Consultant Cardiothoracic Anaesthetist

About the role

We are delighted to be able to offer an opportunity for a highly motivated, ambitious individual to join our well integrated team. The appointee will join the current team of fifteen WTE Adult Cardiothoracic Anaesthetists and Intensivists who provide Cardiothoracic Anaesthesia, intensive care and some non-cardiothoracic anaesthetic services. This is part of a planned consultant workforce expansion to increase cover to theatre and Cardiac Intensive Care.

Responsibilities

• Continue to develop and support the department for significant cardiac and thoracic surgical workload.
• Support the rapidly increasing requirement for input into the critical care area.
• Undertake the on-call consultant rota in conjunction with other consultant colleagues to provide cover for emergency work in Cardiothoracic Theatres, cardiology catheter labs and cardiac critical care areas.
• Provide a significant commitment to research and audit.
• Deliver a training commitment to the Trust Grade doctors, specialist trainees and critical care practitioners.
• Demonstrate flexibility in a changing work environment.

Facilities and services

The Freeman Hospital is part of the Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Trust. In addition to Cardiology and Cardiothoracic Services, other onsite specialities include Rheumatology, Nephrology, Respiratory and General Medicine, ENT, Orthopaedics, Hepatobiliary, Urology and Vascular Surgery. The Cardiothoracic Centre is self-contained within the hospital site.

The Cardiothoracic Centre performs a full range of cardiothoracic surgical procedures including revascularisation, valve surgery, dysrhythmia surgery, Adult Congenital Heart surgery and cardiopulmonary transplantation. The Thoracic Surgical Programme includes a minimally invasive Thoracic Service including robotically assisted procedures. The Freeman is one of the six national centres designated for the implantation of Ventricular Assist Devices and performed the highest number of durable LVAD implantations in 2023/24. Approximately 800 operations involving cardiopulmonary bypass are carried out per year.

The 21-bed Intensive Care Unit consistently delivers excellent outcomes based on data submitted to ICNARC. Temporary mechanical circulatory support such as ECMO and Impella is provided, and the unit acted as a surge ECMO centre to support the national response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Requirements

• Primary Medical Qualification.
• Full GMC Registration.
• FRCA or equivalent diploma.
• Entry onto the GMC Specialist Register (within 6 months from the date of the application for CCT candidates).
• Transoesophageal Echocardiography accreditation.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 12 months advanced training in Cardiac and Thoracic Anaesthesia and Cardiac Intensive Care.
• Experience in Cardiac and Lung transplantation, durable ventricular assist devices and different temporary MCS devices.
• Minimum of one year experience in the NHS.
• Ability to take independent responsibility for the clinical care of patients referred to a tertiary centre.

Desirable skills and experience

• Higher Degree.
• Higher qualification in Intensive Care.
• Experience with robotic thoracic surgery.
• Experience in management of advanced heart failure.

Management and administration

• Involvement with management and project leadership within the specialty.
• An understanding of Clinical Governance.

Teaching

• Experience of supervising junior medical staff.
• Experience of participation in undergraduate and postgraduate teaching.
• Ability to teach clinical / technical / practical skills.

Research

• Evidence of involvement in and understanding of research methodology and publication of findings.
• Research/critical review of literature.

Audit

• Evidence of participation in audit.
• Evidence of having changed practice as a result of audit.