• Job Description

  Req#: C9360-25-0259?language=en&page=1009&sort=publicationDateDesc

  Job summary

  This is an exciting opportunity to join our team of Acute Physicians at West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals.

  The post holder will share in the management responsibilities associated with the care of patients and the running of the 3 Units, supported by a dedicated team of resident doctors to provide the on-going clinical management and care to patients.All medical admissions referred by GPs or via ED are seen and assessed in the EAU/ AAU.Stroke and suspected MI patients are exceptions. Admitted patients requiring specialist input are reviewed on EAU/AAU by appropriate specialist teams and/or transferred to specialist wards as required.There is an emphasis on multidisciplinary working with the nursing and therapies staff across the Units to ensure our patients return home as soon as is appropriate and do not encounter unnecessary delay.Our Acute Physicians have three areas of work, all co-located on the Acute Medicine/ Emergency Medicine floor:oThe Ambulatory Care Unit (ACU) iThe ACU sees 40-50 patients per day, operating from 08:00 to 20:00, 7 days a week.oThe Emergency Assessment Unit (EAU) is a relatively new unit through which acute admissions for both medicine and surgery are admitted.oThe Acute Assessment Unit (AAU) is a short stay 60-bedded unit for medical patients requiring 24-72 hours of care.

  Main duties of the job

  The post holder will share in the management responsibilities associated with the care of patients and the running of the 3 Units, supported by a dedicated team of resident doctors to provide the on-going clinical management and care to patients.

  All medical admissions referred by GPs or via ED are seen and assessed in the EAU/ AAU.

  Stroke and suspected MI patients are exceptions. Admitted patients requiring specialist input are reviewed on EAU/AAU by appropriate specialist teams and/or transferred to specialist wards as required.

  There is an emphasis on multidisciplinary working with the nursing and therapies staff across the Units to ensure our patients return home as soon as is appropriate and do not encounter unnecessary delay.

  About us

  With a new hospital planned for Watford and work underway to update theatres at St Albans City Hospital, this is an exciting time to join us.We are building on the success of our award-winning virtual hospital and re-imaging models of care, working ever more closely with partners and making the most of advances in digital healthcare.Staff wellbeing and development are a priority at our Trust, as is the role of innovation in improving clinical care, outcomes and patient experience.Our vision is Excellent patient care, together and our values are to be empowered, compassionate, professional and inclusive. They capture an important balance across what we must all do as individuals and to support others.At West Herts we offer a variety of flexible working options as we recognise the importance of a good work life balance and the ability to work flexibly. https://www.westhertshospitals.nhs.uk/flexibleworking/We kindly invite you to consider submitting an application.If you have a disability or long-term health condition and should you require support or guidance please contact westherts.recruitment@nhs.netIf you are a Service Leaver, Veteran, Military Reserve, Cadet Force Adult Volunteer, or partner/spouse of those serving please tick "Member of the Armed Forces Community" on the application form.If you do not hear back within 3 weeks of your application, please assume you have been unsuccessful on this occasion.

  Details

  Date posted

  07 May 2025

  Pay scheme

  Hospital medical and dental staff

  Grade

  Consultant

  Salary

  £105,504 to £139,882 a year London Fringe £149 per annum

  Contract

  Fixed term

  Duration

  12 months

  Working pattern

  Full-time

  Reference number

  360-A-1086

  Job locations

  Watford General Hospital

  Vicarage Road

  Watford

  WD18 0HB

  
  

  Job description

  Job responsibilities

  a) Providing a consultant level service in Acute Medicine at Watford General Hospital, with responsibility for the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of illness, and the proper functioning of the departmentb) Liaising with Consultants in the departments of Emergency Medicine, Care of the Elderly, and other Medical Specialties, as well as with the Trusts community partners to ensure that patients receive optimal management consistently across the Trustc) Out-of-hours responsibilities, including participation in consultant emergency general medical on-call rota and providing consultant leadership to acute beds and ambulatory care at Watford General Hospitald) Covering for colleagues' annual leave and other authorised absencese) Working in clinical and other domains within Acute Medicine if required including attendance at departmental educational and management meetingsf) Supervising and managing junior medical staffg) Carrying out teaching, examination and accreditation of junior staff and contributing to undergraduate, postgraduate and continuing medical education locally and nationallyh) Participating in medical audit, the Trusts Clinical Governance processes and in CPDi) Liaising with colleagues in other disciplines e.g., physiotherapy, pharmacy and radiology in the treatment and care of patientsj) Involving family members and carers in discussions about a patients care as appropriatek) Managerial tasks, including budgetary responsibilities where appropriatel) Undertaking additional professional responsibilities at local, regional or national levelsThe Medical Take is managed by the Acute Physician team in hours (08:00 to 17:00 on weekdays), with support from dedicated ANPs and junior doctors. On average an Acute Physician will post take 15-20 patients from 08:00-17:00. In addition to the Acute Physicians, consultant Cardiologists post take all acute cardiology admission on the Take.Evening (17:00 to 21:00) and on-call responsibility for the Medical Take during the week is undertaken by a rota of other medical specialty consultants. There is a separate Care of the Elderly post taking consultant Monday to Thursday 13:00 to 21:00 and Friday 13:00 to 17:00, who see all patients 80 years old and above.

