[ref. o029204] Consultant in General Surgery - Consultant Surgeon
Come and join our team in this exciting time of change as we pride ourselves, our staff and our services on excellence.
At the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust we put our patients at the heart of every element of health and care that we provide. The Trust works together as a community to deliver its vision which is “Working together to provide outstanding care for our community.”
We are Compassionate in our thoughts, words and actions
We are Aspirational and have a true desire to be dynamic and to innovate
We are Resourceful and responsible in the way we work and live
We are Excellent in our development, fairness and sharing best practice
Amazing things happen at the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust; delivered by amazing people so why don’t you come and join us. We offer a range of learning and development for all employees may you be clinical or non-clinical.
Job overview
This is an exciting opportunity to join our dynamic and enthusiastic team who believe in leading from the frontline with the aim of providing outstanding care to our community and investing in the well-being and development of our people.
Please note the simulation date is 11th August 2025 and the interview date is 29th August 2025.
Main duties of the job
The Upper Gastrointestinal Service
The UGI service is provided by five consultant Upper GI surgeons who work in a collaborative unit. It undertakes all aspects of benign upper GI and general laparoscopic surgery, including laparoscopic cholecystectomy, anti-reflux surgery, hiatal hernia repair, groin and abdominal hernia repair and surgery for oesophageal motility disorders.In addition, there is the rgeional bariatric surgical service providing gastric bypass, sleeve and gastric band surgery. There is a fully equipped GI Physiology laboratory providing oesophageal pH and impedance studies, catheterless pH studies and high-resolution manometry.
Initial staging of oesophago-gastric cancers is performed within the unit and discussed in the local Upper GI Cancer MDT, but all major oesophago-gastric cancer resections are performed in Oxford.
As a General Surgery unit we offer treatment for a wide range of General Surgical conditions including surgery for complex hernias / abdominal wall failure.- For more information please see main JD
Working for our organisation
Diversity makes us interesting… Inclusion is what will make us outstanding.
Inequality exists and the journey to eliminate it is not easy. Every step we take will be a purposeful step forward to deliver a truly inclusive culture where all our people are enabled to deliver outstanding care, where background is no barrier, and where everyone can be their authentic self and we truly represent our patient community.
We are committed to equal opportunities and welcome applications from all sections of the community, regardless of any protected characteristics. Reasonable adjustments will be made for disabled applicants where possible. All applicants who have a disability and meet the minimum criteria for the post can opt for a guaranteed interview.
If you need additional help with your application please get in touch by calling the recruitment team on 0118 322 6997 or 0118 322 5342.
Our primary method of communication will be via email. However, if you would prefer to be contacted through a different method, please inform the recruitment team.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Immediate Responsibilities of the Appointee
The post holder will share clinical and managerial leadership within the General Surgery department with the present consultants. An office base with administrative support will be provided.
Clinical Care
The duties outlined below are not definitive and may be changed in accordance with the needs of the service. The post holder is required to hold a CCT or equivalent. As such the post holder should be trained in all aspects of the speciality.
- To provide, with colleagues, an emergency general surgery service.
- To contribute to an elective general surgery service
There is a 12-week cycle between four emergency surgeons, working closely with the Emergency Department and running the Surgical Assessment Unit. There is a dedicated Emergency Operating theatre available 24 hours a day.
The 12-week cycle will involve first-on duties, second on duties, elective surgery and the opportunity to back-fill lists.
Management responsibilities
All medical staff are managerially accountable through their Departmental Clinical Director to the Care Group Director and to the Chief Medical Officer who has overall responsibility for the services. Consultants are key members of the Divisional team and are accountable and responsible for leading changes to service that will improve the patient experience.
- To participate in the management and development of the service
- Participation and involvement in clinical governance, quality improvement and other business in the General Surgical department.
Provisional Job Plan
This is a whole time post with a minimum of 10 Programmed activities. The balance between Direct Clinical Care and Supporting Professional Activities will be agreed with the post holder in the final job plan. The SPA allocation is 1.5 for personal CME, audit and revalidation requirements including departmental meetings.Additional SPAs may be allocated for specific agreed objectives for the trust subject to the agreement of the Clinical Director.
All Job Plans are reviewed at least annually, with the Medical Lead/Clinical Director, who is the Line Manager.
Although all Consultants within the department work to the framework of a job plan, there is a longstanding culture that applies the spirit of the contract where all colleagues’ cross-cover sessions in most areas to support consultant leave or sickness and to help maintain the smooth working and efficiency of the department.
Indicative Job Plan – subject to change and negotiation. This is a 12-week rolling rota consisting of 4 weeks of either first or second on-call duties, 7 weeks of elective activity and one week of no clinical commitments. The first four weeks of the cycle follow the pattern as shown below.The second four weeks consist of 2 weeks of taking the timetable of one of the non-emergency GI surgeons (includes all-day theatre lists and half day endoscopy sessions and clinic sessions) and 2 weeks of the elective activity shown below. The final 4 weeks follow the pattern of the first 4 weeks except the final week of this has no clinical commitments.
Person specification
Suitability
Essential criteria- Sufficient experience
- Past relevant experience
Time Keeping
Essential criteria- Time keeping skills
- Keeping up with admin
Education & Qualification
Essential criteria- Full registration with the GMC/eligible for registration within 6 months of CCT in General Surgery or successful completion of CESR at interview date
- Flexible working opportunities and a strong emphasis on your work, life balance
- Annual leave – 27 days for new starters, plus bank holidays. Increasing to 29 days after 5 years and 33 days after 10 years NHS service. Pro rata for part time staff
- NHS pension scheme
- Employee Assistance Programme
- Money Advice Service
- Generous maternity, paternity and adoption leave for eligible staff
- On-site nursery (based at RBH)
- Full educational library services
- Cycle to work scheme, lockable storage for cycles
- Bus to work scheme
- Excellent rail and bus links
- A huge range of Health Service Discounts at hundreds of big brands from holidays to gadgets and restaurants to retail.
After applying via NHS Jobs, your submitted application will be imported into our preferred Third party recruitment system (TRAC). All subsequent information regarding your application will be generated from apps.trac.jobs. You will not be able to track the progress of your application or receive messages through the NHS Jobs website, and furthermore, that as an employer, we will not be able to respond to any e-mails sent to us via the NHS Jobs website.
By applying for this post you are agreeing to Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust transferring the information contained in this application to its preferred applicant management system. If you are appointed to a post information will also be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Records system.
Appointment to any position is conditional on the satisfactory completion of the core NHS Employment Checks Standards. Information disclosed in your application will be checked and any offer of appointment may be withdrawn if you knowingly withhold information or provide false or misleading information.All new appointments to the Trust, with the exception of executive positions, are subject to a 6 month probationary period.
The Trust may close any vacancy prior to the advertised closing date due to the high level of responses we receive for some of our vacancies.
Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust is committed to improving the health of its staff, patients and the wider community by providing a smoke free environment. A smoke free policy is in operation and smoking is not permitted on any of the Trust’s sites.
The Trust is also committed to safeguarding children, young people and vulnerable adults and requires all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. We follow safe recruitment practices to protect children, young people and vulnerable adults.