Consultant Cardiologist

Job Purpose

This is a temporary POCC Consultants’ Contract by the HSE to be based in Connolly Hospital

The Catchment Area extends into West Dublin, Meath and Kildare, where much of the recent housing development has occurred to support the rapid growth of Greater Dublin. As a result, the population within its service area has experienced considerable change in the inter-censal period and indeed over the past fifteen years. The CSO Census data from the 1991, 1996, 2002 Census as well as the Preliminary release data from Census 2006 can all be used to track the regions changing population. The catchment includes Areas belonging to Fingal, Dublin City, South County Dublin, Kildare and Meath County Councils.

Organisational Context

HSE has created six new health regions. Each region is responsible for providing both hospital and community care for the people in that area. Bringing community health services and hospitals together means we can take a more patient-centred approach to healthcare.

HSE Dublin and North East provides health and social care to North Dublin, Louth, Meath, Monaghan and most areas of Cavan.

HSE Dublin and North East Region includes the following hospitals;

• Beaumont Hospital
• Cavan General Hospital
• Connolly Hospital
• Louth County Hospital
• Monaghan General Hospital
• Mater Misericordiae University Hospital
• National Orthopaedic Hospital Cappagh
• Our Lady’s Hospital Navan
• Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital
• Rotunda Hospital

Connolly Hospital

Connolly Hospital is located in the West Dublin Village of Blanchardstown. It services a catchment population of 331,000 in Dublin West (including Finglas West and Lucan), North Kildare and South County Meath, and is one of the fastest growing catchment population areas in the country. Connolly Hospital is a 400 bed Dublin Academic Teaching Hospital providing a range of acute medical and surgical clinical services, national Bowel Screen services, acute psychiatric services, psychiatry of old age residential and day services designated residential centres for older persons care, older person day care, outpatient services, diagnostic and support services. Emergency acute general clinical services are provided on a 365 day, 24 hour basis.

Cardiology Services

The Department of Cardiology at Connolly Hospital provides general cardiology services including inpatient, outpatient and day-care.  The Department has a 5-bedded Coronary Care Unit and 17 monitored cardiology beds. The team also provides specialised arrhythmia and heart failure services.

The Department performs all standard non-invasive cardiac investigations and some specialised electrophysiology tests. It also provides a comprehensive Cardiac Rehabilitation programme and a dedicated Heart Failure Disease Management Programme. The Cardiology inpatient service at Connolly is consultant delivered as a consultant team, with daily ward-rounds. Patients are managed by the team and this facilitates early and efficient discharges, providing a true 7/7 service.

Clinical care is delivered according to national guidelines, with active participation in the Primary PCI strategy and on-going audit and data feedback as part of the National Heart Failure Programme. The Department has close ties with St. Francis’ Hospice and provides palliative care services to patients with advanced cardiovascular disease. Connolly Hospital also has close links with the newly established Community Cardiology/Integrated Care Programme.

The Department trains Specialist Registrars, Non-SpR Registrars, Basic Specialist Trainees in Medicine, undergraduate medical and nursing students. There is interdisciplinary learning and the Department has supervised medical, nursing and pharmacy projects and theses.

