ENT Cancer/Thyroid Consultant

Job overview

The advertised post is substantive full time (10PA) posts which will join a well-established consultant team across the Northampton and Kettering combined Ears Nose and Throat (ENT) service. The Head Neck appointee will be predominantly based at NGH. The post holder can have cross site sessions, if required, to meet service demands. The KGH and NGH combined offer comprehensive ENT care to around 800,000 people across district with a wider catchment for more specialised services.

The Kettering Hospital Trust became a foundation trust in 2008. KGH provides services at the Kettering Hospital at Kettering, supported by services at the Corby Clinic and other outreach clinics. Our catchment population is 400,000 which are expected to steadily increase above the national rate.

Northampton general Hospital (NGH) is a busy hospital. We serve over 400,000 people across Northampton and surrounding areas for specialist services.

Paediatric in-patient care is based on Skylark ward at KGH and Disney Ward at NGH. There are also dedicated Paediatric assessment units attached to the Paediatric wards at both sites. Adult ENT in-patients are based in 14 bedded Head and Neck Ward at NGH which is shared with Maxillo-Facial Surgery. This includes 4 High Care Bay and 2 individual rooms.

Main duties of the job

HEAD NECK CANCER ROBOTIC/THYROID POST – The post holder will be based at NGH and will have the opportunity to manage Head Neck cancer patients through the regional Head Neck Cancer MDT. The regional Head and Neck Cancer and Thyroid Cancer service is centralized at the Northampton General Hospitals NHS Trust (NGH) and includes Kettering General Hospital (KGH) and Milton Keynes University hospital which covers Buckinghamshire. The combined cancer service covers a population of just fewer than 1 million. There is a weekly Head and Neck MDT and a Thyroid MDT, allowing all hospitals to be involved through a well-established video-link. Diagnostic work is carried out at KGH and MKUH while all major surgery and Chemo/Radiation therapy is offered at NGH.

Recently, the regional Head and Neck MDT have developed closer working relationship with the Head and Neck MDT at Leicester Royal Infirmary (LRI). This has further enhanced opportunity to participate in academic studies and trials. This has also provided flexibility to map service requirement to available capacity between NGH and LRI. Both MDTs have shared M&M, Clinical Governance and Academic meetings and are in process of developing joint super-specialized head neck service e.g. Robotic Head Neck service. Working together, Northamptonshire and Leicestershire head neck cancer MDT cover just over 2.5 million population extending from south Midland to Buckinghamshire

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

A formal job plan will be agreed between the appointee and their Clinical Director, on behalf of the Medical Director, as soon as possible after the commencement date of the appointee. This will be signed by the Chief Executive and will be effective from the commencement date of the appointment.

The Trust has discretion to offer additional programmed activities in appropriate cases.

The Job Plan will then be reviewed annually, following the Appraisal Meeting. The Job Plan will be a prospective agreement that sets out a consultant’s duties, responsibilities and objectives for the coming year. It should cover all aspects of a consultant’s professional practice including clinical work, teaching, research, education and managerial responsibilities. It should provide a clear schedule of commitments, both internal and external. In addition, it should include personal objectives, including details of their link to wider service objectives and details of the support required by the consultant to fulfil the job plan and the objectives.

The JD attached provides an outline of the expected clinical activity and clinically related activity components of the job plan which occur at regular times in the week. Agreement should be reached between the appointee and their Clinical Director with regard to the scheduling of all other activities, including the Supporting Professional Activities. Upon appointment the consultant will be given a specific “work programme” detailing the initial allocation of direct clinical care activities and supporting activities.

The Successful candidate will be offered 10 PA’s for consideration in the ­first instance, and the possibility of an additional clinic/theatre as an additional DCC PA if agreeable. Direct Clinical Care 8.0 PAs on average per week (clinical activity, clinically related activity, predictable and unpredictable emergency work) Supporting Professional Activities 2.0 PAs on average per week (includes CPD, audit, teaching [postgraduate and undergraduate research).