The Cardiology department has three Consultants and one Associate Specialist and provides a full range of invasive and non-invasive services. Trainee doctors are supported by a large and active learning and education centre. This centre provides quality space and equipment for teaching, simulation training and meetings.

The friendly staff are active in sending teaching reminders and monitoring e-portfolio progress. There is a library, accessible 24 hours a day and a well-equipped Doctor’s Mess. The post-holder will be part of the Medical Registrar Rota and will be an integral member of the multidisciplinary cardiac team and may lead specific duties as appropriate. The appointment is for 1 year commencing in October.

This post will provide excellent experience in general internal medicine and Cardiology at registrar level.

Post detail

• Grade: ST3 – ST4
• Location: The postholder will be based at the Tunbridge Wells hospital in Pembury and will work in all the different Cardiology departments. With the exception of occasional outreach clinics all other clinical activity will be at the Tunbridge Wells Hospital.
• Qualifications & Professional registration required: Registered medical qualifications; MRCP membership; Completed Foundation years 1 and 2 o

Training Programme

There are 3 Consultant Cardiologist and one Associate Specialist Cardiologist based on Tunbridge Wells site. The firm is supported by one Higher Specialist Trainee (this post), one Staff Grade (sub specialist interest – echo), two CMTs and two F1 doctors. There is in addition support from senior cardiac physiologists, radiographers and specialist nurses.

General Duties

• Provision of in-patient care for Consultant’s patients, advice on cardiac problems for other teams
• Attendance at monthly Departmental Clinical Governance and Audit Meetings
• Attendance at weekly CMT teaching sessions and regional teaching “away days”
• To participate in a full shift system
• Attendance at out-patient clinics as appropriate
• Discharge summaries and follow up clinic letters as directed.
• Other duties as directed by the Clinical Director or designated Consultant for the care of patients

Depending on qualifications and experience, the post holder may be required to become involved in teaching, training and clinical supervision of other junior doctors and medical students. There is also the opportunity to carry out complex echo, coronary angiography, pacing and complex device therapy. A full EP service is also now established.

The post holder accepts that he/she will also perform duties in occasional emergencies and unforeseen circumstances at the request of the appropriate Consultant, in consultation where practicable with his/her colleagues both senior and junior. It has been agreed between the professions and the department that while juniors accept that they will perform such duties, the Secretary of State stresses that additional commitments arising under this sub-section and, in particular, that juniors should not be required to undertake work of this kind for prolonged periods or on a regular basis.

The post holder would be expected to gain training in all aspects of Cardiology provided by the department.

The key aspects of the training provided are:

In patient: The post holder will participate in Consultant led ward rounds and lead some ward rounds reviewing referrals themselves.

Out patient: The post holder has a dedicated outpatient clinic 1.5 sessions per week. They see a mixture of new and follow patients and will discuss them with the supervising Consultant. The post holder will be given to opportunity to attend specialist clinics (device follow up, adult congenital etc.

Non-invasive: The postholder will have a dedicated weekly echo session supervised by a senior echo-cardiographer. There will in addition be the opportunity to attend specialist echo sessions. The post holder will be encouraged to work towards the BSE echo qualification.

Invasive: The post holder will typically attend 3 – 4 catheter laboratory sessions per week. They will receive training in diagnostic angiography, right heart catherisation, permanent pacing and loop recorder implants. They will also gain some experience in PCI.

Audit and research: HSTs are expected to complete at least one cardiology audit, the department has an active audit programme.

On-Call: The Cardiology Consultants and Associate Specialist provide an “out of hours” cardiology service. The Cardiology HST is not expected to be a part of this service.

General Medicine: The post holder will be a part GIM registrar on-call rota, typically 1:10. This is full shift on-call rota with 13 hour shifts with internal rotation onto nights. Nights are 4 nights (Monday to Thursday) and 3 nights (Friday to Sunday). The rota is EWTD compliant. The post holder will be involved in the care of GIM patients whilst on-call. Patients are then handed over to the MAU team or the specialty ward teams. The postholder will not have on going responsibility for GIM patients.

College Tutors

Dr Mamuka Kupharadze –College Tutor

Educational Supervisors

Trainees are allocated a Cardiology Educational Supervisor at the start of the programme who will meet regularly with the trainee to discuss progress in the training programme. In addition the trainee will have a separate GIM Educational supervisor.

• Dr Derek Harrington is Consultant Cardiologist; general cardiology with sub-specialist interest in Coronary intervention. RCP Tutor for Tunbridge Wells, KSS Cardiology Training Programme Director, and GKT Sub-dean
• Dr Clive Lawson is Consultant Cardiologist; general cardiology with sub-specialist interest in Coronary intervention. Clinical Director for specialist Medicine, RCP and KBA question writer and senior RCP examiner
• Dr Vinay Bhatia is Consultant Cardiologist; general cardiology with sub-specialist interest in Echocardiography. Clinical Governance lead
• Dr Kuno Budack is Associate Specialist Cardiologist general cardiology with sub-specialist interest in Rapid Access Chest pain clinic and pacing.

Outcome

• Cardiology +/GIM CCT
• Part of training towards CCT in Cardiology +/ General Medicine

Salary Scale

All payscales can be found on the website below. The Trust is continually working with juniors to make sure all rotas are compliant. You will initially receive an offer letter followed by your contract. Should you require any additional information beforehand, please contact our Medical Staffing department by email.

Payments policy

Employee salaries are paid on the 24th of the month. If this falls on a weekend salaries will be paid on the last working day.

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