Limb Reconstruction Surgical Care Practitioner

This post will is for a surgical care practitioner for the Limb Reconstruction service.

Within the scope of the role, the Limb Reconstruction Surgical Care Practitioner will deliver highly specialised pre, intra and post-operative care to patients undergoing Limb Reconstruction Surgery in order to provide a seamless high quality service.

Under the direction of the consultant Orthopaedic Surgeons the post holder will participate in operative procedures as requested and will provide expert clinical knowledge and support to both the surgeons and other theatre users.

The post holder will also act as an expert specialist resource and educator for colleagues, medical and nursing students, patients, carers and families, facilitating the delivery of effective patient care.

The post holder will work autonomously as an independent practitioner but also work closely with the consultant surgeons, specialist registrars, junior medical staff and other practitioners to support the delivery of Limb Reconstruction Surgery care. The post holder will be expected to perform these duties with a high degree of clinical skill and knowledge.

The post holder will also act as an expert specialist resource and educator for colleagues, medical and nursing students, patients, carers and families, facilitating the delivery of effective patient care.

The post holder will work autonomously as an independent practitioner but also work closely with the consultant surgeons, specialist registrars, junior medical staff and other practitioners to support the delivery of Limb Reconstruction Surgery care. The post holder will be expected to perform these duties with a high degree of clinical skill and knowledge.

The post holder would be expected to be responsible for planning and organising a broad range of complex activities that will impact across the service. This may include audit and research projects, as well as developing and implementing policies and procedures.

The Trauma and Orthopaedic department at Alder Hey - world leader in healthcare and research , a hospital for children, designed and inspired by children. Along with a radical and ambitious vision, the Children’s Health Park is the future design of paediatric care and there’s nothing like it anywhere in Europe.

We have already earned our place as one of the world's leading Children's hospitals, thanks to innovation and pioneering medical work. We treat 250,000 young patients a year and safely perform over 13,000 surgical procedures. Our catchment area has a population of over 7m, stretching from Cumbria, through Lancashire, Merseyside, most of Cheshire, parts of Shropshire, North Wales and the Isle of Man.

This service provides tertiary paediatric orthopaedic cover for children from Merseyside, Cheshire, parts of Lancashire, Shropshire, Isle of Man, North Wales and Northern Ireland. The total population base is over 5 million. The job description and person specification details the main roles and requirements of the position.

The successful candidate must demonstrate an attitude that respects and values service users and also the core values of Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust. The successful candidate will share this commitment and demonstrate both our Trust values and our culture of compassionate care.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

Responsibility for patient/client care

• Implement pre-operative assessment processes including clinical examination, medicines review (non-medical prescribing as appropriate) and advice on postoperative care as directed by the surgical team and hospital protocols.
• Act as first or second assistant under the direction of a consultant surgeon in Limb Reconstruction Surgery procedures.
• Work in Alder Hey Children’s Hospital theatres as a senior member of the Limb Reconstruction scrub team when not required to assist.
• Participate in Surgical Care Practitioner led clinics after appropriate training, assessment and competency achievement.
• Arrangement of appropriate pre and post-operative investigations as part of the multidisciplinary team to enhance patient safety, to facilitate patient-centred care and contribute to the smooth running of the operating lists. This will include advanced preoperative assessment, history taking and review of investigations, X-Ray’s and drug therapy.
• Contribute to the clinical care of the post-operative patient detection of surgical problems such as pain, compartment syndrome, fixator complications and wound infection.
• Contribute to the Limb Reconstruction Fixator clinic, applying expertise in complex Limb Reconstruction management.
• Collect data regarding the outcomes of Limb Reconstruction Surgery.
• As an experienced skilled practitioner participate in the supervision of junior medical staff and AHPs within the theatre and suite to facilitate appropriate skill mix and support learners including participation in teaching on update sessions for medical and theatre staff.
• Implement and develop Surgical Care Practitioner led post-operative review clinics in conjunction with Consultant Limb Reconstruction Surgeons and Head of Nursing & AHPs, according to protocol. This will include advanced post-operative follow-up assessment, history taking, review of investigations, X-Ray’s and drug therapy.
• Coordinate and contribute to the multidisciplinary (MDT) meetings, including the recording and dissemination of minutes.