We are looking for an enthusiastic, highly driven Consultant Anaesthetist with to join our expert and energetic team. We currently have two vibrant hospital sites each with a varied range of services available. Our hospitals are brimming with exemplary teams of hardworking individuals. Both hospitals will be further enhanced in the future due to a significant investment called the Hospital Transformation Programme (HTP) that will see the creation of one acute hospital site (The Royal Shrewsbury Hospital) which will include a 30 bed Critical Care Unit, an Emergency Department and a Women and Children’s centre and one planned care hospital site (The Princess Royal Hospital) for most of the elective surgery.

We are delighted to offer one post involving regular general anaesthesia sessions. The successful applicant will work sessions on both hospital sites with on-calls based at The Princess Royal Hospital. Please note that we are restructuring services in preparation for the HTP and as such future on calls may include anaesthesia on-calls on one or both sites. There are also opportunities to get involved in pre-operative assessment clinics, paediatric anaesthesia and day case anaesthesia in our brand-new elective hub, which opened in June 2024.

This is an ideal opportunity to become part of a dedicated team of anaesthetists in which there are many development opportunities. The post will consist of 10 PAs with non-resident on-call responsibility.

The Trust offers surgical specialities in the form of Urology, Orthopaedic Trauma, Ophthalmic surgery, Vascular Surgery, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Head & Neck Surgery, some Paediatric Surgery and ENT surgery. We also have a busy pre-operative assessment service that not only includes daily pre-operative assessment clinics but also CPEX testing. The post holder will be expected to deliver elective theatre sessions on both hospital sites. The colorectal surgery department is mainly based on the Shrewsbury site and is the 10th largest colorectal cancer unit in the UK (ACPGBI data) with 10 colorectal consultants and 6 upper GI consultants who together cover the busy on-call rota. All six upper GI surgeons do bariatric surgery.

Enhanced recovery is a key part of departmental practice and SATH has made a commitment to continually improve the service. The colorectal department is in the process of acquiring a surgical robot.

 The on-call anaesthetic cover at PRH is as follows:

·     The first on-call cover the CEPOD theatres, attend resuscitation calls and support the second on call in ITU patient care. The CEPOD theatres at PRH predominantly cater for gynaecological, paediatric, head and neck, trauma, and maxillofacial emergencies. Currently 1:8

·       The second on-call is provided by the STs, specialty doctors and specialists, working full shifts – primarily for ITU. Currently 1:8.

The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH) is the main provider of acute hospital services for around half a million people in Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin and mid Wales.

Encompassing some of the most picturesque parts of England and Wales, the Trust’s catchment stretches from the Cambrian Mountains in the west, to Newport and the fringes of the Black Country in the east. The main towns include: Bridgnorth, Ludlow, Market Drayton, Oswestry, Shrewsbury and Whitchurch (in Shropshire); Newport, Telford and Wellington (in Telford & Wrekin); and Newtown and Welshpool (in Powys) – all beautiful and unique.

Our main service locations are the Princess Royal Hospital (PRH) in Telford and the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital (RSH) in Shrewsbury which are located 20 minutes’ drive apart. Together they provide 99% of our activity. Both hospitals provide a wide range of acute hospital services including accident & emergency, outpatients, diagnostics, inpatient medical care and critical care.

We also provide services such as consultant-led outreach clinics at the Wrekin Community Clinic, Telford, the Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital, Gobowen and the Bridgnorth, Ludlow and Whitchurch Community Hospitals.

A formal job plan will be agreed between the successful candidate and their Clinical Director and consultant colleagues, on behalf of the Medical Director within 3 months of starting in post. A full-time job plan is based on a 10 PA working week. The job plan will be reviewed annually and is a prospective agreement that sets out the consultant's duties, responsibilities, and objectives for the coming year. It covers all aspects of a consultant’s professional practice including clinical work, teaching, research, education and managerial responsibilities. It will provide a clear schedule of commitments, both internal and external and will include personal objectives, detailing links to wider service improvements and trust strategic priorities.

For a full-time contract, the job plan will be divided on average per week (pro-rata for a part time post) as:

·         7.5 Programmed Activities (PAs) of Direct Clinical Care - includes clinical activity, clinically related activity, and predictable (0.6 PA) and unpredictable (0.65 PA) emergency work.

·         2.5 Supporting Professional Activities (SPAs) - includes CPD, audit, teaching and research.

The allocation of PAs is reviewed and may be subject to adjustment when a further diary exercise is undertaken or if the service demands a review of the team job plan.

Any applicant who is unable, for personal reasons, to work full-time will be eligible to be considered for the post. If such a person is appointed, modification of the job content will be discussed on a personal basis with the Trust in consultation with other consultant colleagues.