Locum Consultant in Restorative Dentistry

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 The Restorative Dentistry Service is part of the integrated dental specialities provided by Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust from the Birmingham Dental Hospital and Community Dental Services.  It is housed predominately across 3 wings of the New Birmingham Dental Hospital, though a small service is provided within the Community setting. 

Approximately 3500 Restorative Dentistry new patients are seen each year.  The clinics are provided in a mixed environment of open plan large clinics, smaller enclosed polyclinics and enclosed single surgeries. Enclosed surgeries are equipped with integrated digital radiography, microscopes and Electronic Dental Records.

The Restorative Dentistry Service encompasses the disciplines of fixed and removable Prosthodontics, Endodontics and Periodontics.  It has a very active implant programme that includes both Surgical and Restorative aspects of treatment.

The Department runs a comprehensive sedation service that supports the clinical and educational needs of the Service. 

The Service is responsible for the assessment, treatment planning and, where appropriate the treatment of referrals from Primary Care Practitioners and Specialty Units from the Birmingham and Greater Midlands area.

The Service manages the care of a wide range of level III complexity cases which include Oncology, Cleft Lip and Palate, Hypodontia and a range of congenital dental anomalies. Patients who have suffered extensive trauma involving the Dento-Alveolar complex are treated. This is in addition to the Service managing complex endodontic, periodontic and prosthodontic problems.

Regular multi-disciplinary clinics are held by members of the Service to plan and facilitate the management of complex cases.

There is a close relationship between the NHS and Academic Consultants within Restorative Dentistry all contributing to both clinical work and to undergraduate and postgraduate teaching.

An approved training Programme for five Specialist Registrars in Restorative Dentistry is delivered within the department, in addition to a comprehensive training programme for our DCT posts.

The Service has Nursing, Secretarial, Dental Therapist and Technical support. 

Clinical undergraduate dental students attend for both practical and theoretical instruction throughout the Department on a regular basis.

The University of Birmingham has approximately 28,000 students from 150 countries, the quality of the student experience offered at the University of Birmingham remains of paramount importance. The University is one of the leading members of the Russell Group in terms of the size of its Graduate School and the quality of its student experience as shown by the National Student Survey. As well as high quality teaching, students also enjoy an enriched experience, through other activities such as sport, for which Birmingham is ranked third in the UK.

THE CONSULTANT POST

 The post will be based at Birmingham Dental Outreach clinic and Birmingham Dental Hospital, which constitutes the Dental Services Directorate of Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust.

The post holder will provide appropriate specialist restorative dental care at Birmingham Dental Hospital with some clinical activities taking place in Community Dental Clinics. 

Bearing in mind the training needs of junior staff within the Dental Hospital, only those patients with clinical needs requiring the expert skill levels of a Consultant will be expected to be treated directly by the Consultant rather than by junior staff under supervision. 

The Consultant will be involved, as appropriate, in undergraduate, postgraduate and continuing education, in addition to the training of junior hospital staff and will contribute to the training programme for Specialist Registrars.  There are currently three NHS Specialist Registrars and two Academic Clinical Lecturers in Restorative Dentistry in training programmes.  An appropriate Honorary Contract will be sought from the University. 

The incumbent of this post will be expected to support and develop services in general restorative dentistry, head and neck oncology, developmental dental defects and trauma. This would be planned to address the particular interests or skills of the post-holder and also to address service needs.  This evolution will be planned in association with the Head of the Restorative Service. 

The post holder will be expected to develop a close working relationship with all colleagues in Restorative Dentistry and associated dental and medical specialties. 

The post holder is responsible for fully complying with the Trust Control of Infection and Health and Safety Policies, bringing any matters of concern to the Line Manager. 

The appointee will be required to agree a job plan with the Dental Services Divisional Medical Director on commencement of the post. 

The sessional commitment each week, in respect of a part-time consultant post, will normally be expected to be 2 Direct Clinical Care sessions.  The exact timetable and distribution of these programmed activities will be subject to negotiation and agreement with the Restorative Head of Service and Divisional Medical Director and will be influenced by service needs. (see appendix 1 for indicative timetable). 

There will be no on-call commitment. 

A condition of the award of this post will be that all clinical duties will operate within the existing financial constraints of NHS budgets generated from contract income.  Thus the development of special clinical interests of the appointee will only proceed on the basis of appropriate funding being available and by agreement with the Head of Service.  Clinical duties will develop therefore within the framework of Birmingham Community Healthcare Policy and the consequences of the developing workload will be kept under scrutiny.  The implications for the person appointed are that all clinical activity will be undertaken within a tight financial framework and subject to the availability of funding from contract income or service level agreement. 

The Post holder will be managerially accountable to the Head of Service for the delivery of all aspects of the Dental Hospital service contracts as they affect the NHS specialty.  The appointee will be expected to work in collaboration with the Head of Service for Restorative Dentistry on all hospital departmental matters.  Appropriate office space, IT and secretarial support will be provided.

The appointee will be expected to participate in clinical audit at Birmingham Dental Hospital and to contribute to the Clinical Governance Programme which has been implemented.  He/she will be expected to attend and contribute to the regular Service senior team meetings, and to chair such meetings from time to time.  Issues relating to service and hospital matters which affect the Service are raised at these meetings. 

Consultants will have their performance and job plan regularly reviewed by the Head of Service and in addition will be required to undertake the appraisal process.  Arrangements for the appraisal process for senior medical and dental staff within the Trust are the responsibility of the Medical Director who issues guidance in line with national model recommendations.

 RESEARCH

The School of Dentistry had an outstanding performance in REF2014 in its unit of assessment, ranked first in the country for research recognised as internationally excellent (4*/3*). Research in the School of Dentistry is focussed into two overarching themes, clinical and experimental oral sciences, and regenerative and rehabilitative science, with a strong translational focus. 

Facilities for research in the School of Dentistry are world leading with almost 700M² of state-of-the-art laboratories, housing the very latest in equipment required to support all aspects of biological and materials research. In close proximity are the £35m Institute of Biomedical Research, the £24m Institute of Translational Medicine (ITM) opened in 2015, the new £6.8m Biomedical Research Hub and the Inflammation Research Facility, all of which Dentistry has engagement with and space within. There are considerable opportunities for research in these fields and other areas related to work of the department. 

The prime focus of this appointment is to provide service activity.  The post holder will be able to become involved in research and encouragement and support will be given to further develop his/her research interests. This will need to be balanced against the service needs of the post.

 MANAGEMENT AND LEADERSHIP

The successful applicant will be encouraged to develop their management and leadership responsibilities within the Service. 

The applicant will demonstrate a strong aptitude for team working and assist in the development of an effective, efficient clinical service. 

The applicant will be encouraged to contribute to hospital and division level committee’s and help plan future clinical strategy and effectiveness projects.