Specialty Doctor in Intensive Care Medicine

NHS Scotland is committed to encouraging equality and diversity among our workforce and eliminating unlawful discrimination. The aim is for our workforce to be truly representative and for each employee to feel respected and able to give their best. To this end, NHS Scotland welcomes applications from all sections of society.

Applications are invited from enthusiastic and forward thinking intensivists for a post as a Specialty Doctor in Intensive Care Medicine (ICM) in NHS Ayrshire and Arran.

The successful applicant will be joining a Critical Care Service which operates across the two acute sites: University Hospital Crosshouse (UHC) and University Hospital Ayr (UHA). The critical care team forms part of a wider Department of Anaesthesia and Critical Care in NHS Ayrshire and Arran comprising of Consultants, SAS doctors, Training Grade Doctors, Clinical Fellows and Advanced Critical Care Practitioners.

The post will involve resident shift work in Critical Care. The post holder must have advanced airway skills commensurate with someone who has completed “initial assessment of anaesthetic competencies (IAC)”. The post holder will have the opportunity to develop sub-specialty interests to complement the existing expertise and interests of the department.

The post will involve participation in the Intensive Care resident middle-grade rota at UHC. This includes providing outreach across the hospital site and undertaking intra- and inter-hospital transfer of critically unwell patients. In addition there is an anaesthetist covering the maternity unit 24 hours a day and another middle-grade anaesthetist allocated to cover the emergency theatre.

Whilst consultant support is always available, it is anticipated that the successful applicant would be competent to safely work in the Intensive Care Unit with a degree of autonomy and independence to manage a range of routine critical care presentations with direct support from consultants for more complex situations. The successful applicant would be expected to work along-side and in support of other middle-grade doctors including clinical development fellows, training grade doctors and advanced critical care practitioners.

UHC is a 539-bedded general hospital located on the outskirts of Kilmarnock, which was opened in 1982, and has been expanded and upgraded regularly since then, including the co-location of the Ayrshire Maternity Unit in 2006.

UHC provides a comprehensive range of surgical services including robotic-assisted surgery (RAS) for gynaecology, colorectal and urology. The hospital also hosts several area-wide services, including Ayrshire’s Trauma Unit, Paediatrics (Medical and Surgical), Obstetrics and Gynaecology, ENT, Maxillofacial and one national service the Cochlear Implant Service. UHC operates a combined Critical Care Unit that comprises 12 Level 3 (ICU) beds, and 6 Level 2 (SHDU) beds currently co-located in a temporary Critical Care facility which is a legacy from changes that were made in response to the Covid Pandemic. There are additionally Level 1 (Surgical High Care / ERAS) beds and a separate Medical HDU located and staffed separately.

Adjoining UHC, is the Ayrshire Maternity Unit (AMU). There are approximately 3900 deliveries per year. The Labour Suite has two theatres with dedicated anaesthetic assistance from a team of anaesthetic nurses and ODPs.

UHA lies just to the east of Ayr, and serves the population of South Ayrshire. Surgical specialties on site include general surgery, urology, ophthalmology and all in-patient elective orthopaedics for Ayrshire. A focus on elective surgery is being developed, with expertise and innovative practice being used to drive improved quality and efficiency. UHA operates an 8 bed HDU critical care unit which is staffed in-hours by the critical care service with out-of-hours cover provided by the anaesthetists on the UHA site.

Both UHC and UHA are easily accessed by road, with the M77 providing access to Glasgow within 30 - 45 minutes. Rail services also link Ayr and Kilmarnock to Glasgow and other surrounding towns, and Prestwick Airport lies approximately a 15 minute drive away. Both sites provide free car parking facilities. The hospitals lie close to the stunning Ayrshire coastline, with many beaches and golf courses among other attractions.

For information and informal visits, please contact Dr J Allan, Clinical Director, Tel: 01563 827172 (Secretary) or 01563 521133 (Switchboard).