Consultant in Palliative Medicine

The postholder will join the Hospital Palliative Care Team based on the Torbay hospital site. The team forms an integral component of both the Cancer Support Team and the Torbay and South Devon Specialist Palliative Care Service.

The HPCT provides a specialist palliative care service in the acute setting from 0900 to 1800 Monday to Friday and 09.00 to 14.00 at weekends. This is a liaison service, working with teams throughout the hospital to provide support, expert advice and guidance for the care of patients requiring palliative and end of life (EOL) care. The service receives an average of 124 new referrals per month, 48% of patients with cancer and 52% with non-cancer diagnoses.

Current direct clinical medical input to the HPCT is provided by Dr Fay Murray-Brown (0.6wte), Dr Emily Russell (0.6wte) and Dr Helen Kimble (0.6wte); these figures exclude on call commitment for the whole service. Dr Sarah Human and Dr George Walker provide additional clinical support when cover required.

On call activity

The on-call commitment is 1 in 5 second on call out of hours advice for Rowcroft Hospice, Torbay Hospital and community services; this may be subject to change as the consultant workforce develops. On call activity includes support for rotating medical trainees covering the hospice first on call. There is also a 1 in 25 Friday/weekend first on call commitment for the inpatient unit at Rowcroft Hospice; admissions are taken out of hours 24/7.

The postholder will join the Hospital Palliative Care Team (HPCT) based on the Torbay hospital site. The team forms an integral component of both the Cancer Support Team and the Torbay and South Devon Specialist Palliative Care Service.

The HPCT provides a specialist palliative care service in the acute setting from 0900 to 1800 Monday to Friday and 09.00 to 14.00 at weekends. This is a liaison service, working with teams throughout the hospital to provide support, expert advice and guidance for the care of patients requiring palliative and end of life (EOL) care. The service receives an average of 124 new referrals per month, 48% of patients with cancer and 52% with non-cancer diagnoses. In addition to direct patient care, the team has a key role in education and leadership to enhance a palliative care approach for all patients by all staff.

There are close working relationships with oncology and haematology services as well as the wider cancer support team including psychology, dietetics, speech and language services and chaplaincy. The HPCT provides representation at all cancer MDTs apart from breast, skin, urology and haematology. Support for patients with non-malignant disease forms a significant part of the workload and has recently been extended with input into Heart Failure and Liver Disease Supportive care MDTs. Specific interests of the postholder with regards to specialty MDT provision will be supported where possible.

On call activity

The on-call commitment is 1 in 5 second on call out of hours advice for Rowcroft Hospice, Torbay Hospital and community services; this may be subject to change as the consultant workforce develops. On call activity includes support for rotating medical trainees covering the hospice first on call. There is also a 1 in 25 Friday/weekend first on call commitment for the inpatient unit at Rowcroft Hospice; admissions are taken out of hours 24/7.

Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust is an Integrated Care Organisation providing acute health care services from Torbay Hospital, community health services and adult social care. The Trust runs Torbay Hospital as well as five community hospitals, stretching from Dawlish to Brixham.

Torbay Hospital is a medium-sized, progressive and innovative District General Hospital providing acute services to South Devon with a 10-bedded Critical Care Unit, six general theatres, three orthopaedic theatres and a day surgery unit. We provide services in most specialties within Torbay but have close working relationships with Royal Devon University Healthcare (Exeter and North Devon) and University Hospitals Plymouth.

Qualifications and training

Desirable: - Relevant higher degree

Clinical experiencce

Management and administrative experience

Desirable: - Evidence of innovation development and implementation of guidance; - Evident of involving patients in practice

Teaching/Research experience

Desirable: - Teaching qualification; - Experience of research; - Publication of peer reviewed journals

Communication and personal skills

Essential: - Resilience; - Flexible approach; - Self-motivated; - Enthusiastic; - Collaborative approach to team working