MORECAMBE BAY HOSPITALS NHS TRUST
JOB DESCRIPTION
STAFF GRADE IN ACCIDENT AND EMERGENCY

FULL-TIME: 13 Sessions per week
BASE: Westmorland General Hospital

THE LOCATION

The hospital is in a beautiful part of the country with easy access to the Lake District. There are shops within walking distance of the hospital. The Kendal Leisure Centre is half a mile away with ample parking. The Centre provides numerous activities. Kendal and the surrounding towns have good theatre and cinema facilities and several art galleries.

THE HOSPITAL

Westmorland General Hospital is part of the Morecambe Bay Hospitals NHS Trust and has close links with the other 2 hospitals in the Trust, namely the Royal Lancaster Infirmary and Furness General Hospital, Barrow 25 miles to the west.

It is a 236 bed hospital on the southern outskirts of Kendal which opened in 1991. It serves a resident population of approximately 97,000, in an area covering the South Lakes and parts of North Lancashire, North Cumbria and North Yorkshire.

The hospital has 50 beds for General Medicine, a 4 bed CCU, 54 Acute Geriatric beds and 34 beds for Rehabilitation. There are also beds covering General Surgery, Urology, Trauma and Orthopaedics, Obstetrics, Gynaecology and a 6 station Renal Dialysis Unit. Also situated on site are a 12 bed Day Case Unit covering Surgical Specialities and Endoscopy, 3 Day Hospitals (for the Elderly, Adult Mentally Ill and Elderly Mentally Ill), 3 Operating Theatres and an Emergency Room for Obstetrics. There are also 47 beds for the Acute Mentally Ill managed by The Bay Community Trust. N.H.S. DIRECT is based in the hospital.

A full range of support services including on site Pathology, Pharmacy, Clinical Investigation, Rehabilitation etc. are also available.

It has a first class Education Centre and unrivalled modern residential accommodation for junior medical staff.

REGIONAL SERVICES

The specialties of Neurosurgery and Plastic surgery are based at the Royal Preston Hospital, although outpatient sessions are held at Lancaster. Emergency Cardio-thoracic Surgery is based at Blackpool Victoria Hospital.

THE EMERGENCY AND MINOR INJURY UNIT DEPARTMENT

EMERGENCY AND MINOR INJURY UNIT - WESTMORLAND GENERAL HOSPITAL KENDAL

This unit sees 19,000 new patients and 3,000 return patients a year with more attendances during the Summer period. Approximately 18% of patients are Tourists to the area.

FACILITIES

There is a 2 bedded Resuscitation Room with adjacent relative’s room, 5 cubicles including a children’s treatment room, an eye room with slit lamp, a plaster room and a recovery area.

There is a computerised A&E system with designated A&E reception area.

The A&E Waiting Room has a separate area for children.

An X ray link between WGH and Barrow and Lancaster.

The unit has direct access to the Fracture, ENT and Eye clinics held on-site. There are 2 Review Clinics held in A&E each week.

STAFFING

The Unit’s medical cover has previously been provided by 3 Staff Grade Posts (10 sessions) and Clinical Assistant sessions. There are 6 nurse practitioners in post. Consultant A&E on-call is from Lancaster.

The Trust has now agreed to improve the medical cover provided to 4 Staff Grade Posts (13 sessions). Consultant sessions will also be increased from 1 to 3 in 2003.

Night time cover (midnight to 0800). Nurse Practitioner cover will continue overnight. The Nurse Practitioners can refer patients directly to Medicine, the night GP Co-operative (based within the Unit) and A&E at RLI. Protocols are in place.

There is no resident anaesthetist, therefore only elective surgery is supported at Kendal. There are no Paediatric In-patient beds. In view of the above the Cumbria Ambulance service is supplied with a protocol to limit the range of ambulance cases presenting to the unit. Major Trauma is diverted to the main unit at Lancaster.

The Staff Grade’s responsibilities include assessing and treating patients arriving with minor injuries, major injuries and medical problems. These patients include those referred from GPs and those who refer themselves. Treatment will include initial assessment, resuscitation and diagnosis and referral to other specialties when appropriate.

The successful candidate would be expected to perform administrative tasks e.g. checking positive X-rays results on patients with no follow up arranged, checking all blood, biochemistry and MSU results on discharged patients and assist in liaison with groups such as General Practitioners and the Ambulance Service.

He/she may be expected to assist with the teaching of the nurses and medical students. He/she may also be required to help run the Review Clinics.

CPD

The appointment will be for 13 sessions (1 session for audit/teaching/CPD and 2 for anti-social shifts). One audit or research study must be completed in every 6-month cycle.

The successful applicant will be encouraged to attain instructor status in an Advanced Life Support Course (APLS, PALS, ALS). Local courses are held in Westmorland General Hospital, Kendal.

The directorate will support the continuing professional development of the successful applicant with approved study leave. The successful candidate will have a named Consultant mentor and there will be a yearly appraisal process. There will be bi-monthly meeting with the supervising Consultant and all A&E Trust Staff Grades for teaching / audit / appraisal from 2003.

HOLIDAYS

Holidays and Study Leave should be booked at least 6 weeks in advance and normally only one Staff Grade will be permitted leave at any one time. Holidays are fixed on the rota 1 in 8 weeks and a further 10 days can be booked. Locums will be provided for holiday cover for weekend sessions and during the months of July and August (permitting two Staff Grades away at a time, if locums are available.).

FUTURE DEVELOPMENT

It is proposed that Staff Grades may rotate between the two units at Westmorland General Hospital and the Royal Lancaster Infirmary in the future. In view of this any candidate must have a current driving licence.

The successful candidate accepts that he/she will occasionally be asked to perform duties at short notice if a crisis occurs.

ROTA AND DUTIES: ROTA 'A'

A locum will be provided during the months of July and August. Additional Clinical Assistant sessions will be needed to help cover holidays over weekends.

Flexibility in working is required particularly if the department is busy at midnight.

“1100-1900” shifts will allow for lunch and evening meal breaks (30 minutes) to be covered by a doctor. The Staff Grades on 1100-1900 shifts will also be able to attend lunchtime meetings in the WGH Postgraduate Centre over their mealbreak.

WEEKLY PROGRAMME

The rota system chosen will be agreed by the 4 Staff Grades and the A&E Lead Clinician for WGH. During holiday and Study leave the 1100-1900 shift would go. Locums may be provided at weekends.

Rota for Doctors A, B, C, D

* Audit / CME / Appraisal

MAIN CONDITIONS OF SERVICE

The post is subject to the current Hospital Medical and Dental Staffs Terms and Conditions of Service and such local conditions of service as may be determined by Morecambe Bay Hospitals NHS Trust.

The post is wholetime for 12 months in the first instances, then renewable at Westmorland General Hospital.

CONDITIONS OF APPOINTMENT

The person appointed will be required to possess the appropriate registration of the General Medical Council.

Practitioners appointed to their first post within the NHS will be required to undergo a medical examination prior to the appointment.

In accordance with the Trust’s Health and Safety at Work Policy, it is each member of staff’s responsibility to observe all rules relating to Health, Safety and Conduct at Work and use any equipment provided in a safe and responsible manner.

NO SMOKING POLICY

The Trust operates a No Smoking policy at Westmorland General Hospital as part of health promotion activities and to provide a healthy working environment and pleasant atmosphere for all patients. All post holders are expected to comply with this policy.

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