HEALTH EDUCATION THAMES VALLEY – ACADEMIC
CLINICAL FELLOWSHIP IN PLASTIC SURGERY (ST3)
ST3 Academic Clinical Fellowship in Plastic Surgery
One Academic Clinical Fellowship (ACF) post in Plastic Surgery has been awarded
by the NIHR to the Health Education Thames Valley/Oxford University partnership
through national competition and is available from 6 August 2014. The post forms
part of the NIHR Integrated Training Pathway, further details of which can be found
on the NIHR TCC website http://www.nihrtcc.nhs.uk
About Health Education Thames Valley
We are the Local Education and Training Board (LETB) for Thames Valley covering
Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire. Our vision is to ensure the delivery of
effective workforce planning and excellent education and training to develop a highly
capable, flexible and motivated workforce that delivers improvements in health for
the population of Thames Valley. Thames Valley LETB is responsible for the training
of some 1500 trainees
Health Education Thames Valley is a relatively small organisation with a defined
geographical area which serves as a single unit of application. In the majority of
cases successful candidates will be asked to preference their choice of location for
either one or two years. Some programmes will require successful candidates to
indicate a location and specialty. Future placements will usually be based on
individual training and educational needs. Please note that applications are to the
Health Education Thames Valley as a whole. This may mean that you may be
allocated to any geographic location within the deanery depending on training
needs.
About the University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a complex and stimulating organisation, which enjoys an
international reputation as a world-class centre of excellence in research and
teaching. It employs over 10,000 staff and has a student population of over 21,000.
Most staff are directly appointed and managed by one of the University’s 130
departments or other units within a highly devolved operational structure - this
includes 5,900 ‘academic-related’ staff (postgraduate research, computing, senior
library, and administrative staff) and 2,820 ‘support’ staff (including clerical, library,
technical, and manual staff). There are also over 1,600 academic staff (professors,
readers, lecturers), whose appointments are in the main overseen by a combination
of broader divisional and local faculty board/departmental structures. Academics are
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generally all also employed by one of the 38 constituent colleges of the University as
well as by the central University itself.
The University’s income in 2010/11 was £919.6m. Oxford is one of Europe's most
innovative and entrepreneurial universities: income from external research contracts
exceeds £376m p.a., and more than 60 spin-off companies have been created.
For more information, visit www.ox.ac.uk
Medical Sciences Division
The Medical Sciences Division is an internationally recognized centre of excellence
for biomedical and clinical research and teaching. We are the largest academic
division in the University of Oxford.
World-leading programmes, housed in state-of-the-art facilities, cover the full range
of scientific endeavour from the molecule to the population. With our NHS partners
we also foster the highest possible standards in patient care.
For more information please visit: www.medsci.ox.ac.uk
Academic Clinical Fellow Programme
The Academic Clinical Lectureship is part of the Integrated Academic Training
Pathway. The post is designed to allow time to complete preliminary studies, leading
to successful application for funding to enable out of programme completion of a
DPhil.
Applicants for this post must be able to start at ST3 level in August 2014 and show
exceptional promise to become a clinical academic.
All applicants are required to demonstrate that they have the necessary level of
clinical competence for training at ST3 level. Consequently, any offer made for
this ACF post will be subject to the applicant having undertaken the national
ST3 plastic surgery recruitment process and obtained a National Training
Number.
Oxford has a successful clinical academic programme delivered by Oxford University
Clinical Academic Graduate School in which all joint clinical/academic trainees take
part. For further information see www.oucags.ox.ac.uk
Over the three years, post-holders, in discussion with the Surgical Training
Committees and Academic Supervisors, will be able to undertake clinical duties in
order to continue their clinical training. Postholders will be expected to spend 75% of
their time on clinical duties and 25% on research. It is likely that the academic time
will be taken in a yearly three month block, however it is possible that other models
of work may be more appropriate, depending on the needs of the successful
candidate. The appointment will be for a fixed term of three years, however, it is
expected that the successful candidate will obtain funding for a DPhil during the
tenure of this post, and therefore undertake Out of Programme (Research) time in
order to complete their DPhil.