  The Acute Physicians share a 1:20 weekend rota with other medical specialty consultants to post take and provide consultant cover in AAU/EAU 08:00 to 21:00 on weekends, with on-call from home overnight. Junior doctors in training of all grades are rostered to cover the medical take.The Acute Physicians take part in 2 separate out of hours and weekend rotas:1 With the other Acute Physicians, they provide 1:8 weekend and evening cover (until 20:00) to the Ambulatory Care Unit. The present arrangement is that each consultant works late on one evening Monday to Thursday every other week and is part of a 1:8 rota to cover Friday evenings and weekends.2 The Acute Physicians are also part of a 1:20 weekend rota with consultants from other medical specialties covering all new medical admissions on Saturdays and Sundays. They are on site from 08:00 to 21:00 and on-call from home overnight.An on-call availability supplement equivalent 3% of full-time basic salary is payable for participation in the on-call rota.

  Job description

  Job responsibilities

  a) Providing a consultant level service in Acute Medicine at Watford General Hospital, with responsibility for the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of illness, and the proper functioning of the departmentb) Liaising with Consultants in the departments of Emergency Medicine, Care of the Elderly, and other Medical Specialties, as well as with the Trusts community partners to ensure that patients receive optimal management consistently across the Trustc) Out-of-hours responsibilities, including participation in consultant emergency general medical on-call rota and providing consultant leadership to acute beds and ambulatory care at Watford General Hospitald) Covering for colleagues' annual leave and other authorised absencese) Working in clinical and other domains within Acute Medicine if required including attendance at departmental educational and management meetingsf) Supervising and managing junior medical staffg) Carrying out teaching, examination and accreditation of junior staff and contributing to undergraduate, postgraduate and continuing medical education locally and nationallyh) Participating in medical audit, the Trusts Clinical Governance processes and in CPDi) Liaising with colleagues in other disciplines e.g., physiotherapy, pharmacy and radiology in the treatment and care of patientsj) Involving family members and carers in discussions about a patients care as appropriatek) Managerial tasks, including budgetary responsibilities where appropriatel) Undertaking additional professional responsibilities at local, regional or national levelsThe Medical Take is managed by the Acute Physician team in hours (08:00 to 17:00 on weekdays), with support from dedicated ANPs and junior doctors. On average an Acute Physician will post take 15-20 patients from 08:00-17:00. In addition to the Acute Physicians, consultant Cardiologists post take all acute cardiology admission on the Take.Evening (17:00 to 21:00) and on-call responsibility for the Medical Take during the week is undertaken by a rota of other medical specialty consultants. There is a separate Care of the Elderly post taking consultant Monday to Thursday 13:00 to 21:00 and Friday 13:00 to 17:00, who see all patients 80 years old and above.

  The Acute Physicians share a 1:20 weekend rota with other medical specialty consultants to post take and provide consultant cover in AAU/EAU 08:00 to 21:00 on weekends, with on-call from home overnight. Junior doctors in training of all grades are rostered to cover the medical take.The Acute Physicians take part in 2 separate out of hours and weekend rotas:1 With the other Acute Physicians, they provide 1:8 weekend and evening cover (until 20:00) to the Ambulatory Care Unit. The present arrangement is that each consultant works late on one evening Monday to Thursday every other week and is part of a 1:8 rota to cover Friday evenings and weekends.2 The Acute Physicians are also part of a 1:20 weekend rota with consultants from other medical specialties covering all new medical admissions on Saturdays and Sundays. They are on site from 08:00 to 21:00 and on-call from home overnight.An on-call availability supplement equivalent 3% of full-time basic salary is payable for participation in the on-call rota.

  Person Specification

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  Disclosure and Barring Service Check

  This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

  Certificate of Sponsorship

  Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

  From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

  UK Registration

  Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

  Additional information

  Disclosure and Barring Service Check

  This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

  Certificate of Sponsorship

  Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

  From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

  UK Registration

  Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

  Employer details

  Employer name

  West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

  Address

  Watford General Hospital

  Vicarage Road

  Watford

  WD18 0HB

  
  

  Employer's website

  http://www.westhertshospitals.nhs.uk (Opens in a new tab)

  Employer details

  Employer name

  West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

  Address

  Watford General Hospital

  Vicarage Road

  Watford

  WD18 0HB

  
  

  Employer's website

  http://www.westhertshospitals.nhs.uk (Opens in a new tab)

• About the company

  National Health Service (NHS) is the umbrella term for the publicly-funded healthcare systems of the United Kingdom (UK). The founding principles were that services should be comprehensive, universal and free at the point of delivery—a health service based on clinical need, not ability to pay. Each service provides a comprehensive range of health services, free at the point of use for people ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom apart from dental treatment and optical care.

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