Consultant Radiologist – Interventional Radiology

NHS trust in the West Midlands | Two acute hospital sites | £7 million imaging upgrade completed 2022

Overview 

A consultant interventional radiologist post of 10 programmed activities is available with an acute NHS trust in the West Midlands. The appointee will join a department of 25 consultant radiologists, four of whom hold an interventional interest, providing imaging across two acute hospital sites twenty minutes apart. 

The post combines vascular and non-vascular intervention with a commitment to the general diagnostic workload. There is currently no out-of-hours interventional rota. 

The department

The trust is the main provider of acute hospital services for around half a million people, with emergency, inpatient, outpatient, diagnostic and critical care services on both sites. A major capital programme has been approved to develop both hospitals.

The Department of Radiology has 33 rooms across the two sites, and all imaging modalities are available at both. A £7 million upgrade completed in 2022 added a CT scanner and replaced the angiography and cardiology suites, eight general X-ray rooms, two fluoroscopy rooms and four mobile units. Equipment includes two Philips Azurion angiography and cardiology suites, five CT scanners, four 1.5T MRI scanners, eight ultrasound rooms, SPECT-CT nuclear medicine and digital mammography. The breast screening service is based on the larger site, and a community diagnostic centre provides further CT, MRI, ultrasound and X-ray capacity.

The service runs on Agfa PACS, installed in 2017 and upgraded in 2022, with image links to regional tertiary centres and participation in the cancer network image sharing initiative. Independent reporting sonographers carry around 70 per cent of the ultrasound workload, consultant and advanced practitioner radiographers report appendicular and chest plain films, and radiographers perform barium examinations. Specialty registrars rotate through from a regional teaching hospital, and the department has its own radiology nursing team.

The post

The job plan is 10 PAs, comprising 7.75 DCC, 2.0 SPA and 0.25 for non-resident on-call. The DCC allocation includes one PA for resident evening and weekend working. An indicative week includes a full day of intervention, an ultrasound-guided intervention session, CT, MR and general reporting, vetting and a duty radiologist session, alongside two SPA sessions. The split between sites can be agreed to suit the appointee and the service, and job plans may include home reporting. The formal job plan is agreed with the Clinical Director within three months of starting. The appointee will perform vascular and non-vascular interventional procedures for inpatients and outpatients on the main site, and take part in the cross-county general on-call rota at approximately 1 in 24, with prospective cover for annual and study leave. Resident working on the same frequency covers weekday evenings until 20:30 and weekend days. The first on-call overnight general service is outsourced to an external provider.

The role includes teaching and training junior radiology staff, regular clinico-radiological meetings with consultant colleagues, and a share in the organisation of the department. The trust has a fully staffed audit department at both hospitals, will accommodate research interests where possible, and runs an established continuous improvement programme with its own improvement hub.

New consultants are offered mentoring within the trust, with annual appraisal and full support through revalidation. Study leave is 30 days across a three-year period within a set budget, and annual leave is 32 days, rising to 34 after seven years as a consultant. The post holder will have full-time secretarial support and an equipped office.

Person specification

Essential

• MBBS, MBChB or equivalent medical qualification
• FRCR or equivalent
• Full registration and a licence to practise with the GMC
• Entry on the GMC Specialist Register via CCT (proposed CCT date within six months of interview) or CESR
• Clinical training equivalent to that required for a UK CCT in Clinical Radiology
• Experience in interventional radiology
• Evidence of commitment to clinical audit and research

The area

The post is based in the West Midlands, in largely rural country of market towns, river valleys and hills, with some of the most attractive countryside in the Midlands on the doorstep. The motorway network gives straightforward access to Birmingham and the wider region, with rail links to Birmingham and onward to London. Single residential accommodation is available for medical staff subject to availability, and staff benefits include on-site childcare, discounted staff parking, gym membership and NHS discount schemes.

Making an application

All CVs should be submitted through BDI Resourcing. BDI Resourcing will handle the introduction, keep you updated on shortlisting, and support you through compliance and relocation.

For a confidential discussion, please contact: Nicola Humroy, Director of Diagnostics, BDI Resourcing nicolahumroy@bdiresourcing.com | 07507 565 111

 BDI Resourcing offers a referral fee for successful recommendations.