Locum Consultant Anaesthetist

The Job

This is a brilliant chance to work as Consultant Anaesthetist at a large teaching hospital in the midlands region where you will have the opportunity to make a significant impact on the lives of patients by providing exceptional care before, during and after surgical procedures. With amazing prospects for growth and advancement, and a supportive and inclusive workplace culture, this is an exceptional opportunity for both NHS experienced doctors and international doctors new to the NHS who are looking for their first UK role.

With a primary focus on patient safety, you’ll be able to develop and implement anaesthesia plans that meet the unique needs of each individual patient, working alongside a team of very experienced NHS professionals who can provide supervision and guidance when needed. You’ll be given room to expand you clinical practice, but without being left in a position where the direction of your day to day/weekly activities are unclear.

Currently the on-call frequency is around 1:14 which means the job also attracts a 3% salary uplift in addition to the 11 PA average rota (8.5 regular PAs and 1.5 SPAs). 

Key Details

Job Title: Locum Consultant Anaesthetist

Location: Midlands

Salary: £88,364 - £119,133

Contract: 12 months (with a view to extend)

The Department/s

As with most teaching centres, this Trust has multiple sites and so whilst you’ll be allocated a primary site to work from (this is where you will be based most often), you are likely to be required from time to time at the second hospital site too; this means of course that some flexibility will be required. The good news is that both departments are well established, and a free transport service is offered between the sites, so you will never be out of pocket and all time for travel is accounted for within your rota.

The larger of the 2 hospitals is one of the leading acute centres in the region with over 500 beds and a 24-hour ED and trauma unit, serving a population of more than 420,000 people across the surrounding areas. Given the size and teaching status of the Trust, they therefore train over 25% of all student doctors in the region.

This site has a university feel in the way it has been designed, encompassing a separate Women’s & Children’s Hospital, as well as the main hospital buildings, but all in one campus. This houses everything from the Emergency Department, Unplanned Care Centre and Medical/Surgical Acute Assessment Units all the way through to some to the more specialist services including vascular surgery with inpatient, day case and outpatient facilities.

There are 8 theatres within the main theatre complex on the first site which are sued for GI, vascular, urology, ENT & dental, ophthalmology and emergency surgery. One of the theatres has an integrated laparoscopic theatre as the vascular service provides a wide range of open and endovascular procedures, in addition to 3 laminar flow theatres for orthopaedic and trauma surgery.

The second site we’ve alluded to is another acute hospital with around 170 adult beds, also covering the full range of medical and surgical specialties (including women’s and children’s services). The hospital has a 24-hour Emergency Department and an Assessment and Treatment Centre (ATC), supported by an excellent Pathology Department, Pharmacy and Clinical Therapy Services team. The Medical Unit has integrated General and Elderly medical services within five acute wards, with separate units dedicated to Gastroenterology, Respiratory, Stroke (with 12 acute/rehabilitation stroke beds) and Endocrinology. The Endocrinology service has a new ward within a freshly built and fully-equipped Cardiology and general medicine ward.

As of 2023 it’s confirmed that the existing endoscopy suite is soon going to be replaced by a brand-new, purpose-built Endoscopy Unit offering diagnostic and therapeutic UGI endoscopy, colonoscopy, and bronchoscopy.

This second site has half the number of main theatres (4), but maintains a separate day surgery unit serving each of the surgical specialties and containing an integrated HDU and ICU.

Main Duties

Due to the understanding/supportive culture within the department, it should be highlighted from the outset that a final job plan for the post will be agreed with you following your appointment to the role – the team understand that for any new Consultant it will take some time to settle in before establishing a comfortable routine (whilst satisfying a sometimes changing clinical demand). This plan can be discussed and renewed annually, depending on the service requirements of the department and personal developmental needs of the successful applicant.

The service has an on-call rota for junior anaesthetic staff (CT1 &CT2) based in theatres and 2nd on-call (ST3 & above) based in the ICU. There is also a separate tier of intensive care Consultants dedicated to the cover of critical care (DCC). If appointed you will also participate emergency anaesthetic cover working the on-call Consultant rota, providing cover on a reciprocal basis for colleagues as and when needed. You will:

• Work at all times to the highest clinical standards within Anaesthesia
• Work together with your colleagues to offer comprehensive Anaesthetic advice to all patients
• Work with both medical and nursing colleagues to improve and advance the service
• Share responsibility for management decision within the department
• Help to teach and train junior medical staff, nursing staff, primary care colleagues and medical students
• Ensuring participation in continuing professional development (CPD)

Dedicated time/resources will be provided for education and development – both for you and for you to assist others working around you. As mentioned, you’ll be pivotal in the education and training of future anaesthetists, something you’ll achieve through protected SPA time to supervise/mentor junior staff and actively contributing to the hospital's residency training program. Monthly ‘all staff’ teaching sessions give a great chance to engage in an open forum, as well as regular audit meetings where Consultants are encouraged to add value. As a standard, you’ll have a study leave allowance of 30 days/3 years pro-rata, so you can use this in addition to SPA time for CPD.

The Trust’s investment in the many active research and development projects undertaken by the research department has helped to culminate in the attainment of the Teaching Hospital status in 2017 – a huge achievement for any NHS organisation. As such, all staff are strongly encouraged to be involved in and collaborate on local, regional and national research projects.

Requirements

To apply for this role, you will need:

• Full GMC Registration (or you have been invited to the ID check stage) 
• Previous experience at Consultant level either in the NHS or overseas
• Recognised post graduate degree (e.g. EDAIC, EDIC, MRCP, FRCA, USMLE)
• English Language Test (OET or IELTS)
• EPIC verification (via the ECFMG) of your primary and post-graduate medical qualifications

How BDI Resourcing can support

When choosing to apply for your next role with BDI Resourcing, you’ll have the full support of an expert recruitment team who will assist, as standard, with:

• CV Preparation using our recognised bespoke guidance
• Application support with expert knowledge of specialisms, NHS and local support
• Video based Interview Preparation using specific example questions according to job role
• Contract and offer negotiations for salary, relocation packages, tenure and more

Once you have accepted your new role, you’ll then be met by one of our dedicated relocation executives who will guide you through all the way to starting to your new role including:

• Document gathering and checking
• COS and Visa Application support if applicable
• Short- and long-term accommodation sourcing
• Travel Arrangements
• Family support for finding schools and any other aspects of pastoral care

We look forward to hearing from you!