Radiology Consultant with Subspecialist Expertise in MSK Radiology

Job overview

An exciting opportunity has arisen within the Radiology Directorate for a Consultant Radiologist join our highly functional, accomplished, and friendly team.

The Radiology Directorate offers a full range of diagnostic investigations over a number of sites (2 acute and 5 community).

The Royal Blackburn Teaching Hospital is part of the PFI hospital. Radiology comprises 6 general rooms, 1 fluoroscopy room, 1 multipurpose interventional suite, 4 CT scanners (Canon 640 slice, Siemens 128 slice and 2 x 80 detector row Toshiba systems), 2 MRI scanners (Siemens Sola 1.5T) and a 3 room ultrasound suite.  A further 5 ultrasound rooms are situated adjacent to antenatal and include Siemens and Canon machines. The angiography suite is within the theatre complex. Further investment is planned with a hybrid theatre to be commissioned.

Our Nuclear Medicine Department has 2 Siemens SPECT enabled Gamma Cameras.

Burnley General Teaching Hospital primarily supports out-patients and GP patients.  Radiology has a single CT, two MRI systems, five general rooms, a single digital fluoroscopy room and 2 ultrasound rooms. Further ultrasound equipment is located within the Lancashire Women and Newborn Centre.

Both screening and symptomatic breast imaging services are provided for the women of East Lancashire from a dedicated Breast Imaging Unit on the Burnley General Teaching Hospital premises.

The service has a mobile MRI scanner (Philips Ingenia Evolution 1.5T).

Main duties of the job

We are seeking to appoint a  capable and forward-thinking doctor. The candidate should have completed the radiology training (either in the UK or equivalent abroad) and should have sufficient skills to be able to independently report MRI, CT and US examinations within their areas of sub-specialty expertise. Must have good experience with general CT and MRI, both inpatient and outpatient scans.

The candidate is required to take a lead role in the rheumatology and orthopaedic MDTs. They must already be proficient in each of these areas without needing support.

Essential skills are:

• Independently be able to perform MSK ultrasound including procedures
• Independently perform MSK fluoroscopy procedures
• Independently report MSK X-ray, CT & MRI imaging
• Independently provide specialist MSK opinions for clinicians

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

To take a lead role in the rheumatology & orthopaedic MDTs, undertake MSK ultrasound including fluroscopy procedures, independently report MSK Xray, CT & MRI. Provide specialist MSK opinion.

A sample 10.0 PA job plan subject to discussion would include:

• 3.5 sessions cold reporting mainly MSK scans
• 1 session hot reporting - acute MRI and/or CT
• 1 session injections (screening and/or ultrasound guided
• 0.5 sessions MDT
• 2 sessions ultrasound
• 0.75 session free in lieu of on call (1 in 20)
• 1.25 SPA session off site

0.25 SPA is afforded to departmental meetings (directorate, audit, REALM, consultant meetings) - this activity replaces a direct clinical care session.

The on-call is a 1 in 20. The radiologist is required to be on site at Blackburn 5-7pm on weekdays and 9am to 3pm on weekends. The consultant has the option to cover the rest of the on call from home. There will be an ST3-5 on call with the consultant who will be on site till 9pm. An outsourcing provider covers the on-call, reporting all the CT scan from 9pm to 9am with the local consultant then second on-call. MRI service is not provided from 9pm to 9am. It is incredibly rare to be disturbed overnight when second on-call.

The job plan will be reviewed through discussion with the clinical director within the first 3 months and annually thereafter.

The general reporting sessions can be at either Royal Blackburn Teaching Hospital, Burnley General Teaching Hospital or Rossendale Community Diagnostic Centre, which are  within an 11 mile radius. A home workstation is also provided and most radiologists choose to work 1 day per week from home. 5 hours of the core SPA is flexible and can be undertaken at home. 1 hour is usually required for departmental meetings.

As a senior employee of the Trust the candidate will work in close co-operation with clinical staff and other medical professionals and managerial colleagues in providing high quality health care to the Trust's patients. Integral to these responsibilities is:

• The provision of a first-class service
• Effective leadership to all staff engaged in the specialty
• Sustaining and developing teaching and research
• Undertaking all work in accordance with Trust procedures and operating policies
• Conducting clinical practice in accordance with Trust procedures and operating policies

A job plan will be agreed between the appointee and the Clinical Director.