use spoken and written English.
• Experience of participation in undergraduate and postgraduate teaching.
• Management and administrative experience.
• Evidence of having implemented change.
• Evidence of having changed practice as a result of audit.
• Evidence of attending courses to develop teaching skills.

Experience

• Evidence of thorough and broad training and experience in haematology.
• Ability to take independent responsibility for the clinical care of patients.
• Ability to offer an expert clinical opinion within the specialty.
• Specialist interest that will complement the current service.
• Experience of participation in research and clinical studies.

Statutory Registration

• GMC registration
• Holder of certificate of completion of specialist training in haematology, or within six months of award.

Qualifications

• Full registration with the General Medical Council.
• Membership of the Royal College of Physicians or equivalent.
• Membership of the Royal College of Pathologists or equivalent.
• MBBS or other recognised equivalent medical degree.
• Holder of certificate of completion of specialist training in haematology, or within six months of award.
• MRCP part 1.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.