Position Title:
Organisation Unit:
Location:
General Surgeon
Northland District Health Board
Responsible to:
Primary Functions of the Position:
Whangarei Hospital
Clinical Director, General Surgery
General Manager, Surgical Services
The General Surgeon, along with colleagues, will have an overview of and a responsibility for providing comprehensive secondary and some tertiary (as appropriate) surgical care for people of Northland.
The General Surgeon will develop and maintain excellent relationships with:
 Other General Surgeons
 Nurse Managers in relevant departments
 Nursing staff, SHO’s and Registrars involved in Surgical Services
 Patients and their families
 Tertiary specialists and referral hospitals
 Chief Medical Advisor
 General Managers
General Surgeon Job Description
Clinical Services, Northland DHB
February 2014
Page 1 of 7

Northland District Health Board has established a set of values by which the organisation will respond, in part, to achieving its goals and objectives through their workforce. The following values and supporting statements are expected behaviours of each individual employed with
NDHB:
People First
Tangata I te tuatahi
Respect
Whakaute (tuku mana)
Caring
Manaaki
Communication
Whakawhitiwhiti korero
Excellence
Taumata teitei (hirangi)
5.
6.
People are central to all we do
We treat others as we would like to be treated
We nurture those around us, and treat all with dignity and compassion
We communicate safely, openly and with respect to promote clear understanding
Our attitude of excellence inspires success, competence, confidence and innovation
The General Surgeon will be responsible for the following specific performance goals:
1. Provide for patients a safe competent and respectful service in the management of their conditions.
2.
3.
Communicate adequately with patients and/or their caregivers on their condition and treatment ensuring that patients’ rights are protected at all times and any necessary consents are organised before treatment.
Ensure that appropriate records of patients are maintained.
4. In conjunction with the other general surgeons, provide suitable cover for specific requirements, as listed under Service Responsibilities.
Provide such tuition and lectures to Northland District Health Board staff and others as may be required by agencies such as the College Training Scheme for the fulfillment of Medical
Council and hospital training requirements, and to instruct, monitor and advise those staff under the direct surveillance and overview of the general surgeons.
Report promptly to the General Manager any untoward incidents or occurrences, especially
7.
8. those which may give rise to complaints or legal action against Northland District Health
Board, always acting with the constraints required by patient confidentiality.
Ensure efficient use of Northland DHB’s resources of staff and facilities, by the application of effective and economical patient management techniques.
Keep informed of developments and maintain the necessary skills and knowledge pertinent to the specialty to meet professional/college guidelines.
9. Provide specialty advice as requested by the General Manager.
10. Be involved in health promotion and disease prevention activities appropriate to the specialty.
11. Be concerned and involved in processes which promote continuous quality improvement of the Surgical Service (including quality improvement, medical audit and peer review).
General Surgeon Job Description
Clinical Services, Northland DHB
February 2014
Page 2 of 7

12. Ensure that supervision of Resident Medical Officers occurs to meet requirements of the clinical environment and statutory organisations and that appropriate reports are provided to meet the requirements of the Medical Council.
14. Be responsible for ensuring that all Health & Safety requirements are met and are within the guidelines of the Health & Safety policies.
15. Ensure that any lawful and ethical instructions of the General Manager or Clinical Director are carried out in a proper manner. i.
General Service  Details of sessional responsibility are described in individual
Responsibilities employment contracts.
 Share responsibility for the assessment and care of patients at ii. iii. iv. Discharge
Procedures v.
Outpatient Service
Responsibilities
For Inpatient
Services
Indirect Patient
Duties
Whangarei and Kaitaia Hospitals on a rostered basis at weekends, when colleagues are on leave, and otherwise as mutually agreed.
Conduct the following outpatient services:
 Specialist clinics on a regular basis as required in Northland
 When on-call at Whangarei Hospital will provide a telephone consultant service for Northland, being available at all times to give surgical advice to medical practitioners and other appropriate parties, including ward referrals from other service.
 When on-call, will provide at Whangarei Hospital an acute review service for individual cases.
The General Surgeon will aim to ensure the following:
 Participation in a roster with colleagues to provide continuing specialist surgical cover for the evaluation and management of patients.
 When rostered on duty be available by telephone and as necessary in person to advise the RMO, GP managing the patient and where appropriate to assume responsibility for that patient.
 On telephone contact, assess whether the patient can be safely managed without direct personal involvement.
 That patients are monitored, investigated and treated appropriately.
 That patients and caregivers are properly and adequately informed about the treatments and procedures.
 That special procedures and investigations are carried out by self or by a member of the team under supervision to a degree deemed appropriate by the consultant.
 That all necessary forms, consents, reports and documentation are completed.
 That elective surgery is performed within Northland DHB booking system guidelines.
 Ensure handover of information regarding patients of concern to on-call team.
 Refer to tertiary services as appropriate.
 That appropriate discharge procedures are undertaken involving communication with those parties involved in the care of the patient in the community.
 That followup outpatient visits occur as necessary.
 That other functions supportive to the core clinical task, such as report writing, letter to General Practitioners on patient condition
General Surgeon Job Description
Clinical Services, Northland DHB
February 2014
Page 3 of 7