Key Responsibilities

Standard Duties and responsibilities 

• To participate in development of and undertake all duties and functions pertinent to the Consultant’s area of competence, as set out within the Clinical Directorate Service Plan and in line with policies as specified by the Employer. 
• To ensure that duties and functions are undertaken in a manner that minimises delays for patients and possible disruption of services.
• To work within the framework of the hospital / agency’s service plan and/or levels of service (volume, types etc.) as determined by the Employer. Service planning for individual clinical services will be progressed through the Clinical Directorate structure or other arrangements as apply.
• To co-operate with the expeditious implementation of the Disciplinary Procedure (attached at Appendix II).
• To formally review the execution of the Clinical Directorate Service Plan with the Clinical Director / Employer periodically. The Clinical Directorate Service Plan shall be reviewed periodically at the request of the Consultant or Clinical Director / Employer. The Consultant may initially seek internal review of the determinations of the Clinical Director regarding the Service Plan.
• To participate in the development and operation of the Clinical Directorate structure and in such management or representative structures as are in place or being developed. The Consultant shall receive training and support to enable him/her to participate fully in such structures.
• To provide, as appropriate, consultation in the Consultant’s area of designated expertise in respect of patients of other Consultants at their request.
• To ensure in consultation with the Clinical Director that appropriate medical cover is available at all times having due regard to the implementation of the European Working Time Directive as it relates to doctors in training.
• To supervise and be responsible for diagnosis, treatment and care provided by non-Consultant Hospital Doctors (NCHDs) treating patients under the Consultant’s care
• To participate as a right and obligation in selection processes for non-Consultant Hospital Doctors and other staff as appropriate. The Employer will provide training as required. The Employer shall ensure that a Consultant representative of the relevant specialty / sub-specialty is involved in the selection process.
• To participate in clinical audit and proactive risk management and facilitate production of all data/information required for same in accordance with regulatory, statutory and corporate policies and procedures.
• To participate in and facilitate production of all data/information required to validate delivery of duties and functions and inform planning and management of service delivery.
• To meet clinical service demands, including delivery of consultant delivered patient care in the specialty of cardiology.
• Conduct out-patient clinics, ward rounds appropriate to the specialty of cardiology as part of the team of cardiologist at Connolly.
• In rotation with Consultant colleagues in cardiology, contribute to providing an acute and on-call service.
• To lead the continuing development of all non-invasive cardiac investigations performed in the Cardiac Diagnostics Department.
• Be involved in the development of invasive and interventional cardiology services at Connolly and Beaumont Hospitals, as part of the RCSI Hospital Group.
• Ensure that duties and functions are undertaken in a manner that minimizes delays for patients and possible disruption of services.
• Implement strong specialist consult and transfer protocols in conjunction with consultant colleagues.
• Participate in undergraduate and postgraduate teaching

The above Job Description is not intended to be a comprehensive list of all duties involved and consequently, the post holder may be required to perform other duties as appropriate to the post which may be assigned to him/her from time to time and to contribute to the development of the post while in office.

Essential Criteria

Entry to competition / recruitment process

No candidate will be appointed as a Medical Consultant unless (s)he is registered as a Specialist in the Specialist Division of the Register of Medical Practitioners maintained by the Medical Council of Ireland.

Professional Qualifications

Registration as a specialist in the Specialist Division of the Register of Medical Practitioners maintained by the Medical Council in Ireland in the speciality of Anaesthetics.

Age

Age restriction shall only apply to a candidate where he/she is not classified as a new entrant (within the meaning of the Public Service Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 2004). A candidate who is not classified as a new entrant must be under 65 years of age on the first day of the month in which the latest date for receiving completed application forms for the office occurs.

Health

A candidate for and any person holding the post must be fully competent and capable of undertaking the duties attached to the post and be in a state of health such as would indicate a reasonable prospect of ability to render regular and efficient service.

Character

A candidate for and any person holding the post must be of good character.

Relevant Attachment 

Job Description

Skills & Competencies

• Demonstrate evidence of effective planning and organising skills including awareness of resource management and importance of value for money

• Demonstrate ability to manage deadlines and effectively handle multiple tasks

• Demonstrate effective communication skills including: the ability to present information in a clear and concise manner; the ability to facilitate and manage groups through the learning process; the ability to give constructive feedback to encourage learning

• Demonstrate awareness and appreciation of the service user

• Demonstrate leadership and team management skills including the ability to work with multi disciplinary team members

• Demonstrate evidence of ability to empathise with and treat patients, relatives and colleagues with dignity and respect.

This Job Description is intended as a basic guide to the scope and responsibilities of the position and is subject to regular review and amendment. The role holder will be required to be flexible in this position and is expected to facilitate working additional hours on occasion, when requested.