The fetal medicine unit specialises in the care of women with high risk or problematic pregnancies. We are a specialist referral centre for the diagnosis and management of:

Fetal conditions requiring surgery or surgical follow up after delivery (such as abdominal wall defects, congenital lung lesions, diaphragmatic hernia, and obstructive uropathy).

Significant fetal cardiac anomalies including babies that require surgery

Chromosomal abnormalities (such as Down’s Syndrome)

Genetic conditions

Structural fetal defects

Twin and higher multiple pregnancies

Pregnancies affected by red cell antibody incompatibility

The post-holder primarily complements the Obstetrics and Fetal Medicine service. The successful candidate will have responsibility for fetal Medicine, diabetes clinic, ambulatory care services and the management of high risk cardiac patients. They will also cover labour ward including a regular caesarean section list. The post holder is also expected to provide senior clinical leadership on the postnatal ward.

The appointee will provide a high-quality Obstetrics service, in conjunction with consultant colleagues already in post. It would be expected that the consultant offers continuous responsibility for the care of patients named under their team.

It is expected that the successful candidate will enhance the educational opportunities available to our trainees by any reorganisation and development of services that they initiate. Regular audits will be required and supervision for Quality Improvement Projects (QIP) undertaken by the trainees. Involvement in general management and committee work for the hospital will also be encouraged.

The Directorate has weekly MDT and educational meetings in which medical cases are reviewed and discussed and audits are presented. The Directorate holds monthly Consultant meetings, Gynaecology and Perinatal morbidity and mortality meetings.

The post holder will have secretarial support from a senior patient administrator shared between other Consultants. The appointee will have a desk in a shared office with access to a computer.

Chelsea and Westminster is the designated centre for specialist neonatal and paediatric surgery in North West London. We offer a one stop shop for comprehensive multi-disciplinary assessment to plan care for those babies that require surgery following delivery. This service is a dedicated, combined fetal medicine, neonatal, surgical and urological clinic.

Our strong links with gynaecology, and geographically close proximity to the Royal Brompton Hospital ensures that pregnancies complicated by fetal or maternal cardiac condition receive individualised care via our combined cardiac clinics.

Our fetal medicine consultants hold weekly fetal growth clinics for the monitoring and management of fetal growth restriction. We see a large number of multiple pregnancies and have expertise in the management of complex pregnancy and fetal issues.

We offer support to women and their partners throughout their decision-making process and with subsequent pregnancies.

Roles of the post

Work as a member of the multi-disciplinary team to offer expert opinion and compassionate advice to women.

Provide consultant-led clinics, including diabetes and bereavement clinics

Labour ward Consultant cover 1 in 5 weeks

Perform elective Caesarean list

Obstetrics non-resident on call commitments as part of the departmental on call rota

Attend weekly MDT meetings

Attend monthly consultant’s meetings

Provide High Quality Care to Patients

The post holder must adhere to the standards outlined by the GMC for Good Medical

Develop and maintain the competencies required to carry out the duties required of the

Ensure prompt attendance at agreed direct clinical care Programmed

Ensure patients are involved in decisions about their care and to respond to their

Demonstrate, model and encourage Trust Values at all times to all patients and staff

Research, Teaching and Training

Provide high quality teaching to medical undergraduates and members of other health care professions as agreed with the Service Leads. To contribute to the training of O&G trainees, other doctors in training and other staff groups.

Act as a clinical supervisor and appraiser as delegated by the Clinical Director/Service Lead to ensure external accreditation of training post

Where possible to collaborate with academic and clinical colleagues to enhance the Trust’s translational research/audit portfolio, at all times meeting the full requirements of Research Governance.

Ensure that your mandatory training is up to date as per Trust

The Trust expects all consultants to participate fully in continuing professional development to ensure that skills and knowledge are updated in line with relevant medical developments. Consultants may apply to the study leave budget for help with associated expenses in line with the terms and conditions of their contract. In addition consultants will be expected to undertake some non-clinical training and development at the discretion of the trust management, for example, Leadership Training.

Performance Management

To work with medical, nursing and managerial colleagues to ensure high performance in the following areas:

Clinical efficiency g. Length of Stay (LOS) reductions, admission on day of surgery, reducing cancelled operations and DNA rates.

Quality of outcomes g. infection control targets, reducing re-admission rates

Financial management e.g. identification, implementation and achievement of cost improvement programmes and participating in efforts to ensure services are provided cost effectively e.g. managing locum agency spend, monitoring and managing the drug budget to target, ensuring accuracy of clinical data for the team.

Operational efficiency g. day-case rates, waiting list activity and demand management.

Medical Staff Management and Accountability

Work with colleagues to ensure Junior doctors’ hours are compliant in line with EWTD and New

Ensure that Trust systems and procedures are in place and followed to control and monitor leave for junior medical staff and to ensure that there is appropriate cover within the clinical areas, including on-call

Adhere to Trust / department guidelines on leave, including requesting and reporting absence, and professional and study leave, and to ensure that members of staff for whom you are responsible do the

Participate in the recruitment and induction of junior medical staff as delegated by the Clinical Director/Service Lead.

Participate in team objective setting as part of the annual job planning

Be responsible for ongoing assessment and regular appraisal of all doctors in training, Trust doctors and non-consultant grades as delegated by the Clinical Director/Service Lead /General Manager.

Participate fully in regular departmental activities including department meetings and team building

Governance

Adherence to referral pathways for oncology MDT and perinatal MDT is

Review clinical outcomes in designated area using external benchmarking data where appropriate, to identify and advise variances to the Clinical Director/Service Lead.

Participate in clinical audit, incident reporting and analysis and to ensure resulting actions are

Work closely with the Directorate in relation to clinical and services developments as delegated by the Clinical Director/Service Lead.

Participate in ensuring NICE, NSF, CNST and other national guidance requirements are reviewed and implemented and monitored in the speciality areas.

Ensure clinical guidelines and protocols are adhered to by junior medical staff and any other staff for whom the post has responsibility and that these are updated on a regular basis.

Keep fully informed about best practice in the speciality areas and ensure implications for practice changes are discussed with the Clinical Director/ Service Lead.

To role model good practice for infection control to all members of the multidisciplinary team and adhere to the Trust Infection Control measures (available on the Trust Intranet).

To report all clinical and non-clinical accidents or incidents promptly, and to co-operate accordingly with any investigations undertaken.

Strategy and Business Planning

Work with medical managers and general managers to take forward the business planning and objective setting process for the directorate and Trust where appropriate.

Represent the Trust at appropriate clinical networks/other external clinical meetings, as delegated by the Clinical Director/Service Lead.

To attend and contribute at regular Departmental meetings as identified by the Clinical

Leadership and Team Working

Demonstrate appropriate leadership skills with regard to individual performance, clinical teams, the Trust and when participating in national initiatives.

Participate in any necessary management and leadership development courses as required by the

Work collaboratively with all members of the multi-disciplinary team and Imperial College as

Set up and chair meetings relevant for clinical

To promote local resolution of any conflict or differences of To involve appropriate parties for mediation, negotiation or discussion as appropriate.

Provide commitment and leadership in relation to equality and appropriate senior level management of diversity issues, particularly as they apply to training, people management and service delivery.