vi. Other Duties and treatment, attendance in Court if required, discharge plans, data collation and interpretation are carried out.
 That regular and appropriate consultation occurs with other specialist colleagues and other health professionals (within and outside Northland DHB) to facilitate the management of patients.
Refer to tertiary services as appropriate.
(1) General Administration
The General Surgeon shall:
 Attend and contribute to Northland DHB meetings as requested/approved by the Clinical Director or General Manager.
 Keep up to date with Northland DHB matters. Actively participate in discussions re service planning and provisions.
 Prepare reports as required.
 Attend as required by the General Manager, Health & Safety updates and Treaty Workshops.
(2) Clinical Supervision
 Delegate tasks and responsibilities appropriately to clinical support staff according to the skill levels of individuals.
 Provide written guidelines on the medical management of patients for junior medical and nursing staff.
(3) Self Education
 Practice using current knowledge and skills in relevant clinical areas, actively utilising up to date medical journals, books and other relevant literature.
 Attend conferences and courses related to clinical practise.
(4) Quality Assurance
 Ensure all documentation and processes are clear and meet the regulations of Northland DHB and other purchasing agencies requirements.
(5) Demonstrate commitment to culturally appropriate services
 Seek advice from cultural advisors and/or Kaumatua as appropriate.
 Have a working understanding of the Treaty of Waitangi and its relevance to health.
 Work in partnership with groups and individuals, being conscious of the cultural background and ensuring that they are not culturally or ethnically at risk.
Duties and responsibilities described above should not be construed as a complete and exhaustive list as it is not the intention to limit in any way the scope or functions of the position. Duties and responsibilities can be amended from time to time either by additional, deletion or straight amendment by the General Manager and Clinical Director to meet any changing conditions, however this will only be done in consultation with the employee.
General Surgeon Job Description
Clinical Services, Northland DHB
February 2014
Page 4 of 7

Qualifications
Essential
 A Vocationally Registered Surgeon – Registerable in New Zealand.
 A New Zealand driver’s licence
 Current Practising Certificate from the Medical Council of New Zealand.
Awareness and Understanding of
Essential

The Treaty of Waitangi and its application to the health setting

Privacy Act (1993) and Health
Desirable

Health and Disability Commissioner
(Code of Health and Disability Services
Consumers’ Rights) Regulations (1996)

New Zealand Council of Healthcare
Standards
Information Privacy Code (1994)

Health and Safety in Employment Act
(1992)
Skills & Personal Attributes

Ability to work in a multidisciplinary team.

Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Ability to be flexible, versatile and open to change.

Developed interpersonal skills.
General Surgeon Job Description
Clinical Services, Northland DHB
February 2014
Page 5 of 7

An initial review of performance will be conducted after three months, with an annual review thereafter.
An individual Development Plan will be developed to reflect the contribution this position is expected to make towards achieving the team’s objectives and measures. Key result areas will be developed and agreed at this time.
Authorised by:
Signature:
Date:
Acceptance of the position implies acceptance of this position description.
Position Title:
Signature of employee:
Date:
General Surgeon Job Description
Clinical Services, Northland DHB
February 2014
Page 6 of 7

The Surgical Department at Whangarei Hospital consists of seven General Surgeons and two Urologists, six Registrars (one Urology) and four House Officers (three
General Surgery and one Urology).
We provide secondary surgical services to Northland (which extends from North
Cape to Wellsford). The population of Northland is 158,000.
We act as base hospital for the regional hospitals. There are three regional hospitals in Northland. Day stay surgery is performed in Kaitaia.
The Surgical Department does clinics in Kaitaia, Kawakawa and Dargaville. The trip to Kaitaia is two hours by road, but weather permitting Northland DHB flies the consultants up to the clinics. Hospital cars are provided if necessary for the 45 minute drive to the other two hospitals.
There are weekly clinics, theatre sessions and endoscopy sessions at Whangarei
Hospital.
Auckland, as our tertiary referral centre, is only two hours drive away and we have ready access to their expertise by both phone and as a referral centre for continuing care.
The department works cooperatively and meets fortnightly. There are weekly
Radiology meetings and regular Morbidity, Journal Club and Histology review meetings.
Northland is a subtropical area of New Zealand with extensive coastline, some of it isolated, some of it not. It is an ideal area for fishing, boating, diving and surfing etc.
There are good opportunities for many outdoor pursuits.
Whangarei City has undergone much growth and development in the last few years and now boasts many good restaurants, active theatre groups, many visiting artists, and is known countrywide for its annual Garden Festival and Opera in the Garden.
It is only an hour’s drive away from the Bay of Islands and two hours from the excitement and entertainment of Auckland if that is what you desire.
General Surgeon Job Description
Clinical Services, Northland DHB
February 2014
Page 7 of 7