Southern District Health Board – Otago Campus
Job Description
Vascular Surgeon
POSITION PURPOSE
The Vascular Surgery service is committed to implementing a team-based approach to
provide excellence in patient care. The Specialist will work with other members of the
Surgery Service to provide clinical services, and is expected to participate in the appropriate
teams activities with the objective of providing a high standard of clinical practice and
clinical expertise, while contributing to the provision of efficient and effective Vascular
services at Dunedin Hospital.
The position purpose includes
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To provide an effective and efficient impatient and outpatient service for Vascular
patients in the Otago and Southland regions.
To assist in the development of registrars, junior medical officers and other staff in
training, where required.
To assist in the planning of Vascular services.
To provide a consultative service in Vascular for other consultants in Dunedin
Hospital and other institutions in the Southern District Health Board area, and to
provide a consultative service outside of Dunedin to enhance the service base of the
Dunedin Hospital.
To maintain a high standard of integrated patient care in the Vascular Service.
RELATIONSHIPS
Reports to
Clinical Leader of Vascular, for clinical performance and
other professional duties. Service Manager, for employer and
related service matters. Delegation of responsibilities to the
Service Manager, applies.
Supervision of
Surgical registrars
House Surgeons
Trainee Interns and medical students assigned to the service
Internal Relationships
Patients and their family/whanau/caregivers
Other Health Professionals
Medical staff
Service leaders/CNM
Nurses – Outpatient and Ward
Day Surgery staff
Operating Theatre management and staff
External Relationships
Other Health Care Providers
Community Groups
Dunedin School of Medicine
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Southern District Health Board – Otago Campus
Job Description
Vascular Surgeon
LOCATION
Dunedin Public Hospital
TREATY OF WAITANGI
The Southern District Health Board is committed to its obligations under the Treaty of
Waitangi. As an employee you are required to give effect to the principles of the Treaty of
Waitangi - Partnership, Participation and Protection.
HEALTH AND SAFETY
Southern District Health Board is committed to achieving the highest level of health and
safety for its staff. All employees are expected to take initiative and identify, report and
resolve issues that may cause harm to themselves or others in the organization. As an
employee of Southern District Health Board, the health and safety of clients and colleagues, as
well as your own, are your responsibility. You are expected to work safely at all times, and to
actively participate in health and safety programmes in your area. It is expected that you will
report all accidents or potential hazards to your manager.
QUALITY AND RISK
Southern District Health Board is committed to the concept of quality improvement. As an
employee you are required to actively participate in quality improvement and risk
management, both at a professional level and service level. You are also required to
participate in CQI and risk programmes as an integral part of your position.
SERVICE PROVISION
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To be involved in two half day operating lists per week. At least one of these at times
may be in the area of day surgery. Southern District Health Board has a strong
commitment to day surgery.
To ensure orderly and efficient utilisation of allocated theatre list time and resources.
To attend to Vascular inpatients and outpatients as detailed in the job plan.
To expedite prompt discharge of Vascular inpatients and outpatients.
To arrange inter-hospital transfer of patients as required, including compiling of clinical
information and undertaking consultation with medical colleagues and nursing team.
To follow up patients in outpatient clinics, as and when clinically appropriate.
To prioritise referral letters and allocate to clinics as clinically appropriate.
To participate in the emergency on-call roster for Vascular (to be available by telephone
within 10 minutes, and available to come into the hospital within 20 minutes.)
To provide regular on-call cover for the surgical roster for Vascular with fellow
consultants
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Southern District Health Board – Otago Campus
Job Description
Vascular Surgeon
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To provide on call coverage for annual leave, study/CME/leave, sick leave and
consultant replacement/cover as required.
To provide guidelines for junior medical staff relating to the management of patients and
to delegate tasks and responsibilities appropriately to junior medical staff.
To conduct one half-day outpatient clinic per week, plus pre-admission clinics as
required, reviewing the decision to operate and to plan surgery. Provide regular wardbased activities/teaching sessions as required.
To maintain and enhance the provision of an acceptable standard of care to both
outpatients and inpatients within the care of the Vascular Service.
To participate in outreach clinics. This will normally be on a monthly rotation and will
involve travelling to outreach hospitals/clinics. Regular teaching sessions for rural and
primary practitioners will form part of this process. A Southern DHB car will be
provided for such travel commitments.
Provide all patients with an appropriate explanation of all procedures and treatments.
Obtain informed consent from all patients in accordance with Southern Distract Health
Board’s policy for undertaking any operation, test or procedure.
Maintain a high standard of professional care in accordance with the standards of
practice set by the Medical Council of New Zealand and in accordance with the Royal
Australasian College of Surgeons protocols and statutory and regulatory requirements for
healthcare providers and the Southern District Health Board.
