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GOLDEN JUBILEE NATIONAL HOSPITAL
JOB DESCRIPTION
Specialty Doctor in Transplantation & Mechanical Circulatory Support
1. JOB IDENTIFICATION
Job Title: Specialty Doctor in Transplantation & Mechanical Circulatory Support
Department(s): Cardiothoracic Transplantation/Scottish National Advanced Heart Failure Services
No of Job Holders: One
2. JOB PURPOSE
The post is suitable for cardiothoracic trainees at the end their training or CCST holders seeking subspecialty
experience. The duties will involve the care of patients within the Transplant & Mechanical Circulatory Support
(MCS) program within the service of the Scottish Advanced Heart Failure Service (SAHfS). The appointee will
share responsibility with other members of an established multidisciplinary team for pre-operative assessment,
preparation, surgical care and post operative care of all patients undergoing cardiac transplantation and ventricular
assist devices (VADs). This includes attendance at outpatient clinics, transplant ward rounds, and emergency
transplant and ventricular assist device implantation procedures. The post holder will contribute to the
cardiothoracic retrieval rota at 1:4 frequency. The potholder will also take part in routine cardiac surgery theatre and
outpatient sessions. The successful candidate will have opportunity for research, including submission of
publications to peer reviewed journals and presenting at international meetings.
3. ORGANISATIONAL POSITION
The post holder will be clinically responsible to and supervised by the Clinical Lead for Cardiac Transplantation.
Managerially he will be responsible to the Associate Medical Director for Surgical Specialties. The SAHfS is a
cohesive multidisciplinary team involving cardiologists, surgeons, intensivists, perfusionists specialist nurses &
transplant coordinators.
The post holder will be assigned a named Educational Supervisor who will oversee the structure of their
educational needs and experience.
4. SCOPE AND RANGE
The unit undertakes Cardiac Transplantation and ventricular assist devices (short and long term) implantation as
part of the SNAHFS. The unit is a specialist component of the West of Scotland Regional Heart & Lung Centre at
the Golden Jubilee.
The team of cardiothoracic surgeons undertake between them the whole range of cardiothoracic surgical
procedures. Approximately 1300 open heart procedures are undertaken each year together with some 1500
thoracic procedures (600 major and 500 VATS).
In the Heart and Lung Centre there are 4 dedicated cardiac theatres and 2 dedicated thoracic theatres. There are
two intensive care units with a total of 21 staffed beds and 16 staffed high dependency beds in two separate units.
There are 73 ward beds. The wards consist of single rooms with en-suite facilities and telemetry for the cardiac
areas. The operating theatres and critical care areas are co-located, lying adjacent on the same floor. The
SAHfS ward accommodation is housed within the National Services ward along with the Scottish Adult Congenital
Cardiac Service and the Scottish Pulmonary Vascular unit. The ward has a dedicated screening room for right heart
catheterisation and endomyocardial biopsies.
5. MAIN DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES
The responsibilities of the post are mainly, but not exclusively:

Pre-operative assessment and preparation of patients undergoing potential cardiac transplantation and/or
implantation of VADs. This will be at the outpatient clinic as well as on the ward.

Taking part of the Heart Failure MDT and cardiac MDT meetings.

Assisting the Consultants and operating surgeons in the operating theatre. Performance of operative procedures
under supervision as appropriate.

Take part in the routine cardiac procedures as an assistant or as a primary operator under appropriate
supervision

Postoperative care of the patient undergoing cardiac transplantation & VADs on Intensive Care, High
Dependency and the ward. Training and appropriate supervision will be provided.

Contributing to the organ retrieval rota. The unit provides cardiothoracic surgical presence and expertise to the
Scottish Organ Retrieval Team and as such is responsible for retrieval of all thoracic organs for transplantation
from Scottish centres and occasionally Irish and Northern English. Cardiothoracic organ retrieval and donor
management is currently being developed to include inserting Swan Ganz catheters, transoesophageal echo and
bronchoscopy. Appropriate training and supervision will be provided.

Post operative follow-up of patients in the outpatient clinic.

Support and encouragement will be provided for audit and clinical research projects related to transplant and
VAD activity. There are links with the cardiovascular institute at Glasgow University.

