Job Overview

We are seeking 2 new Staff Grades to join our Anaesthetics department within Jersey General Hospital. The holder will be expected to provide medical care to patients requiring anaesthesia, critical care and management of acute and chronic pain. 

The post is suitable for Doctors with a wide clinical experience of anaesthesia. The person specification sheet details essential and desirable requirements. During the appointment the post holder may be expected to provide anaesthetic services in the following areas:

 ▪ Critical Care

 ▪ Acute pain management

 ▪ ENT Surgery

▪ General Surgery

▪ Gynaecology and Obstetrics

▪ Maxillofacial Surgery

▪ Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery

▪ Ophthalmic Surgery

▪ Plastic Surgery

▪ Urology 

The department provides anaesthetic cover for 50 elective operating lists and 5 emergency trauma sessions each week. 9500 patients are anaesthetised each year.

Anaesthesia is largely conducted in the Main Theatre Suite of 6 theatres, including an obstetric theatre, and the Day Surgery Unit, which has two operating theatres. All theatres are well equipped and anaesthetic equipment fulfils current Association of Anaesthetists standards for monitoring. All patients are recovered in an appropriately staffed recovery area.

The standard working day starts at 08.00. The first patient on the morning list should be anaesthetised by 09.00. The first patient on the afternoon list should be anaesthetised by 13.30. Average list finish time is 17.00 but anaesthetists are expected to be flexible and occasional overruns up to 18.00 are allowed for in calculating levels of pay.

As in all hospitals the Department of Anaesthesia, Critical Care & Pain Medicine provides an emergency on call service. A consultant and two non-consultants are on call at all times. The two on call anaesthetists are known as the General Call Anaesthetist and the Critical Care / Maternity Anaesthetist.

The Department of Anaesthesia, Critical Care & Pain Medicine comprises nine consultants, two associate specialists, twelve staff grade doctors and one F2. Medical staff are assisted by a pain management team and there are three departmental secretaries. The department is well located, close to theatres and the critical care unit. It consists of office space for anaesthetists and secretarial staff, a seminar room and an on call room for the critical care / maternity on call anaesthetist. 

For an informal discussion, please contact Alun Roberts - a.roberts@health.gov.je

For a full copy of the Job Description, please contact Aoife O'Hare - a.ohare@gov.je 

On Call

Responsibilities include general emergency work and booked semi-emergency cases. The general call anaesthetist may return home during quiet periods and to sleep but must be available to return if needed without delay.

The Critical Care / Maternity Anaesthetist will be in charge of the day-to-day running of the Critical Care Unit and on call for critical care admissions, maternity cases, cardiac arrests and emergency department assistance. He/she will make a personal handover to his or her successor starting at 08.00 daily. During working hours there will be assistance and supervision by a consultant with critical care sessions. Out of hours cover will be by the on-call consultant.

If the Critical Care / Maternity Anaesthetist is not available to respond immediately to a cardiac arrest or resuscitation call, he must notify the switchboard to ensure the General Call or Consultant Anaesthetist is contacted.

It is a condition of your appointment that when you are on duty for Critical Care / Maternity you will reside in the on-call accommodation provided adjoining the Department of Anaesthesia, Critical Care & Pain Medicine.

Prospective cover for annual and study leave is allowed for in calculations of the working week. The post holder will not be expected to work the day after a night on call. The post holder is expected to attend teaching and audit meetings 50% of on call will be as the resident critical care / maternity anaesthetist. The general call anaesthetist is not expected to be resident.

An annual rota showing on call commitments is published in the second half of the year preceding the rota. It is expected that where leave requirements clash with on call commitments the doctor will arrange an appropriate swap with a colleague. A detailed rota covering the exact disposition of non-consultant anaesthetists during each week is produced by the Tuesday of the previous week. Last minute changes to the rota may become necessary so anaesthetists are expected to carry their bleeps at all times between 08.00 and 18.00 Monday to Friday, except when post on call, so they can be contacted if necessary.

Within office hours a consultant is always available within the hospital. On call consultants carry a bleep or a mobile phone and can be contacted easily through the hospital switchboard.