Consultant - Emergency Care

Job overview

Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is seeking to appoint a Consultant in Emergency Medicine to work at our Specialist Emergency Care Hospital at Cramlington. This is the first purpose-built hospital of its kind in the country, providing 24/7 EM Consultant presence, as well as Specialty Consultant presence 12 hours each day, 7 days a week.

We are one of the country’s top performing NHS Foundation Trusts, looking after the wellbeing of around half a million people across Northumberland and North Tyneside – one of the largest geographical areas of any NHS trust in England. Recent CQC inspection rated Northumbria Health Care Trust as outstanding overall.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will be joining a team of 24 whole time equivalent EM Consultants who provide a 24 hour presence in the ED, 7 days a week. Our Consultant led service means we have the opportunity to work closely together, and the majority of shifts are worked alongside other EM Consultant colleagues. In addition, we have 24 hour SAS/SpR cover. The role is suitable for anyone who is keen to provide a highly visible and hands on approach to EM.

The rota is annualised at 11 PAs allowing flexibility over the year for the post holder to follow any external interests, and we able to offer posts on a full-time or part-time basis.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

We are seeking an excellent Clinician who thrives in the busy environment of a modern Emergency Department. Dedicated attending Emergency Physician sessions will be integral to the postholder’s job plan. These will involve managing patient flow along with Senior Nursing staff, supervising Junior Medical staff, being part of an initial assessment team, “signing off” their patients and leading in all resuscitation room cases. The senior team believes very much in a “hands-on” approach to consultants’ clinical activity, and any new appointment would be expected to act similarly.

For a PEM Consultant we would be offering a shared role of up to 50% between paediatric and adult EM.

During these sessions the postholder will wear scrubs and will be always available to staff needing assistance. The establishment of this role has been a vital step to improve the clinical safety and efficiency of the department. The trust has developed a “Front of House” approach to emergency care since 2004. This involves very close working relationships between EM and acute medicine, and the emergency departments act as the single portal of entry for most non-elective patients to ensure consistency of assessment and most appropriate use of in-patient capacity. The ethos is to promote senior involvement in a patient’s care as soon as possible, allowing early decision-making. You will need to be willing to think about a patient’s requirements beyond the first 4 hours of care in a way in which you would not be expected to in many other departments.

Same Day Emergency Care

A new Ambulatory Care Unit at NSECH and provides SDEC 7 days per week as part of acute medicine, surgery and gynaecology. It also houses the Trust virtual fracture clinic. This area is run by senior clinicians who will liaise directly with the Emergency Department team to ensure patients who can be treated through Ambulatory Care are streamlined from the Emergency Department into there and an admission avoided.

During the recent pandemic we have developed a front door streaming process run by the senior ED team to direct patients to the most appropriate place.

It is recognised that new consultants will have variable knowledge of management issues and techniques. The post-holder will be introduced to this aspect of the post according to their experience and abilities. Attendance at strategic, planning and operational meetings will be expected from the outset.  The post holder will also be required to actively participate in strategic and operational projects.

More difficult roles such as appraisal, recruitment of staff and personnel management roles will be introduced gradually and participation in trust and regional courses in these areas will be very much encouraged.

Overall responsibility for Clinical Care in the Emergency Departments of the Trust lies with the Head of Service, currently Dr Jo Hughes (Emergency Physician).