Consultant in Cardiothoracic Anaesthesia and Patient Safety

Job summary

Consultant in Cardiothoracic Anaesthesia and Patient Safety(10PAs)

Applicants are invited to apply for a substantive Consultant post in Cardiothoracic Anaesthesia and Patient Safety at Barts Health NHS Trust, based at St Bartholomew’s Hospital.

In October 2014, NHS England approved the case for change for the way that specialist cardiovascular services are provided across north and east London, enabling the creation of the Barts Heart Centre. The Barts Heart Centre was created by combining the services and staff from the London Chest Hospital and UCLH’s The Heart Hospital, along with those already running at St Bartholomew’s. It is the largest specialist cardiovascular centre in the country, bringing together a wide range of expertise in clinical care, research and education for cardiovascular conditions.With state-of-the-art facilities, the Barts Heart Centre has 10 theatres, 10 catheter labs (including 2 hybrid rooms), 255 general cardiac beds and 98 higher acuity care beds including 58 Level 3 critical care beds. The centre has one of the busiest surgical programmes in Europe and performs more HAC PCIs and cardiac MRI and CT scans than any other centre in the world. Barts Heart Centre has a wellestablished ECLS programme for respiratory and cardiac support. It is Europe’s largest specialised cardiovascular centre, ) covering a population of three millionpeople across north and east London, west Essex and beyond.

Main duties of the job

The Barts Heart Centre is also, crucially, part of a wider network of cardiovascular provision delivered by Barts Health, including services at Newham, The Royal London, Whipps Cross, and University College London Hospital. The specialist Barts Heart Centre works with these and other hospitals in the area to provide a comprehensive network of care for patients, and ensure that the majority of care is provided as close to home as possible. There is a busy specialist outpatient department on the Barts site.We also provide anaesthesia to breast, oncology and gynaecological surgical patients as part of the Barts Cancer Centre.In the most recent CQC inspection St Bartholomew’s was rated as Good across the board with Critical Care receiving outstanding within the Well Led domains.We are looking for enthusiastic and motivated individuals to join the existing team of 50 anaesthetists and intensivists who provide cardiothoracic and general anaesthesia and critical care. The successful applicant should be able to demonstrate wide experience with higher specialist training in cardiothoracic anaesthesia and excellent TOE skills.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• GMC Registration & licence to practice
• FRCA or equivalent
• CCT in anaesthesia or equivalent or, if in training within 6 months of CCT

Desirable

• Wide experience and knowledge of the UK healthcare system
• ALS or CALS provider status
• Clinical management training

Special Knowledge/ Abilities and/or Experience

Essential

• Advanced anaesthesia training (SIA or fellowship of at least 6 months) in cardiothoracic anaesthesia and cardiac critical care
• Experience in anaesthetising patients for electrophysiology procedures
• Experience with improving patient safety
• Advanced transoesophageal echocardiography skills
• Proficiency in procedures relevant to the role, including complex vascular access and fibreoptic bronchoscopy

Desirable

• TOE/TTE accreditation
• Training and experience in acute pain management for surgical patients
• Extensive experience in a wide variety of anaesthesia
• Consultant or post-CCT experience in specialities relevant to the role

Personal Skills/Qualities

Essential

• Ability to communicate clearly and intelligently in written and spoken English
• Ability to build strong and effective relationships with patients, relatives and colleagues
• Enthusiasm and approachability

Desirable

• Ability to lead a multidisciplinary team, make decisions and exert appropriate authority
• Ability to cope with pressure and adapt to change
• Ability to promote equality of opportunity in medical practice and medical education

Teaching & Training

Essential

• Involvement in teaching undergraduates and junior medical staff
• Involvement in teaching nurses and other allied health professionals
• Evidence of training in teaching skills.

Desirable

• CALS, ATLS, ALS, APLS or PALS instructor status
• Certificate of education
• Formal involvement in undergraduate education.

Research

Essential

• Understands research methodology
• Actively encourages research involvement junior medical staff, nurses and AHPs
• Published or submitted research to indexed journals

Desirable

• Research presentations to learned societies on topics related to anaesthesia or critical care.
• PhD or MD

Additional Requirements

Essential

• Commitment to continuing personal development
• Audit experience
• Knowledge of governance processes

Desirable

• Computer skills

Closing Date: 12 July 2026