JOB DESCRIPTION
Specialist Intensivist
Department of Intensive Care Medicine
Position Title: / ConsultantOrganisation Unit: / Department of Intensive Care Medicine
Location: / All facilities as determined by the clinical duties, Northland District Health Board
Responsible to: / Clinical Head of Department, Intensive Care Medicine, Northland District Health Board
Primary Functions of the Position: / · To provide effective and high quality intensive care medicine services to the community served by the Northland District Health Board in accordance with the standards of the College of Intensive Care Medicine.
· To instruct, teach and advise Resident Medical Officers in relation to intensive care medicine.
· To lead the development of Intensive Care Medicine and participate actively in quality improvement and service development.
Functional Relationships
The Specialist Intensivist will develop and maintain excellent relationships with:
Internal / External· The Clinical Head of Intensive Care Medicine
· Consultants in other specialties
· ICU staff
· Administrative and management staff
· Other NDHB staff / · New Zealand Medical Council
· College of Intensive Care Medicine
· Department of Critical Care at Auckland DHB
· St John Practitioners
· Air Ambulance staff
Key Responsibilities and Expected Outcomes
Northland District Health Board has established a set of values by which the organisation will respond, in part, to achieving its goals and objectives through their workforce. The following Values and supporting statements are expected behaviours of each individual employed with NDHB:
Values / Supporting StatementPeople First
Tangata I te tuatahi / People are central to all we do
Respect
Whakaute (tuku mana) / We treat others as we would like to be treated
Caring
Manaaki / We nurture those around us, and treat all with dignity and compassion
Communication
Whakawhitiwhiti korero / We communicate safely, openly and with respect to promote clear understanding
Excellence
Taumata teitei (hirangi) / Our attitude of excellence inspires success, competence, confidence and innovation
The position of Specialist Intensivist encompasses the following major functions or key result areas:
· Clinical Responsibilities
· Records and Documentation
· Patient Information and Informed Consent
· Staff and Patient Relations
· Consultation Advice
· Quality Assurance
· Team Effectiveness
· Service Planning Budgeting and Management
· Resource Utilisation
· Teaching Responsibilities
· Continuing Medical Education
· Treaty of Waitangi
· Health and Safety
The outcome requirements of the above key responsibility areas are outlined below:
Key Responsibility Area / Expected OutcomesClinical Responsibilities / · Professional responsibility to patients is paramount.
· The Intensivist will perform clinical duties which lie within their training and ability and will manage patients according to contemporary convention and college guidelines.
· The Intensivist will work collaboratively and share responsibility with his or her colleagues to ensure an efficient and effective quality critical care services are provided.
Clinical Duties of the Intensivist may include:
Clinical management and primary responsibility for patients in the Intensive Care Unit.
Participation and coordination of air ambulance patient retrieval service.
Ward consultations and supervision of the rapid response team.
Other duties such as Anaesthesia or Emergency Medicine as defined by their credentialing and specialist training
Records and Documentation / · Comprehensive and accurate medical records will be maintained for all patients with whom the Intensivist is involved.
Patient Information and Informed Consent / · Patients will be given a clear explanation of all procedures and treatments where possible.
· Informed consent will be obtained from all patients in accordance with Northland District Health Board policy.
Staff and Patient Relations / · The Intensivist will work together with other Intensivists to ensure provision of a high quality service.
· The Intensivist will liaise with other specialists and staff as necessary to maintain optimal patient care.
Consultation Advice / · The Intensivist will see and advise on inpatients referred by hospital specialist colleagues for an opinion.
· When on call for ICU the Intensivist will liaise with the ICU Registrars and Charge Nurse to ensure continuity of service and appropriate use of resources.
· When on call for ICU the Intensivist will also liaise with Auckland, Whangarei and regional hospital colleagues to ensure an efficient air retrieval service.
Quality Assurance / · The Intensivist will maintain the high standards of patient care as set out by the College of Intensive Care Medicine.
· The Intensivist will participate in quality assurance activity including reviews of patient care, reviews of complications and reviews of any deaths that occur in the service.
· The Intensivist will contribute to the departmental clinical audit program.
· The Intensivist will attend as appropriate to any enquiries or complaints from patients, relatives, staff or management.
· The Intensivist will contribute to the formal review of staff within the department annually.
· The Intensivist will participate in developing initiatives for patient safety and quality improvement
Team Effectiveness / · The Intensivist will work collaboratively with other specialists in the ICU to ensure provision of a quality service.
· The Intensivist will liaise with other clinical specialists as necessary to maintain optimal patient care.
· Cover for absent colleagues will be provided in accordance with policy and departmental practice.
Service Planning, Budgeting and Management / · Each Intensivist shall contribute in part to administration of the Department and work together to achieve an effective service.
Resource Utilisation / · Each Intensivist is responsible for the effective and efficient use of resources including ICU supplies and pharmaceuticals.
Teaching Responsibilities / · The Intensivist will participate in the teaching of Resident Medical Officers, nursing and other staff.
Continuing Medical Education / · The Intensivist will keep up to date with trends and developments and utilisation of technology in intensive care medicine on an ongoing basis. This will be done through regular discussion with colleagues, reading literature and participating in conferences and meetings.
· Formal approval of an ethics committee via the Chief Medical Officer will be sought for any research undertaken or involvement in therapeutic trials which will be conducted in assistance with other ethics committees’ protocols.
