Job Description
SPECIALTY DOCTOR IN PAEDIATRICS
MD001
Closing Date: 16th March 2014
NHS DUMFRIES AND GALLOWAY
SPECIALTY DOCTOR IN PAEDIATRICS
JOB DESCRIPTION
1) DUTIES OF THE POST
These posts are part of the middle tier of acute paediatric staffing for Dumfries and Galloway. We have
six posts providing acute paediatric and neonatal care based at Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary in
partnership with the Consultant staff. Two of these posts are part of the West of Scotland Paediatric
rotation.
You will be expected to care for children with a wide range of acute and long-term conditions in the
children’s ward, Neonatal unit, Out-patient and Ambulatory Care facility and provide advice to the
Accident and Emergency Department. Post holders may also wish experience in Community Paediatrics.
The rota is based on a full shift system.
2)
THE AREA:
Population 146,000 (with 31,700 children of pre-school and school age). It’s geographical spread is large
– from Langholm (in the east) to Stranraer (in the west) and from Kirkconnel and Carsphairn (in the
north) to the Solway shore, with health centres in all the larger towns. In addition to the hospitals in
Dumfries and Stranraer, GP hospitals are sited in various small towns throughout the area.
The Health Board is co-terminous with the Local Authority and joint working in developing children’s
services, is well established.
Dumfries, situated in the eastern half of this rural region, is a bustling market town with a population of
approximately 48,000. The River Nith runs through the town to the Solway coast. There are several
excellent primary and secondary schools within the town. The city of Carlisle is approximately 45
minutes drive from Dumfries; with Glasgow, Edinburgh and Newcastle all within two hours driving
time.
3)
NHS DUMFRIES AND GALLOWAY
A unified NHS Dumfries and Galloway Board came into being in October, 2001.
Dumfries
Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary Acute (district general)
Cresswell Maternity Wing – maternity and neonatal
Stranraer
Newly built community hospital with midwife lead unit recently opened.
350 beds
18 beds
9 ldrp
11 cots
Primary Care NHS
Most community based services are delivered through the regions two local health partnerships which are
based in Annandale and Eskdale, Nithsdale, Stewartry and Wigtown
4)
COMBINED CHILD HEALTH SERVICES
Combined Child Health Services are responsible for all child health services in the area, including acute
and community paediatrics, children’s development team, school health service and the child and
adolescent mental health service.
Recent Achievements within Child Health Services:
i)
ii)
iii)
iv)
v)
Development of community child and adolescent mental health service
Community children’s nursing team
The introduction of interagency locality children’s disability teams
The development of a management team structure for Womens’ and Childrens’ services to ensure
clear lines of accountability and clinical governance across NHS Dumfries and Galloway
Re-patriation of paediatric services in the west of the region, formerly provided by NHS Ayrshire
and Arran.
Ongoing Development:
i)
ii)
Integrating in-patients, out-patients and ambulatory care
Designing of a new Paediatric In-patient facility
The successful applicants would be expected to subscribe to the principles and values of the Child Health
Services.
5)
THE WORK OF CHILD HEALTH SERVICES
a)
General Hospital Paediatric Services
The Children’s Ward at Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary is of a standard ward design
with a new isolation facility built this year. There are 18 beds in the ward plus 2 in the day care
unit. Surgical beds are shared between general surgery and orthopaedic surgery. There are
admissions from ENT, ophthalmology and sporadically from other specialities seeing children.
b)
Neonatal Care
Consultant Paediatricians are in charge of the care of the new born at Cresswell Maternity Wing,
which has approximately 1,300 live births per year.