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Clinical Training
The Thames Valley/Wessex Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Training
Programme
The Plastic and Reconstructive training programme is a six year scheme, starting at
ST3. During this time, the ACF’s work will be monitored for satisfactory progress and
subject to annual reviews in the form of both a clinical and Academic ARCP.
Progression on the programme will be dependent upon these reviews. The posts on
this rotation have been approved for Specialist Training by the Royal College of
Surgeons. The posts attract National Training Numbers and provide training towards
a Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT), approved by the SAC and awarded by
the GMC. The Postgraduate Deans have confirmed that this post has the necessary
educational and staffing approval.
The programme is based in four different Trusts throughout the Thames Valley and
Wessex region, so trainees may find themselves employed by any of the following
Trusts:
Trust
Hospitals and Locations
Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust
http://www.ouh.nhs.uk/
Buckingham Healthcare NHS Trust
http://www.buckshealthcare.nhs.uk
Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust
http://www.salisbury.nhs.uk
Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust
http://www.porthosp.nhs.uk
John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford
Stoke Mandeville Hospital, Aylesbury
Salisbury District Hospital, Salisbury
Queen Alexandra Hospital, Portsmouth
Rotation Information
Rotations may at times change in response to clinical need from the Trusts.

Geographically, we divide the rotation into north(Oxford and Stoke) and
south(Salisbury and Portsmouth). Every effort is made to avoid more than one
move between the north and south posts. Portsmouth is accredited for early
years training – one year in Portsmouth is approved and will be taken from the
total training time. Special approval from the Programme Director will need to
be sought for more than one year in Portsmouth or two years in the other
units. It is unlikely this will be approved unless there are extenuating
circumstances, exceptional training needs or rotational requirements.
Trust Information

Please see website links given above for description of Trusts
Teaching

There is a teaching programme in each of the hospitals in the rotation.
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Duties of Post
Clinical duties will vary between the hospitals - see separate descriptions. It will
include out-patient clinics, formal ward rounds and operating sessions. The trainee
will also be responsible for the reception and the management of cases admitted as
emergencies, notifying his/her Consultant when necessary. There will also be a
requirement to teach medical students, junior doctors and other health professionals,
participate in audits and research and undertake departmental responsibilities
including organising rotas, teaching and audit/mortality and morbidity meetings.
Who’s who in the Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Training Programme?
Role
Name and Locations
Programme Director for Health Education
Thames Valley/Wessex
Programme Manager Health Education
Thames Valley
Programme Manager Health Education
Wessex
Associate Dean
Mr Paul Critchley
John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford
Ms Jane Bishop
Postgraduate Dean
Dr Michael Bannon
Head of Surgical School
Mr Jeremy Noble
Mrs Sue Ksous
Mr Tony Jefferis
Academic Training
Nuffield Department of Surgical Sciences (NDS)
The Nuffield Department of Surgical Sciences is one of the few remaining academic
surgical departments in the UK. The Department currently hosts academics who
undertake both basic and translational research, reflecting our true multidisciplinary
nature and integrating practice with cutting-edge science. The department has
outstanding research programmes in radiology, oncology, plastic surgery, paediatric
surgery, colorectal surgery, transplantation, immunology and regenerative medicine,
neuroscience, otolaryngology, urology, and cardiothoracic and vascular surgery. In a
recent exciting development, the Department has set up the Surgical Intervention
Trials Unit.
Teaching is also a major component in our activity, encompassing undergraduate,
graduate and postgraduate students in all surgical disciplines. The Department also
co-hosts Masters courses in Integrated Immunology, and Surgical Sciences and
Practice.
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The Department has a strong track record for Clinical Academic Training and has
established a successful Integrated Clinical Academic Training Programme. Clinical
Lecturers are well supervised and mentored during their posts. Research time is
protected for all Academic Trainees. For more information please visit:
www.nds.ox.ac.uk
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
The full range of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery sub-specialities are represented
within the
Oxford Deanery, with strong research programmes in Vascularised
Composite Allograft Transplantation, Molecular Genetics, Tissue Engineering, Cleft Lip
and Palate, Craniofacial surgery, Sarcoma, Lower limb trauma, and Melanoma. The
successful candidate will be given the opportunity to choose a research project within
their own area of interest and previous research experience. The clinical component of
the Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery ACL post is co-ordinated by Mr Paul Critchley,
Training Programme Director for the Oxford Plastic Surgery Higher Surgery Training
Programme. The clinical training programme is highly regarded nationally, and provides
exposure to both general plastic surgery, and highly specialised sub-specialty
experience such as craniofacial surgery, congenital hand surgery, and cleft lip and
palate. Trainees rotate between the Oxford University Hospitals, and Stoke Mandeville,
Salisbury and Portsmouth.
Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust
Oxford University Hospitals (OUH) is a world-renowned centre of clinical excellence and
one of the largest NHS teaching trusts in the UK. Clinical care is delivered by
experienced specialists at the pinnacle of their profession. Our trust is made up of four
hospitals - the John Radcliffe Hospital (which also includes the Children's Hospital and
West Wing), Churchill Hospital and the Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre, all located in
Oxford and the Horton General Hospital in the north of Oxfordshire. We provide a wide
range of clinical services, specialist services (including cardiac, cancer, musculoskeletal
and neurological rehabilitation) medical education, training and research.
Our collaboration with the University of Oxford underpins the quality of the care that is
provided to patients; to the delivery of high-quality research bringing innovation from the
laboratory bench to the bedside; and the delivery of high-quality education and training
of doctors.
Existing collaborations include the ambitious research programmes established through
the Oxford Biomedical Research Centre (BRC), funded by the National Institute for
Health Research (NIHR), located on the John Radcliffe Hospital site and at the
Biomedical Research Unit in musculoskeletal disease at the Nuffield Orthopaedic
Centre. These set the standard in translating science and research into new and better
NHS clinical care.
For more information on the Trust and its services visit http://www.ouh.nhs.uk/
Duties of the Post holder
The post holder will spend 25% of time undertaking research over the duration of the
contract, this does not necessarily mean this amount of time is set aside each week
but will be made up, for example by being given a period of weeks or months of
concentrated time for research.
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a) Clinical
 Clinical attachments will be in full approved training posts at the relevant NHS
Trust - the Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust, or the relevant Trust if a
Plastic Surgical ACF rotates within the Oxford rotation.
b) Research
 to engage in advanced study or research.
 to contribute through research activity, publication and securing external
funding to maintaining the overall standard of the department.
c) Teaching
 to teach through university lectures, seminars and practical classes as
requested by the Head of Department (HoD) or any other person nominated
by the HoD.
 to supervise graduate students.
 to engage in university examining.
d) Management and Administration
 to co-operate in the administrative work of the Department in both term and
vacation under the direction of the HoD or any such person nominated by
HoD.
 to undertake such other duties as may from time to time be determined by the
HoD or any such person nominated.
e) Study and Training:
This post is attached to an NTN(A). Post-holders will undergo an ARCP/RITA
assessment on an annual basis to assess the quality of their clinical and
academic training. An academic appraisal will also take place. They will be
encouraged to go on relevant courses of postgraduate education covering the
important skills required of a future clinical academic, namely, clinical, research,
teaching, examining and management. Orientation within research or clinical
attachments will be the responsibility of the relevant department.
For more information of the Surgical Academic Clinical Fellow Programme, please
contact Professor Paul Johnson, Programme Director for Academic Surgical Training
(email: paul.johnson@nds.ox.ac.uk), or for Plastic Surgery specific information,
please contact Mr Dominic Furniss, Wellcome Intermediate Fellow (email:
dominic.furniss@ndorms.ox.ac.uk).
Main Conditions of Service
Appointments to this programme are subject to the Terms and Conditions of Service
(TCS) for Hospital Medical and Dental Staff (England and Wales). In addition
appointments are subject to:
 Applicants having the right to work and be a doctor or dentist in training in the
UK
 Registration with the General Medical Council
 Pre-employment checks carried out by the Trust HR department in line with
the NHS employment check standards, including CRB checks and
occupational health clearance.
