LOTHIAN UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS NHS TRUST
CLINICAL RESEARCH FELLOW (STR LEVEL) IN VASCULAR ANAESTHESIA
ROYAL INFIRMARY OF EDINBURGH
JOB DESCRIPTION
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General Description of the Post
The post is based in the Department of Anaesthesia at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh.
The post is available from 1st April 2015 for 1 year.
Clinical duties will involve anaesthesia for patients having vascular surgery in the Royal
Infirmary of Edinburgh including pre-operative assessment and assistance with postoperative care.
In addition there will be duties for emergency anaesthesia in the Royal Infirmary.
Participation in clinical research and audit related to vascular anaesthesia is an
important part of the post.
The post would be suitable for a trainee holding FRCA or equivalent and a National
Training Number or Visiting Training Number who wishes to gain further experience in
anaesthesia for vascular surgery and to undertake clinical research. A trainee holding a
National Training Number may be able to count part of the year towards Specialist /
Specialty Registrar Training as an option period. Alternatively, the post may be suitable
for one year of out-of-programme training or post-CCT experience.
Objectives of the Post
The objectives of the post are to provide:
I.
Experience in anaesthesia for vascular surgery, including pre-operative
assessment and the anaesthetist’s contribution to the post-operative
management of patients having vascular surgery.
II.
Experience of clinical research and audit related to anaesthesia and the perioperative management of patients having vascular surgery.
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Location: Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh
The Royal Infirmary is the largest Teaching Hospital within the Lothian Region with
approximately 870 beds. The NHS Department of Anaesthesia, Critical Care and Pain
Medicine and the University Department of Anaesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine
are situated together and have a library, seminar room, computer facilities and common
rooms. Professor Ian Power is the head of the University Department. Shared office
space in the Department will be available to the Clinical Research Fellow.
One floor below the Anaesthetic Department is the operating theatre suite with 24
operating theatres, and the Intensive Therapy and High Dependency Units – including
an 18 bed General ITU and a 10 bed General HDU. There is also a four-bedded Level 1
area in the Vascular Surgery ward.
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Vascular Anaesthesia
The Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh provides Vascular Surgery services for the Lothian and
Borders regions of Scotland. Patients are admitted to the Vascular Surgery Unit under
the care of five specialist consultant vascular surgeons. Elective vascular surgery takes
place in a dedicated Vascular Theatre while emergency vascular surgery is undertaken
either in the Vascular Theatre or in an Emergency Theatre, which is shared with general
surgery.
Anaesthetic cover for the Vascular Theatre is provided by five consultant anaesthetists:
Dr Alastair Nimmo, Dr Carl Moores, Dr Alastair Thomson, Dr Gerry Keenan and Dr
Charles Morton.
Vascular operations include approximately 120 infrarenal aortic aneurysm repairs
(elective and emergency) each year and 100 carotid endarterectomies. Regional
anaesthesia is frequently used. Almost all carotid endarterectomies are performed under
regional anaesthesia and almost all elective aortic aneurysm repairs under combined
epidural and general anaesthesia. Most lower limb revascularisations and lower limb
amputations are undertaken under regional anaesthesia. Total intravenous anaesthesia
is also commonly used.
The Royal Infirmary provides a National Service for the repair of Thoraco-Abdominal and
Suprarenal Aortic aneurysms for patients from all over Scotland. Approximately 50 such
operations (open surgery, endovascular and hybrid procedures) are carried out each
year. Management of some of these complex cases includes one-lung anaesthesia,
CSF drainage and partial left-heart bypass. The Clinical Research Fellow will assist Dr
Alastair Nimmo, Dr Carl Moores and Dr Alastair Thomson with the pre-operative
assessment, anaesthesia and post-operative management of these patients and this will
be an important part of the Clinical Research Fellow’s role.
Anaesthesia and patient monitoring equipment in the theatre includes trans-oesophageal
echocardiography, continuous cardiac output monitors, Cell Saver autotransfusion
systems, a Rapid Infusion System, thromboelastometry coagulation monitors and depth
of anaesthesia monitors. Pre-operative assessment includes anaesthesia-led
cardiopulmonary exercise testing and CT coronary angiography.
