Consultant Respiratory And General Physician

This is an essential appointment to ensure the continuance and development of the General Medical and Respiratory Services for the catchment population served by Wexford General Hospital and Wexford Community Care.

Targets for Wexford GH and nationally are to reduce trolley waits and improve patient experience times. A significant proportion of patients who can be redirected to outpatient care with appropriate supervision are those with respiratory disease and clinical governance for this will be met by this appointment. This joint Consultant Post will be focused on reducing hospital admissions and by enhancing respiratory care in both community and home settings. The post will facilitate the:

The smooth interaction between Community, Home and Hospital treatment.

There is a need for respiratory expertise in the management of the respiratory component of acute medicine in the hospital, respiratory disease is the most common cause of acute hospital presentations and is a significant factor in many of our ICU admissions. Management of respiratory disease has become more specialised, thus on site respiratory expertise has become essential in order to deliver optimum medical care to this group of patients. The essential role of respiratory specialist expertise in delivering acute medicine is also reflected in higher specialist training. These training posts now need to include respiratory medicine as essential component. There is an acceptance that respiratory care in the future will be the continuing care in the home and hospital setting. In particular with support for patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) in their homes. The data available in Europe outlines the burden of COPD of patients in the coming decades this post will provide an integrated path way to manage this coming pressure by ensuring an efficient interface between home and hospital.

The new post holder will agree his/her work schedule for AMAU and outpatients clinic with the Clinical Director of both Wexford General Hospital and Community Care and will work with the other Consultant Physicians in the provision of services at Wexford General Hospital and HSE South East Community Healthcare This involves participating in unselected on call rota adopting the physician on call model whereby the on-call physician is responsible for and is available to the AMAU, regular ward rounds, out- patients’ clinic and bronchoscopy lists as well as the regular administrative duties including active participation in hospital HSE South East Community Healthcare/Committees and regular departmental audits.

a) To participate in development of and undertake all duties and functions pertinent to the Consultant’s area of competence, as set out within the Clinical Directorate Service Plan and in line with policies as specified by the Employer.

b) To ensure that duties and functions are undertaken in a manner that minimises delays for patients and possible disruption of services.

c) To work within the framework of the hospital / agency’s service plan and/or levels of service (volume, types etc.) as determined by the Employer. Service planning for individual clinical services will be progressed through the Clinical Directorate structure or other arrangements as apply.

d) To co-operate with the expeditious implementation of the Disciplinary Procedure (attached at Appendix II).

e) To formally review the execution of the Clinical Directorate Service Plan with the Clinical Director / Employer periodically. The Clinical Directorate Service Plan shall be reviewed periodically at the request of the Consultant or Clinical Director / Employer. The Consultant may initially seek internal review of the determinations of the Clinical Director regarding the Service Plan.

f) To participate in the development and operation of the Clinical Directorate structure and in such management or representative structures as are in place or being developed. The Consultant shall receive training and support to enable him/her to participate fully in such structures.

g) To provide, as appropriate, consultation in the Consultant’s area of designated expertise in respect of patients of other Consultants at their request.

h) To ensure in consultation with the Clinical Director that appropriate medical cover is available at all times having due regard to the implementation of the European Working Time Directive as it relates to doctors in training.

i) To supervise and be responsible for diagnosis, treatment and care provided by non-Consultant Hospital Doctors (NCHDs) treating patients under the Consultant’s care.

j) To participate as a right and obligation in selection processes for non-Consultant Hospital Doctors and other staff as appropriate. The Employer will provide training as required. The Employer shall ensure that a Consultant representative of the relevant specialty / sub-specialty is involved in the selection process.

k) To participate in clinical audit and proactive risk management and facilitate production of all data/information required for same in accordance with regulatory, statutory and corporate policies and procedures.

l) To participate in and facilitate production of all data/information required to validate delivery of duties and functions and inform planning and management of service delivery.

m) To carry out teaching as appropriate.

Operational, strategic, developmental, clinical, administrative and other duties that will apply to the post:

.

Clinical

This is a consultant physician post with full consultant responsibility in providing care to respiratory patients. The key responsibilities are:

• The care of individuals with respiratory disease in the ambulatory care hub and inpatients on the Respiratory Service
• Participation in the running of the bronchoscopy/PFTs service in the acute setting
• Full participation in the running of the Integrated Respiratory services across the primary and secondary care settings
• With other integrated consultants provide onsite clinical governance to NCHD’s in AMAU.
• Participation in the Respiratory Department’s Consult Service
• Provision of respiratory medicine outpatient services in both the ambulatory care hub and acute settings.
• Provision of general internal medicine services and participation in the “On Take Roster” •Participation in the administrative, planning and strategic development of the Respiratory Service
• Participation in undergraduate and postgraduate teaching
• Participation in the Research activities of the inpatient and ambulatory care hub Respiratory Services
• Participation in conjunction with his/her respiratory colleagues, the respiratory services provided at Wexford General Hospital.
• The areas of specific interest for this post include leading and delivering respiratory integrated care in a community setting.
• The Consultant will be able to provide basic skills in bronchoscopy and pulmonary physiology (PFTs).
• The Consultant will have responsibility for service provision, education and training, service development and quality improvement.
• The Consultant should have abilities in management and be capable of assuming lead responsibilities in the future.
• The post includes a commitment to on call to the general medical/respiratory services in the hospital.
• The post will contribute to on-going progress in the delivery of senior decision making at the point of access to the hospital and redirection of patients presenting acutely to the hospital back to community care with acute management plans or redirection to appropriate specialist outpatient assessment.
• This consultant presence extends across the enhanced working week and provides cover during out of hours or off peak periods across the entire week including weekends.
• The community aspect of the post will have no on-call commitment