Treaty of Waitangi / · Contribute to the promotion of the principles of Treaty of Waitangi and the involvement of Maori within the decision making process for their health and independence, within District Health Board management processes and procedures
· Attend the Northland District Health Board Treaty of Waitangi Training
Health & Safety / · Observe and promote safe work practices, rules and instructions relating to work, and be pro-active in hazard management
· Willingly co-operate in the achievement of all health and safety goals and initiatives by:
Practicing and observing safe work methods;
The use of safety equipment;
Reporting unsafe conditions or equipment; and
· Reporting and documenting all accidents or incidents
Variation of Duties
Duties and responsibilities described above should not be construed as a complete and exhaustive list as it is not the intention to limit unduly the scope or functions of the position. Duties and responsibilities may be amended from time to time, in consultation with the employee, to meet any changing conditions and service requirements.
The Northland District Health Board will ensure
· Adequate dedicated support services are provided to enable the Intensivist to carry out the duties described.
· Provision of adequate equipment, services and technical assistance to the standard recommended by the College of Intensive Care Medicine.
Person Specification
Education and QualificationsDesirable / Essential
Possession of FCICM qualification (or advanced progress toward). / · Qualified Medical Practitioner
· Must be eligible for vocational registration in Intensive Care medicine with the Medical Council of New Zealand
·
· Possession of Fellowship of a related College (Anaesthesia or Emergency medicine) as appropriate for part of the job description
Experience
Desirable / Essential
· Previous experience as a Consultant in Intensive Care Medicine in New Zealand
Awareness and Understanding of
Desirable
· Privacy Act (1993) and Health Information Privacy Code (1994)
· Health and Safety in Employment Act (1992) / Essential
· Health and Disability Commissioner (Code of Health and Disability Services Consumers’ Rights) Regulations (1996)
· New Zealand Council of Healthcare Standards
· The Treaty of Waitangi and its application to the health setting
Skills & Personal Attributes
Skills
· Computer skills – proficient in Excel and Word
· Excellent communication skills
· Demonstrated accurate documentation skills
· Ability to work under pressure
· Confidentiality
· Organisational skills
· Demonstrated commitment to ongoing education
· Initiative
· Numeracy skills
· Knowledge of Patient Management System
· Excellent clinical skills
· Forward planning and time management
· Anticipate and prevent clinical problems
· Efficacy and efficiency in clinical procedures
Personal Attributes
· Forward thinking
· Communication at all levels, excellent communication and interpersonal skills
· Professional and Clinical credibility
· Proven commitment to provision of quality care
· Function as a professional leader
· Ability to function as a multidisciplinary team member
· Commitment to own professional development
Position Outline
Section 1:· The post is full time with the total hours to be outlined in Schedule I, as per job sizing.
· The post participates in a separate ICU consultant on call roster. The number of participants varies but is typically seven. Any change to the frequency of on-call duties will be reflected in the job size.
· Registrar support is provided at all hours.
· Terms and conditions of the senior medical staff national MECA apply. This is an enhanced contract above those terms.
· The full time Intensivist will undertake eight rostered sessions comprising a mix of clinical rostered sessions and rostered non clinical session.
Section 2:
CLINICAL DUTIES
Rostered session means any rostered period (five hours duration) performing on-site clinical work.
Rostered sessions may include:
· Intensive Care
· Retrieval service
· Ward consultations
A morning session is from 0800 – 1300 hours.
An afternoon session is from 1300 – 1800 hours.
Section3:
NON CLINICAL DUTIES
Rostered
· Administration
· Teaching
· Audit
· Quality Assurance
· Research
Unrostered
The following activities are not specifically rostered to scheduled times, but will usually take place within the context of other scheduled activities. Remuneration for these duties and activities is deemed to be included in the non rostered payment of 5 hours per week.
· regular participation in continuing medical education activities on a week-by-week basis, by:
- attendance at weekly clinical meetings
- personal literature review – adherence to college guidelines of 40 hours Journal reviews per annum is required either personally or by participation in journal review meetings (attendance of at least 50% of planned meetings is therefore encouraged).
- Participation in national and local organisations dedicated to education and maintenance of standards.
· Administrative tasks not directly associated with clinical duties.
· Preparation of materials for and provision of formal teaching to junior medical staff, nursing staff, and other clinical support staff.
· Departmental meetings (at least monthly)
Note that the following activities are also required, and are specifically covered by other remuneration and leave provisions:
Attendance at New Zealand / Australian CME meetings at least once per annum, and at regional / world CME meetings at least once every three years. (Note the provision of CME leave and financial support for CME activities).
Section 4:
Weekly timetable is compiled by department roster maker.
Section 5:
The medical practitioner is required to undertake their clinical responsibilities and to conduct themselves in all matters relating to their employment, in accordance with best practice and relevant ethical and professional standards and guidelines, as determined from time to time by:
the New Zealand Medical Association;
the practitioner’s relevant medical college(s) and/or professional association(s);
the New Zealand Medical Council;
the Health & Disability Commissioner; and
the employer’s policies and procedures except to the extent that they may be inconsistent with any other provision of the Collective Agreement
Section 6:
No clinical leadership management role connected this appointment.
Section 7:
An annual professional review will occur. This will include a review of job description. The Clinical Head of Department will perform the annual review
Specific Objectives will be agreed annually and form part of the performance review.
Section 8:
Provisions for all leave are outlined in the Collective Agreement for Senior Medical Staff. This provides for six weeks annual leave and twelve days CME with expenses. At least 4 weeks notice of leave is required. Leave does not exist until approved by the Clinical Head of Department and Service Manager.
Section 9:
The remuneration schedule, to be outlined in Schedule II, will be determined by years of experience after review of Curriculum Vitae. A full time enhancement for flexibility of rostering is added to Collective Employment terms.
Authorised by:
Date:
Acceptance
Acceptance of the position implies acceptance of this position description.
Position Title:Signature of employee:
Date:
Specialist Intensivist Page 1 of 7
Department of Intensive Care Medicine
May 2013