Deliver care on a sessional basis in Vascular in a timely and cost effective manner.
Be punctual in the commencement and delivery of service provision.
Daily ward rounds are undertaken, of which one round per week occurs formally with
other surgeon members of the clinical team. Ward rounds may be delegated to the
Registrar, as appropriate.
To place patients on the Vascular booking system as per established criteria and to assign
priorities according to the degree of urgency and need.
Where ACC related work and outreach clinics are performed out of contracted hours,
then similar duties as above apply.
Performance Measures
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Undertake the above-mentioned duties/activities to the satisfaction of the Clinical Leader
and the Service Manager.
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Southern District Health Board – Otago Campus
Job Description
Vascular Surgeon
ADMINISTRATION
Southern District Health Board is committed to developing self-managing teams and clinical
care pathways. The Surgeon will participate in developing these philosophies to meet service
and organisational objectives.
Performance Measures
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To attend review sessions, audit, budgetary meetings and other departmental meetings, as
appropriate.
To maintain quality clinical records, the consultant will.
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Ensure prompt reporting of patient diagnostic, treatment and discharge
information (typically within ten days of discharge for outpatient visits)
Ensure accurate coding of Vascular department data
Ensure necessary documentation is completed in a timely and accurate manner,
eg operation notes, surgical audit
Maintain comprehensive, accurate and up-to-date records for all patients seen.
To prepare reports for outside agencies as required, eg Accident compensation
Corporation, New Zealand Police, Department of Social Welfare, etc. Where this task is
performed outside of scheduled hospital work time payment will be arranged in advance
through Southern District Health Board.
To prepare reports for hospital management as required and where appropriate.
To document and update all relevant procedures and policies.
Update, as and when necessary, all policy and procedure documents for which you are
responsible.
To endeavour, with management, to achieve performance and financial objectives within
surgical services, including throughput and budget targets.
To assist with the interpretation of statistical and clinical information for management as
required and where appropriate.
Attendance and contribution at regular Health and Safety meetings (Fire Training is
mandatory).
Undertake annual training/re-certification in CPR/ALS practices.
Demonstrate personal commitment to meeting Southern District Health Board service
objectives.
Complete and dispatch reports in a timely manner, or by due date.
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Southern District Health Board – Otago Campus
Job Description
Vascular Surgeon
QUALITY IMPROVEMENT
Southern District Health Board is committed to the concept of quality assurance. All
departments and staff have responsibilities in this respect, at a professional level as well as at
a department as service level. As an employee, you are required to participate in quality
assurance programmes as an integral part of you position.
Performance Measures
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Carry out reviews of procedures, therapies, equipment and methods of clinical
management, to a satisfactory conclusion, as mutually agreed with the Clinical Leader.
Participate in CQI/Accreditation projects undertaken by the service.
Participate in Vascular service morbidity and mortality review meetings and other
surgical audit activities.
Demonstrate willingness to achieve service and organisational objectives in an innovative
manner.
COMMUNICATION
The provisions of the Privacy Act, the Health Code, Southern District Health Board policies
and contractual provisions apply to all Southern District Health Board staff when they are
communicating with patients, relatives and other members of the public, and other health
professionals.
Performance Measures
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Ensure that the service is delivered in a sensitive way to both the patients and family and
to be culturally sensitive in all personal decisions and actions undertaken in the delivery
of that service.
Ensure that patients receive and understand an appropriate level of information regarding
their condition/Staff and its/their management.
Attend promptly to all patients’ complaints, observing Southern District Health Board
procedures on such matters.
Organise and respond to all hospital communications regarding patient matters.
Communicate effectively and in a timely manner with the next of kin, in particular where
patients or minors are unable to fully comprehend the implications of management
options.
Communicate with general practitioners and community based health care providers to
facilitate timely and appropriate follow-up care of patients.
Maintain effective interpersonal relationships with multi-disciplinary staff, patients and
relatives.
Handle problems and complaints sensitively, following Southern District Health Board
protocols for dealing with complaints.
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Southern District Health Board – Otago Campus
Job Description
Vascular Surgeon
STAFF TRAINING/TEACHING & SUPERVISION
The employee has a professional responsibility to provide undergraduate and postgraduate
teaching to all health professionals of relevant skills, knowledge and professional aptitude.
This obligation includes informed instruction during routine clinical activities.
Performance Measures
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To participate in undergraduate teaching of Vascular and its related aspects, where
appropriate. Responsibility for this is through the Professor of Surgery to the Dean of the
Otago School of Medicine.
