Speciality Doctor in Palliative Medicine

As a speciality doctor in palliative care, you will work within the medical team at NightingaleHouse Hospice to provide a high standard of medical care to patients admitted to theinpatient unit for symptom management, end of life care or respite, as well as patientsattending outpatients or the wellbeing programme. This post offers an opportunity todevelop palliative care experience and skills, with SPA time and a culture of learning anddeveloping professionally. You will also have the opportunity to participate in audit, teachingof GP registrars, medical students and disseminating knowledge to the wider team.The medical team consists of the medical director, 2 speciality doctors (including you), 1 GPregistrar and 2 advanced nurse practitioners. We work with palliative care consultants whoremotely review the patients twice a week, at a board round. You will work alongside thenursing team, pharmacist, patient flow, rehab, family support team, chaplain andcomplementary therapist to deliver care to patients with life limiting conditions. You willdeliver individualised, holistic care to patients and their loved ones, with empathy,compassion and kindness, respecting patient\’s dignity and with an aim to empower them tolive well with a palliative diagnosis.

Responsibilities

• Admit patients to the inpatient unit for end-of-life care, symptom management or respite
• Provide care for inpatients, outpatients, and patients attending wellbeing or rehab appointments; initial assessment, daily reviews, planning and management
• Identify and address the physical, psychological, spiritual and social needs of patients and families
• Work closely with and support the nursing team and wider MDT, maintaining positive working relationships and close teamwork
• Communicate compassionately with patients and families regarding condition, treatment, prognosis and advanced care planning
• Participate in weekend rota (1:4 weekends), being on-site Saturday and Sunday 9 to 5
• Participate in clinical meetings as part of the MDT
• Complete administrative tasks arising from medical work—discharge summaries, letters following outpatient appointments, death certificates, coroners reports
• Liaise closely with external partners—GPs, Specialist Palliative Care Team, district nurses, specialist clinical nurses and secondary care
• Develop and maintain high professional standards within the service and promote multidisciplinary team working
• Promote and participate in teaching and educational activity—medical students, GP registrars, colleagues, patients and families
• Participate in clinical governance activities e.g., quality improvement activities and ensure implementation of best practice guidelines
• Promote the ethos of audit in the organisation and where possible participate in clinical audit
• Maintain personal development through personal development reviews, monthly 1:1 meetings, clinical supervision, training, SPA time and appropriate courses, which the hospice will support
• Engage in the appraisal process, the organisation has the required arrangements in place and ensures all doctors have an annual appraisal with a trained appraiser and supports doctors going through the revalidation process

Qualifications

• Medical Degree MBChB MRCP, MRCGP equivalent
• Diploma in palliative medicine or
• Full GMC Registration equivalent
• Masters degree experience in research and / or MSc
• Membership of special interest group
• Point of care ultrasound course or similar

Experience

• 4 years post registration palliative care or hospice experience, including 1 year
• Experience in safeguarding
• Relevant experience in allied specialties (GP, general medicine)
• Experience in practical procedures specialties (e.g., GP, general medicine)

Skills and Abilities

• Computer literate
• Procedural skills relevant to experience
• Excellent communication skills
• Commitment to patient involvement in the design of service improvements
• Ability to plan undertake clinical audit and research
• Commitment to teamwork and multi‑professional working
• Ability to work with groups of staff from a variety of professional backgrounds in a collaborative manner
• Reasoning skills to address challenge
• Organise self and others
• Knowledge of Clinical Governance, Audit experience
• Self‑motivated qualities
• Able to meet travel/health requirements of the job
• Effective time management skills
• Flexibility
• Open honest approach

Other

• Able to drive and access to a car
• Welsh speaker

Key Working Relationships

• Medical director
• General practitioners
• Palliative care consultants
• District nurses
• Speciality doctor
• Secondary care teams at local hospitals
• Specialist clinical nurses
• Advanced nurse practitioner
• Specialist palliative care team
• Director of clinical and patient services
• Patient flow lead and co‑ordinator
• Ward manager and deputy ward managers
• Wellbeing lead
• Family support team
• Pharmacist
• Physiotherapists
• Occupational therapist
• Chaplain
• Complementary therapist
• Ward clerk/ clinical administrators

Policies and Procedures

All employees of the Hospice have a statutory duty of care for their own personal safety and that of others who may be affected by their acts or omissions.

Employees are required to cooperate with management to enable the Hospice to meet its own legal duties including attendance at mandatory training updates and also to report any hazardous situations or defective equipment.

All employees must treat all information, whether corporate, staff or patient information, in a discreet, secure and confidential manner in accordance with the provisions of the current data protection legislation and organisational policy.

All employees must comply with the hospice’s disciplinary policy; any breach of confidentiality is a serious disciplinary offence, liable to dismissal and/or prosecution under statutory legislation and the hospice\’s disciplinary policy.

All employees are legally responsible for all records that they gather, create or use as part of their work within the organisation (including patient health, staff health or injury, financial, personal and administrative). They should consult the IG Lead if they have any doubt as to the correct management of records with which they work.

Risk Management: It is a standard element of the role and responsibility of all staff of the Hospice that they fulfil a proactive role towards the management of risk in all of their actions. This entails the risk assessment of all situations, taking appropriate actions and reporting of all incidents, near misses and hazards. It is a requirement that they adhere to Nightingale House Hospice Policies, Procedures, Protocols and guidelines at all times.