The new maternity wing has been designed to provide 18 beds, 9 labour delivery, recovery and
post natal rooms, 11 cots comprising of 2 intensive care, 6 special care, 1 isolation and 2
transitional. Neonatal problems arising in any babies born in the small GP/midwife lead
maternity unit in Stranraer, are transferred to Cresswell. Intensive care, including ventilation, is
carried out when necessary but there is a policy of antenatal transfer, usually to Queen Mother’s
Hospital in Glasgow, or Glasgow Royal Maternity Hospital, when delivery is expected at less
than 30-32 weeks.
c)
Out-Patient Clinics
Consultant out-patient clinics are currently held at Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary,
Cresswell Maternity Wing and in the health centres at Newton Stewart, Kelloholm, Annan, Castle
Douglas, Kirkcudbright and Stranraer.
d)
Ambulatory Paediatrics
A small ambulatory care centre has been established adjoining the paediatric ward at Dumfries
and Galloway Royal Infirmary. The centre aims to provide a responsive paediatric day care and
short stay service, which is tailored to the specific needs of children and their families.
e)
Child Development Centre
The Child Development Centre in Dumfries was opened in 1979 for the multi-disciplinary
assessment of children with possible developmental problems and physical disabilities. This
centre relocated to Nithbank in the Spring of 1998.
The Child Development Service is multi-disciplinary with Consultant and specialist therapist
input. In addition, both centre-based and out-reach therapies and a family support service are
offered. Members of the Social Services Department’s Children’s Disability Team and the Child
Protection Team are co-located within the Child Development Centre.
f)
Acorn House
Acorn House is a family respite unit for children with complex disabilities up to the age of 18.
This is a modern, domestic style bungalow able to care for ten children which is on the banks of
the River Nith, approximately one mile from the hospital. The Consultant Paediatricians have
input to the medical care of the children in this unit.
This unit is funded by Health and Social Services Department and joint assessment and resource
allocation arrangements are established. A Consultant from the Child and Adolescent Mental
Health Team provides the main medical input to this unit and paediatric staff from DGRI provide
medical cover as required.
g)
Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service
Following a review of services for children and adolescents in Dumfries and Galloway, a
community Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service delivers care across the region at Tier II
and Tier III.
Tier II services are provided by locality focussed mental health workers and support staff, the
team is co-ordinated centrally. Allocation to Tier III services results in a clinical appointment
being offered, in a variety of settings in Dumfries and in other towns.
This team is currently involved in multi-agency development of an Integrated Substance Misuse
Service.
On the West of Scotland Consortium basis, Tier IV children’s inpatient services are provided by
Yorkhill and adolescents in-patient services by Gartnaval.
6)
MEDICAL STAFFING STRUCTURE
The full complement of Consultant posts is 6.6
Other Medical Staff – Acute
Associate Specialist Neonatology – 7 sessions (one individual)
First on-call Paediatric staff (FY2 or GP ST2) – 5
Middle Grade Staff on rotation from West of Scotland Deanery – 2
Other Medical Staff – Community
Associate Specialist – 1
Permanent Staff Grade Paediatricians – 1 part time and 2 full time
7)
OTHER DUTIES
This job description is not exhaustive and may be amended.
You may be required to deputise for absent colleagues and exceptionally be available for
irregular commitments for extra work in occasional emergencies and unforeseen circumstances.
The arrangements of your duties will be agreed and reviewed jointly by your Consultant and
yourself on a regular basis.
8)
GENERAL
Subject to terms and conditions, the post holders are required to:




9)
Observe NHS Dumfries and Galloway’s agreed policies and procedures, drawn up in
consultation with the profession on clinical matters.
Follow the Standing Orders and Financial instructions of NHS Dumfries and Galloway.
Comply with Health and Safety Polices of NHS Dumfries and Galloway.
Follow the local and national employment and personnel polices and procedures.
ACCOUNTABILITY
The post holders will be accountable to the Clinical Lead for Child Health.
10)
CONDITIONS OF SERVICE
The post is covered by the terms and conditions of service of Hospital Medical and Dental Staff.
11)
FURTHER INFORMATION
For informal enquiries and arrangements to visit, please contact Dr Andrew Mitra,
Consultant Paediatrician, Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary on 01387 241054.