Taking active part of teaching sessions and Journal club

The careful and timely recording of clinical data both written and electronic as outlined in the principles of Good
Medical Practice described by the GMC.
6.
SYSTEMS AND EQUIPMENT
Familiarity with hospital IT systems including SCI Store, PACS, Medcon, TomCat (to be replaced by the new
CaTHi system in early 2012) and the Clinical Information System.
Ability to make presentations at departmental meetings – using Microsoft PowerPoint.
7. DECISIONS AND JUDGEMENTS
Although the post holders will contribute to the care of transplant and VAD patients on ICU, the unit is a
Consultant-led service with excellent and immediate support from Consultants. The ICU operates a model of
shared care between the surgeons and intensivists and there is a middle-grade anaesthetist and a consultant
intensivist on-call at all times. The post holder will be expected to provide flexible cover on ICU for the immediate
post operative care of transplant and VAD patients
8. COMMUNICATIONS AND RELATIONSHIPS
Appropriate Communication and exemplary teamwork are key components in the management of sick heart failure
patients, transplant and complex VAD patients. The post holder will have to communicate with both junior and
senior medical colleagues, with ward and intensive care nurses and with nurse practitioners in addition to other
AHPs. The continuing responsibilities for post-operative care will involve frequent interaction with patients and
patients’ relatives.
There will be opportunities to make presentations and to be involved in teaching. The unit has a strong tradition in
audit and projects are actively encouraged.
9. PHYSICAL DEMANDS OF THE JOB
Routine ward rounds and handovers and MDT meetings commence at 0800h daily. Day shift ends at 1800h.
10. MOST CHALLENGING/DIFFICULT PARTS OF THE JOB
Getting the balance between managing critically ill patients appropriately in a high risk environment and referring
problems to senior colleagues. Equally, balancing the desire for training and the needs of service provision is
challenging.
11. KNOWLEDGE, TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE REQUIRED TO DO THE JOB
All applicants must have full registration with the General Medical Council.
Applicants should hold the MRCS or equivalent and ideally towards the end of completion of their Cardiothoracic
Surgery training or post CCST who are seeking further sub speciality experience before applying for a consultant
post. Experience in Intensive Care and High Dependency management is mandatory.
The unit runs regular teaching activities each week and training will be given as required. There is a permanent
wet lab facility which the trainees are encouraged to use for self-directed training.
Courses are available locally and up to 30 days study leave is available over a three year period, as set out in the
cardiothoracic leave guidance policy for non consultant medical staff.
The post holder will be required to adhere to all GJNH policies, procedures and regulations.
12. TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF SERVICE
This post is covered by the Terms and Conditions of Service of Hospital and Dental Staff
(Scotland).
Salary Scale: Specialty Doctor Scale and an 8% availability supplement.
Indicative Job Plan
PA
Monday
am
pm
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
am
pm
am
pm
am
pm
am
Transplant clinic
0900h – 1200h
Cardiac surgery Clinic
1300h -1600h
Theatre 08:00h-1300h
Theatre 1300h-1800h
Flexible
Flexible
Theatre 08:00h-1300h
Theatre 1300h-1800h
Heart Failure MDT
08:00-10:00
Flexible
1.5
2.5
2.5*
0.5
pm
Ongoing Patient Care (in hours) Flexible
2
Unpredictable Out of Hours: Includes retrieval rota and ongoing care of
transplant and VAD patients
2
SPA
1
Total
12**
On call 1;4 with prospective cover (retrieval rota): Availability supplement 8%
Job plans are reviewed on an annual basis by the Medical Director or his deputy. Changes will be
discussed and agreed with the post holder in line with service needs and objectives set for the
consultant.
The post holder will be expected to work flexibly to provide ongoing care to transplant and VAD patients
and to be available to assist as first assistant at transplant and VAD operations. This may involve
irregular hours and substituting the fixed sessions.
* of which 2 PA designated EPA
** of which 2 PA designated EPA
13. JOB DESCRIPTION AGREEMENT
Job Holder’s Signature:
Date:
Head of Operations / Associate Medical Director Signature:
Date:
Informal enquiries
In the first instance please contact either:
Mr Saleem Haj-Yahia
Lead Consultant for Transplant & VADs Surgery
Golden Jubilee National Hospital
Beardmore Street
Clydebank
G81 4HX
Telephone:
Or
Dr M Higgins
Associate Medical Director
Golden Jubilee National Hospital
Beardmore Street
Clydebank
G81 4HX
0141 951 5853
Telephone:
Consultant Surgeons:
Cardiac:
GA Berg
V Pathi
U Nkere
FWH Sutherland
S Haj-Yahia
Cardiothoracic:
J Butler
IW Colquhoun
SR Craig
Thoracic:
AJB Kirk
AN Jilaihawi
M Asif (Locum)
Congenital:
KJD MacArthur
JCS Pollock
M Danton
A Maclean
0141 951 5830
Trainee and Non-Consultant Career Grade Doctors:
In addition to the consultant surgeons there are a number of other trainee and non consultant career grade
posts within the service, as follows:




1 Specialty Doctor based in HDU area.
1 Senior Doctor based in the ward area.
10 “senior” registrars or equivalent – contributing to the “senior “ Cardiothoracic full shift rota, (a
mixture of trainees and experienced clinical fellows)
4 Core Surgical Trainees and 2 FY2 doctors – contributing to the 1:12 hospital at night rota
In addition there are 14.5 wte Nurse Practitioners supporting the service and the junior doctor team in the
ward, clinic and HDU. There are 4 Surgical Care Practitioners working within the service.
Completed applications to be returned to:
Recruitment
Human Resources Department
Golden Jubilee National Hospital
Agamemnon Street
Clydebank
G81 4DY
Recruitment Person Specification
Qualifications/Training
Experience
Essential
1. MBCHB or equivalent
Desirable
1. MRCS or equivalent
2. Previous Internal Medicine
or Surgery
2. CCT or equivalent
3. General cardiothoracic
experience.
4. Experience in intensive
care
This must equate to at least 4
years full time post-graduate
training.
Skills/Knowledge
5. Excellent knowledge of
written and spoken English.
Donor management &
assessment
6. Evidence of excellent
communication & team
working skills.
Additional job requirements
e.g. car driver, unsocial
hours
3. Commitment for clinical
research / Evidence of
completed research
4. Evidence of involvement in
audit
Any other additional
information
7. Full registration with GMC