Mayday Healthcare NHS Trust

SENIOR HOUSE OFFICER IN OBSTETRICS & GYNAECOLOGY

Mayday University Hospital is an acute general hospital with 640 beds. It is the main district general hospital for Croydon with a 24 hour emergency service providing major accident cover within a new A & E Department.

The hospital provides facilities for all major specialties and has a purpose built Day Care Unit. There is a centralised Maternity unit with 72 beds with two full equipped and designated obstetric theatres. The Special Care Baby Unit was opened in 1988 and has five intensive cots and facilities to care for 20 further infants. A new antenatal and gynaecological outpatient facility was opened in 1985. There are 28 gynaecology beds, nine operating sessions, with four additional day surgery operating sessions.

The Post: SHO Grade

There are eight SHO posts in the department of obstetrics and gynaecology. All the SHO posts are recognised for the M.R.C.O.G. and D.R.C.O.G. examinations.

The Duties of the Post

The six month post will be equally divided between obstetrics and gynaecology. The Senior House Officer will be responsible for clerking of ward admissions of the Consultant and all emergency admission whilst on duty. In obstetrics he / she will do daily ward rounds, visiting all patients and will report to the Registrar any medical or administrative problems. He /she will be involved in antenatal care, care of labour ward patients, perineal suturing and the siting of IV drips while on call in conjunction with the Midwives. The gynaecological Senior House Officer will be responsible for all emergency and routine gynaecological patients, and will assist in theatre. The Senior House Officer will attend one antenatal clinic and be present with the Consultant at one gynaecology clinic each week

Duty Rota

With eight SHO’s the duties will be operated on full Shift. During the rest period there will be only one SHO on duty to cover both Obstetrics and Gynaecology – the out of hours supplement paid on Band 2A.

VTS SHOs will not undertake out of hours work

Staffing of the Firm

• 8 Consultants
• 6 Specialist Registrars
• 2 Staff Grade
• 8 Senior House Officers
• 3 Clinical Assistant sessions

Postgraduate Education

An education programme is provided by the Medical Centre at Mayday University Hospital during term time. There is a well equipped postgraduate library with computer search facilities.

There are lunchtime meetings on three days a week (Monday – department tutorial, Wednesday – caesarean section meeting and Friday – perinatal morbidity). A monthly perinatal mortality meeting is held in conjunction with the Paediatric Department and this is followed by a lecture by an invited speaker. From the 1^st December 1994, each Friday afternoon has been set aside for either teaching, audit, or career assessment by the Clinical Tutor.

Internal Cover for Annual Leave

SHO’s will be employed in the department but at any given time one will be on annual leave and leave will not be honoured whilst covering Obstetrics. In order to achieve this, the annual leave period has been split coincide with your post labour ward night shift. Although this involves restrictions in terms of the timing of annual leave, there are advantages to both the SHO’s and the department in that leave periods will be covered and there is less likelihood of SHO’s being asked to provide emergency cover in the event of failure to find Locum cover as has sometimes been the case previously.

Study leave entitlements and arrangements are not affected by the above system.

You are entitled to 13 days annual leave for every 6 months, however as it is rostered annual leave you will be allocated 15 days including Bank Holidays. We do not allow you to carry over leave to the second 6 months (if awarded) as this interferes with internal cover rotas.

We do not allow 2 people in the same on-call group to go on holiday at the same time e.g. two of the three SHO’s in either Obstetrics or Gynaecology.

Study Leave

Study leave will be given at the discretion of the Lead Consultant and the Specialty Tutor for taking a specific exam. You must discuss with the Tutor what leave and course are appropriate for your needs. Your form will then be discussed with the Postgraduate Tutor who may have further recommendations. Locums will be provided to cover Study Leave, however six weeks notice will be required.

Emergency Cover

The Junior Doctor accepts that he / she will also perform duties in occasional emergencies and unforseen circumstances at the request of the Duty Consultant, in conjunction where practicable with his / her colleagues, both senior and junior.