The employing Trust’s offer of employment is expected to be on the following
nationally agreed terms:
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Hours – The working hours for junior doctors in training are now 48-hours (or 52hours if working on a derogated rota) averaged over 26 weeks (six months). Doctors
in training also have an individual right to opt-out if they choose to do so, but they
cannot opt-out of rest break or leave requirements. However, the contracts for
doctors in training make clear that overall hours must not exceed 56 hours in a
week (New Deal Contract requirements) across all their employments and any locum
work they do.
http://www.nhsemployers.org/PlanningYourWorkforce/MedicalWorkforce/EWT
D/Pages/EWTD.aspx
Pay – you should be paid monthly at the rates set out in the national terms and
conditions of service for hospital medical and dental staff and doctors in public health
medicine and the community health service (England and Wales), “the TCS”, as
amended from time to time. The payscales are reviewed annually. Current rates of
pay may be viewed at
http://www.nhsemployers.org/PayAndContracts/Pay%20circulars/Pages/PayCircular
sMedicalandDental.aspx Part time posts will be paid pro-rata
Pay supplement –depending upon the working pattern and hours of duty you are
contracted to undertake by the employer you should be paid a monthly additional pay
supplement at the rates set out in paragraph 22 of the TCS. The current payscales
may be viewed at
http://www.nhsemployers.org/PayAndContracts/Pay%20circulars/Pages/PayCircular
sMedicalandDental.aspx . The pay supplement is not reckonable for NHS pension
purposes. The pay supplement will be determined by the employer and should be
made clear in their offer of employment and subject to monitoring.
Pension – you will be entitled to join or continue as a member of the NHS Pension
Scheme, subject to its terms and rules, which may be amended from time to time. If
you leave the programme for out of programme experience you may have a gap in
your pension contributions. More information can be found at
http://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/pensions
Annual Leave – your entitlement to annual leave will be five or six weeks per annum
depending on your previous service/incremental point, as set out in paragraphs 205206 of the TCS. The TCS may be viewed at
http://www.nhsemployers.org/PayAndContracts/MedicalandDentalContracts/JuniorD
octorsDentistsGPReg/Pages/DoctorsInTrainingJuniorDoctorsTermsAndConditions150908.aspx
Sick pay – entitlements are outlined in paragraph 225 of the TCS.
Notice –you will be required to give your employer and entitled to receive from them
notice in accordance with paragraphs 195-196 of the TCS.
Study Leave –the employer is expected to offer study leave in accordance with
paragraphs 250-254 of the TCS. Local policy and procedure will be explained at
induction.
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Travel Expenses – the employer is expected to offer travel expenses in accordance
with paragraphs 277-308 of the TCS for journeys incurred in performing your duties.
Local policy and procedure should be explained at induction.
Subsistence expenses – the employer is expected to offer subsistence expenses in
accordance with paragraph 311 of the TCS. Local policy and procedure should be
explained at induction.
Relocation expenses – the employer will have a local policy for relocation expenses
based on paragraphs 314 – 315 of the TCS and national guidance at
http://www.nhsemployers.org/PayAndContracts/MedicalandDentalContracts/JuniorD
octorsDentistsGPReg/Pages/DoctorsInTrainingJuniorDoctorsTermsAndConditions150908.aspx
You are advised to check eligibility and confirm any entitlement with the employer
before incurring any expenditure.
Pre-employment checks – all NHS employers are required to undertake preemployment checks. The employer will confirm their local arrangements, which are
expected to be in line with national guidance at
http://www.nhsemployers.org/RecruitmentAndRetention/Employmentchecks/Pages/Employment-checks.aspx
Professional registration – it will be a requirement of employment that you have
professional registration with the GMC/GDC for the duration of your employment.
Though the post is covered by NHS Indemnity, you are strongly advised to register
with the MPS for professional indemnity.
Health and Safety – all employers have a duty to protect their workers from harm.
You should be advised by the employer of local policies and procedures intended to
protect your health and safety and expected to comply with these.
Disciplinary and grievance procedures – the employer will have local policies and
procedures for dealing with any disciplinary concerns or grievances you may have.
They should advise you how to access these, not later than eight weeks after
commencement of employment.
Educational Supervisor – the employer or a nominated deputy (usually the Director
of Medical Education) will confirm your supervisor on commencement.
General information on the LETB’s management of Specialty Training programmes,
including issues such as taking time out of programme and dealing with concerns or
complaints, is available at www.oxforddeanery.nhs.uk and in the national ‘Gold
guide’ to Specialty Training at http://www.mmc.nhs.uk Please ensure that you inform
Health Education Thames Valley of any changes to your contact details.
June 2014