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Research, Audit and Teaching
Weekday daytime duties consist of clinical work, research and audit related to vascular
anaesthesia. The successful applicant will be expected to take a leading role in and
devote a substantial amount of time to research projects related to Vascular
Anaesthesia. There will usually be at least one project planned at the time the Fellow
takes up post. However, it may also be possible for the Fellow to suggest and pursue
other research projects relevant to anaesthesia and the peri-operative management of
patients undergoing vascular surgery. The project(s) to be undertaken and the time to
be devoted to them would be agreed in advance with Dr Alastair Nimmo.
The post will also involve participation in audit and the teaching of other anaesthetic
trainees attached to the Vascular Unit as well as medical students, nursing and technical
staff.
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Emergency Duties
Weekend (or evening / night-time) duties consist of providing emergency anaesthetic
services in the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh. Anaesthetic cover is also provided for
emergency eye surgery – which is at present undertaken on a separate site.
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Salary
The Clinical Research Fellow will be paid on the Specialty Registrar salary scale
(£30,302 - £47,647 per annum) at the incremental level appropriate to the successful
applicant.
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Hours of Duty
The post holder will be notified of the banding prior to commencement.
For staff working on a less than full-time training contract, the basic hours are negotiated
separately. The out-of-hours commitment is checked and confirmed specifically for the
Less Than Full-Time Trainee on an individual basis.
The holder of this post will provide mutual cover for annual and study leave of
colleagues, provided always that the resulting increase in duties does not cause a
practitioner’s average weekly hours to exceed the limits set out in paragraph 20 of the
Terms and Conditions of Service.
Practitioners shall be expected in the normal run of their duties, and within their contract
and job description, to cover for the occasional brief absence of colleagues as far as is
practicable.
Practitioners will be prepared to perform duties in occasional emergencies and
unforeseen circumstances without additional remuneration, but may be granted time off
in lieu at the discretion of their employing authority. Commitments arising in such
circumstances are, however exceptional and practitioners should not be required to
undertake work of this kind for prolonged periods on a regular basis.
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Exposure Prone Invasive Procedures
The holder of the post would be required to undertake on a regular or occasional basis,
exposure-prone procedures. As this may potentially place patients at risk, candidates
must show evidence of immune status to Hepatitis B or agree to undergo the necessary
procedure.
It should be noted that the offer of appointment is subject to confirmation that the
successful candidate is Hepatitis B immune. This is checked by the Occupational Health
Service prior to commencement.
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Information and Enquiries
Applicants may contact Dr Alastair Nimmo in advance of application for further details.
Dr Alastair Nimmo
Consultant Anaesthetist
Department of Anaesthesia
Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh
Little France
Old Dalkeith Road
Edinburgh
EH16 4SA
E-mail: a.nimmo@ed.ac.uk
Department Tel: 0131-242 3224
Closing Date: 7th March 2015
Quote Reference Number: TG 715
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PERSON SPECIFICATION
CLINICAL RESEARCH FELLOW IN VASCULAR ANAESTHESIA
REQUIREMENTS
ESSENTIAL
Registration and
Qualifications
GMC Registration
FRCA or equivalent
National Training Number
or Visiting Training
Number
Experience
Previous Anaesthetic
experience
DESIRABLE
METHOD OF
ASSESSMENT
Application Form
Previous experience of
vascular and cardiac
anaesthesia
Application Form
Experience with
consultant supervision) in
a specialty
complimentary to
Anaesthesia.
Ability
Clinical skills including
general and regional
anaesthesia and invasive
cardiovascular monitoring.
Motivation
Commitment to
Anaesthesia.
.
Commitment to learning.
Enthusiasm.
Initiative.
Interest in Vascular
Anaesthesia.
Ability to organise own
learning and time.
Affiliation to relevant
medical societies.
Application Form
Interview,
References.
Personality
Potential to cope with
stressful situations and
undertake responsibility.
Good communication
skills.
To be assertive and
demonstrate flexibility
and willingness to be a
team member.
Interview,
References
Audit and
Research
Understand the principles
of and differences between
audit and research.
Desire to participate in
research and audit.
Previous participation in
audit and/or research in
medicine.
Application Form
Interview.
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Log Book,
Interview,
References.
Other
Requirements
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To have the basic
understanding of the use
of a computer for word
processing and data
handling.
To be physically able to
undertake anaesthetic
duties.
To be willing to work
flexibly within maximum
permitted hours of work
(rather than “9 to 5”) to
accommodate the
demands of clinical work
and research.
Able to communicate in
English and have
communication skills
necessary to carry out
duties safely and
effectively.
Application
Form,
Interview.
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