Northwick Park is pleased to announce we are building a brand-new 32 bedded Acute Medical Unit (opened early 2024) and we would love for you to join us on this amazing journey.
Northwick Park is a Major Acute Hospital with a busy medical take and an established reputation for patients presenting with a very wide range of medical conditions with a high degree of acuity. We currently run two Acute Medical Units, a Same Day Emergency Care Unit, and a Medical High Dependency Unit.
At London North West Healthcare University NHS Trust, you will become part of a highly skilled and dynamic team located on the borough border of sporty Brent and historic Harrow. With Wembley Stadium to the southeast and Harrow on the hill countryside to the west, our wards offer exceptional views of the area. Not to mention, the fantastic variety of tea shops, cafes, and restaurants. We’re also a short walk from Northwick Park Station, on the Metropolitan line, or Kenton Station, on the Bakerloo and Overground lines.
We are a values-based employer and live by our HEART values. We understand the importance of providing excellent care and are continuously finding new and innovative ways to improve the services our patients receive, by ensuring our staff are highly trained and encouraging research which allows us to provide the latest methods, treatments, and technologies.
This is an exciting opportunity to join one of the largest and most successful integrated care NHS Trust’s in the UK, with a team of 9,000 dedicated staff. We serve a wonderfully diverse population of over a million people in North West London and across the boroughs of Brent, Harrow, and Ealing.
The Acute Medicine team have a strong multi-disciplinary ethos supported by our excellent Matrons, dedicated administrative staff and seven-day therapy service. Additionally, our units are supported by training and trust grade registrars and junior doctors.
We are looking for a number of enthusiastic, forward thinking, and passionate doctors to join our team from February 2024. You must be a team player and hold excellent communication skills.
You will gain valuable experience whilst working across the acute medical department including the medical take, AMU, medical SDEC and medical HDU.
You will be on a rota that includes a number of different shifts including standard days, twilights, long days, nights and weekends.
Contract type: Permanent, although fixed term contracts will be considered.
London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust (LNWH) cares for the people of Brent, Ealing, Harrow and beyond.
Our team of more than 8,200 clinical and support staff serve a diverse population of almost one million people.
We run major acute services at:
Northwick Park Hospital: home to one of the busiest emergency departments (A&E) in the country. The hospital provides a full range of services including the country’s top-rated hyper-acute stroke unit and one of only three hyper-acute rehabilitation units in the UK
St Mark’s Hospital: an internationally renowned specialist centre for bowel disease
Ealing Hospital: a busy district general hospital providing a range of clinical services, as well as 24/7 emergency department and urgent care centre, and specialist care at Meadow House Hospice
Central Middlesex Hospital: our planned care site, hosting a range of surgical and outpatient services and collocated with an urgent care centre.
We are a university teaching NHS trust, in recognition of the important role we play in training clinicians of the future and bringing the benefits of research to the public.
JOB SUMMARY
Northwick Park is a Major Acute Hospital with a busy medical take and an
established reputation for patients presenting with a very wide range of
medical conditions with a high degree of acuity.
Successful candidates will join our Acute Medicine team and will rotate
between AMU, Medical Same Day Emergency Care, Medical High
Dependency Unit and the medical take based in the Emergency
Department.
You will work as part of a rota that will include a number of different shifts
including standard days, twilights, long days, weekends and nights.
These posts will have full educational and clinical supervision and will be
enrolled onto the Royal College of Physicians e-portfolio and be entitled to
study leave. The Trust’s PACES teaching, medical SHO procedures
course and Reg Ready sim will be available.
ACUTE MEDICINE DEPARTMENT
The Acute Medicine service at Northwick Park University Healthcare NHS
Trust has seen an exponential rise in demand over the last two decades,
including increase in the medical take and Same Day Emergency Care
(SDEC) services.
The Acute Medicine service is an integral part of the Urgent & Emergency
Medicine Division. The service cares for a range of patients across SDEC,
the Acute Medical Unit and the Medical High Dependency Unit.
Medical take
Northwick Park is a major acute hospital with a busy medical take and an
established reputation for patients presenting with a very wide range or
medical conditions with a high degree of acuity. The successful candidates
will work as part of the admissions team, supported by 24/7 registrar
supervision and 12 hour a day, seven day a week, consultant oversight.
Acute Medical Unit
Currently there is a 56-bedded Acute Medical Unit based over two wards
(Crick and Darwin) next to the Emergency Department, which has been
extensively developed within the last five years to provide a state of the art
environment. In early 2024 there will be a further 32 bedded AMU opening.
The appointees will work as a member of the Acute Medical team with F1
trainees, IMTs, F2s, GPVTSs and SpRs. There is seven-day consultant
cover across the acute floor.
Same Day Emergency Care Unit (SDEC)
Northwick Park SDEC currently reviews up to 500 patients per week (40-
50% of the acute medical take). A variety of conditions are treated on the
unit, which is manned by acute physicians as per rota, supervising
a dedicated team of advanced nurse practitioners, medical registrars
and core trainees, seven days per week. The SDEC is open seven days a
week and is comprehensively equipped with diagnostics
including ultrasound, ECHO and access to CT with specialist team
input. The unit is continuing to grow and develop novel means of treating
acute medical disease.
As part of this development there is a Single Point of Access (SPA) that
receives all external medical referrals to acute medicine. Staffed by trained
ANPs, they triage the call to SDEC, medical take for admission or to other
services within the Trust.
Medical High Dependency Unit
The Medical HDU is located within Dryden ward. Patients with critical care
needs including nasal high flow oxygen, CPAP, NIV and vasosuppressor
support can be cared for in the unit, which has up to 10 level 2 beds, and
an additional 12 level 1 beds. mHDU is run by a combination of respiratory
and acute physicians.
Key responsibilities
Clinical – The post holder will be responsible for the regular clinical
assessment and management of all patients, in conjunction with
consultants and SPRs. Close supervision will be available at all times but
incumbents of the posts will be trained and encouraged to develop initiative in clinical assessment, diagnosis and active management of their patients,
rather than being limited to carrying out a daily list of tasks. This clinical
commitment extends beyond the unit to support that Critical Care Outreach nurses and the care of critically ill patients throughout the hospital.
Administrative – The post holder will have a prime responsibility for the
regular and accurate documentation of history, examination, clinical
progress, and results of investigations. This will include computerised
record keeping, and an ability to cope with basic computer text entry will
be expected. This role will also include the day-to-day audit of practice and
standards of care.
Communication – The post holder will work closely with nursing staff,
physiotherapists and other associated health professionals, and act as a
primary point of contact and referral with other medical teams and
diagnostic services. Intensive care is a potentially stressful environment
and much of the activity occurs out of hours. Appointees will be expected
to communicate effectively and professionally at all times, both with
members of the public and with fellow staff of all ranks and disciplines.
Please see attached job description for this vacancy for more information on the requirements of this role.