To supervise registrars and junior medical officers and contribute towards their training
experience to meet the requirements of the RACS training programmes.
Support clinical supervision and instruction with timely and appropriate reports on
individual performance.
Where the Specialist has direct supervisory responsibility for staff, he/she will provide
prompt feedback relating to performance, as appropriate.
RESEARCH AND REVIEW
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To participate in approved research projects within the Department.
considered an integral part of surgical practice.
Research is
SELF LEARNING
Southern District Health Board encourages its Specialists to participate in these activities and
in the activities of other relevant learned societies, as well as the publishing of reports and
papers, the organising of conferences, the invitation of experts, the membership of national
committees, in that these activities also reflect well on the organisation and service, and on
the calibre of its staff.
Performance Measures
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Participate in the Australasian College of Surgeons Maintenance of Professional
Standards programme or equivalent, as agreed by the Clinical Leader.
Participate in professional continuing education activities.
Participate in regular performance review.
Demonstrate a commitment in maintaining and updating own knowledge and skills.
Contribute to maintenance of high professional and ethical standards in the service.
Contribute to professional education and assessment programmes.
Actively participate in medical credentialing activities as determined within Southern
District Health Board.
Provide yearly evidence of full participate in the Australasian College of Surgeons
Maintenance of Professional Standards programmes and other MOPS activities, that are
agreed with the clinical Leader.
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Southern District Health Board – Otago Campus
Job Description
Vascular Surgeon
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Identify research needs and when appropriate undertake research projects within the
Department after securing peer review and prior approval by Southern District Health
Board’s ethical committee and the Service Manager.
Attend and contribute to meetings relating to the surgeon’s professional interest, as well
as those of more general imp9ortance to the clinical service.
OTHER
Performance Measures
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To maintain a high level of patient care, including treating patients in a sensitive and
courteous manner.
To ensure that courtesy and respect for other members of staff and the public is
maintained.
To comply with all Southern DHB policies, including application documentation and
supporting processes when applying for study, conference, annual and other such leave.
To maintain professional standards and protocols at all times.
To maintain an appropriate standard of conduct for an employee/joint clinical of a Public
Health Sector organisation charged with carrying out government policy. Conduct should
not bring Southern DHB or your profession into disrepute.
To maintain knowledge and development in the discipline of surgery providing in
particular where this brings benefit to Southern DHB. This includes participation in
approved continued medical education. Opportunities for study leave will be provided by
application to the Service Manager.
Avoidance of validated complaints arising from the consultant’s personal performance
with regard to clinical, administrative, and research undertakings or communications.
To hold at all times an up to date annual practising certificate and indemnity insurance
cover and be able to provide evidence such. To maintain a current certificate of
Continuing Professional Development of the RACS.
To carry out any other duties as mutually agreed with the Service Manager.
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Southern District Health Board – Otago Campus
Job Description
Vascular Surgeon
COMPETENCY REQUIREMENTS
Professional Skills
Be vocationally registered as a Vascular Surgeon with the Medical Council of New Zealand
or vocationally registered as a General Surgeon working towards vascular vocational
registration.
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Team Skills
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Able to work well with professional staff from a wide range disciplines.
Political and Advocacy Skills
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Able to work positively, sensitively and constructively with managers, professionals,
cultural and elected representatives from a wide range of community organisations to
secure positive ongoing public health outcomes.
Personal Attributes
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Able to work flexibly, and independently as well as part of a multidisciplinary team.
Openness to change and willingness to adapt and initiate change within the overall
development of services to better meet the needs of the population.
Respect for others – promotion of mutual trust.
It is desirable that the appointee will not
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Have been found guilty of a criminal offence.
Have had any prior professional disciplinary action taken against them.
If you have, details of these must be included with your application so that we can assess their
significance in relation to the position.
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Southern District Health Board – Otago Campus
Job Description
Vascular Surgeon
The Southern District Health Board Vision
Better Health, Better Lives, Whanau Ora
The Southern District Health Board Values
Our Mission:
We work in partnership with people and communities to achieve their optimum health
and wellbeing. We seek excellence through a culture of learning, enquiry, service
and caring.
Our Statutory Purpose:
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To improve, promote and protect the health of our population
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Promote the integration of health services across primary and secondary care
services
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Seek the optimum arrangement for the most effective and efficient delivery of
health services
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Promote effective care or support for those in need of personal health or
disability support services
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Promote the inclusion and participation in society and the independence of
people with disabilities
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Reduce health disparities by improving health outcomes for Maori and other
population groups
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Foster community participation in health improvement, and in planning for the
provision of, and changes to the provision of services
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Uphold the ethical and quality standards expected of us and to exhibit a
sense of social and environmental responsibility
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