Bank Consultant Anaesthetist

at  Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

As well as general elective orthopaedics, as a specialist orthopaedic centre we provide services for the following conditions: Complex orthopaedic surgery (spinal and revision joint surgery) Complex paediatric surgery Spinal cord injury rehabilitation Bone tumour surgery Speciality bone densitometry Specialist rheumatology We provide both specialist and routine Orthopaedic care to our local catchment area and nationally, and work with partner organisations to provide specialist treatment for bone tumours and community-based rheumatology services. We provide services for a population well in excess of 750,000 people. The normal catchment area includes Shropshire, North Wales, Mid Wales, Merseyside, Cheshire, Herefordshire, Staffordshire, Stoke on Trent. The hospital receives secondary and tertiary referrals from an even wider area due to the specialist nature of its work.
The hospital has nine inpatient wards including a private patient ward, plus a HDU ward, twelve operating theatres, as well as extensive outpatient and diagnostic facilities. Outreach clinics are held in neighbouring healthcare facilities to ensure that specialist services are provided as close to peoples homes as possible. The RJAH Orthopaedic Hospital is a specialist hospital, dealing primarily with elective Orthopaedics from Shropshire, North and Mid Wales and we have 188 beds across our 9 wards and HDU unit (this includes a 16 bed Private Ward). There are a number of specialised Units within the hospital including; Arthroplasty, Rheumatology, The West Midlands Centre for Spinal Injuries (MCSI), Department of Spinal Disorders, Foot and Ankle, Hand and Microsurgery, Musculoskeletal Tumours and the Paediatric Orthopaedic Department.
In addition, the hospital has a Care of the Elderly Unit. The Arthritis Research Centre highlights the research activity for which the hospital is known. With a continuous increase in activity, over 11,500 procedures are performed in our theatres each year. There is a specialist Musculoskeletal Radiology Department with MRI, ultrasound and CT scanning, with 6 full-time specialist Musculoskeletal Radiologists.
There is also a specialist department dealing with Metabolic Bone Disease and provides both clinical and investigative services. RJAH Orthopaedic Hospital, Oswestry is world renowned as a postgraduate teaching institution and provides for the West Midlands Orthopaedic Specialist Registrar training program and spinal injuries contribution to rehabilitation medicine training. We are a patient centred organisation that prides itself in delivering outstanding patient care. We are proud that our reputation for excellence sets us apart.
Shropshire is the largest inland county in England in the most western part of the West Midlands Region. It is a beautiful, predominantly rural county with low population density and some dramatic landscapes. There is good reasonably priced housing, a wide choice of schools and plenty of recreational opportunities. The workload of the anaesthetic department is, in the vast majority of cases, elective and is therefore both planned and predictable.
The anaesthetic service is entirely non-trainee delivered with the department consisting of 26 consultants and 1 associate specialist. The department hosts Clinical Fellows in Regional Anaesthesia and there are 4 Anaesthetic Associates training in the department. Trainees visit the department from local rotations for regional anaesthesia and orthopaedic anaesthesia experience. As there is no A&E department, the anaesthetic department is able to concentrate on providing a high-quality service for our elective patients.
Although this is a single surgical speciality hospital, the anaesthesia delivered is interesting, challenging and varied. There is ample opportunity to perform techniques such as ultrasound guidedregional anaesthesia, local anaesthetic catheter techniques, neuraxial blockade and fibreoptic and video-assisted intubation. Invasive monitoring is regularly employed for revision hip and major spinal surgery. There is a well-established enhanced recovery programme and advanced day case pathways for many procedures.
The department is suitably well equipped with multiple ultrasound machines, new cell saver machines, advanced airway devices, and cardiac output monitors. The Anaesthetic Department has monthly business meetings, regular Audit meetings, andcontributes to the hospitals well-established multi-disciplinary clinical audit meetings. We are active members of the British Society of Orthopaedic Anaesthetists. The departments work is supported by 2 administrators.
The Anaesthetic department is responsible for the medical pre-assessment of patients for surgery. The clinics have consultant input for 9 sessions per week. After initial triage, the majority of patients are assessed by nurse practitioners with consultants acting in an advisory role. Patients with multiple co-morbidities or those undergoing more complex or higher risk surgery are assessed by the Consultant directly.
The pre-op assessment process is paperless, using a state-of- the-art electronic system. We have 2 acute pain nurses following up acute surgical cases, teaching ward staff, auditing results and following up rapid rehabilitation cases. Whilst there is a lead for acute pain, all anaesthetists are encouraged to involve themselves with this aspect of post-op care. The Trust has 12 Theatres.
Our main theatres contain the unique Barn. Four operating enclosures are suspended from the ceiling of a large open working area within which there is free movement of theatre staff. The working environment for Anaesthetic staff is one of co-operation and company with colleagues, instead of the isolating format of normal modular theatres. Being able to discuss clinical matters with colleagues as they arise is a major advantage.
In addition to the barn, the main theatre area has 6 other clean air operating theatres, including 4 large state-of-the-art theatres in an extension. The theatre development includes a day of surgery patient admission and discharge area and a 5-7 bed HDU. Specialist Registrars rotate to the Trust for periods of three months, mainly for training in regional anaesthetic techniques. They also can gain valuable experience anaesthetising infants and small children.
All consultants contribute to in-house teaching of non-medical staff. Currently RJAH provides level 0 and 1 care to patients on wards throughout the Hospital. Designated level 2 care for surgical and medical patients is provided in a 5-7 bedded HDU unit within the main hospital block. We are looking for a consultant with an interest in orthopaedic anaesthesia to join our register of temporary workers and provide provide ad hoc sessions .
An interest in pre-op assessment, regional anaesthesia, or anaesthesia for spinal surgery would be an added advantage. The Post will involve all aspects of peri-operative anaesthetic care for orthopaedic and spinal surgery and the postholder will be expected to: - Ensure effective and open communication with anaesthetic and surgical Take part in all aspects of pre, intra and postoperative anaesthetic care for both inpatient and day case orthopaedic Demonstrate a degree of flexibility in their working patterns, as demanded by a consultant-based The schedules provided would be on ad hoc basis and would involve Direct Clinical Care Activities. The scheduling of these activities is subject to alteration by the Trust in accordance with clinical developments or changes in service delivery

Please refer the Job description for details