It has been agreed between the professions and the DHSS while junior staff accept that they will perform such duties, it is stresses that additional commitments arising under this sub-section are exceptional and in particular that Junior Staff should not be required to undertake work on this kind for prolonged periods on a regular basis.

Visiting

Shortlisted candidates are encouraged to visit the Department and discuss the post with the junior staff if they wish. There is a protocol book available for study in the Department.

CONDITIONS OF SERVICE

The Appointment will be held with Mayday Healthcare NHS Trust.

The Job Description is a reflection of current service needs and may be reviewed and amended, in consultation with the post holder, in the light of future changes or development.

The post is covered by the terms and conditions of service for Hospital Medical and Dental Staff and General Whitley Council conditions of service.

Registration with the General Medical Council will be required.

The Trust will cover all medical staff for NHS work under NHS Indemnity. Mayday Healthcare NHS Trust is required to encourage medical and dental staff to ensure that they have adequate defence cover for any work which does not fall within the scope of the Indemnity Scheme (HSG(96)48 refers). Any private practice undertaken on NHS premises must be covered by subscription to a medical defence organisation.

Medical and Dental staff will be required to assist management and its agents during investigations into claims alleging medical negligence and, where requested, to provide related factual statements.

Within the terms of DHSS Circular HC(88)9 – Protection of Children – applicants are required when applying for this post to disclose any records of convictions, bind-over orders or cautions.

Occupational Health

A full examination will not normally be required but shortlisted candidates will be required to complete a health questionnaire prior to the interview and the successful applicant will also be required to produce evidence of a satisfactory chest x-ray within the last year.

Hepatitis B Screening and Immunisation

Posts are offered on the understanding that the applicant will comply with local requirements regarding immunisations.

Applicants will be asked to supply written evidence to the Occupational Health Department of degree of immunity to Hepatitis B. If not immunised, the result of a test which indicates freedom from carrier state will be required and immunisation should then be commenced.

Applicants should be aware of the guidance to HIV infected health care workers from the Department of Health and the GMC/GDC.

Training in Radiation Protection

It is a legal requirement for any clinician who personally directs or performs radiological investigations (other than radiologists) to have attended a recognised course in radiation protection and possess a Core of Knowledge Certificate. This includes medical staff who undertake x-ray film in theatre. For radiopharmaceuticals for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes or who clinically direct.

The new appointee must either provide evidence of radiation protection training or undertake to obtain it as soon as possible.

Rehabilitation of Offenders

All Medical and Dental posts are exempt from the provisions of Section 4(2) of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974(Exceptions) Order 1975. Applicants are, therefore, not entitled to withhold information about convictions which for other purposes are ‘spent’ under the provisions of the Act. Failure to disclose such convictions could, in the event of employment, result in dismissal or disciplinary action by the Trust. Any information given will be completely confidential and will be considered only in relation to the particular post.

Removal expenses

The place of residence must be within a reasonable distance of Mayday University Hospital, Croydon. The intention to move must be made known in writing to the Medical Personnel Manager within one month of appointment. The move must be completed within six months of appointment and the contract of employment with Mayday Healthcare Trust must be for at least one year’s duration.

Consideration will be given to staff who are required to move within ten miles of Mayday University Hospital. Home Owners may claim reasonable expenses of up to £1,000.00 on provision of receipted accounts which are a direct cost of the move. For non-home owners, removal of personal belongings can be claimed up to £250.00. It is required that three estimates are obtained and the Trust will reimburse the lowest quotation on provision of a receipt.

Your residence must maintain contact via the telephone service.

Sickness

If you are absent due to sickness, notification to your Consultant and Medical Personnel is essential together with other key team members. A self-certificate must be sent covering 4 to 7 days and a medical statement from the 8th day onwards covering the period until you return to work. If this does not indicate when you are able to return, a statement of fitness to work must be produced before you resume duty.

Contract

Whilst the duties of the NHS appointment will be primarily at the hospital(s) stated, the appointment will be made to the Mayday Healthcare NHS Trust and there will be a commitment to attend occasionally at any other hospital or clinic in the Trust, as may be necessary from time to time.