Surgical Care Practitioner

Working under the direct supervision of surgeon ( Urology, Renal, Colorectal, Gynaecology, Thoracic, and Upper GI.
The successful applicants will assist fellows, senior and junior clinicians during robotic surgery.
The successful candidate should have experience of bedside assisting during robotic surgery although support and training can be given where required., In conjunction with the Consultant Surgeon and local guidelines the post holder will:
A. Pre-operative
· To display X-rays, CT scans or PET scans and help interpret the results.
· Provide effective pre-operative assessment of the surgical patient; including history taking, physical examination, requesting diagnostic procedures or clinical investigations then interpreting and acting upon the results.
· Liaise with medical, theatre, SAL, ward and clerical staff to support coherent service provision and smooth patient journey to the operating theatre.
· To consent and mark surgical patients when necessary with an understanding of competence and the legal scope of the Surgical Care Practitioner.
· Lead in the promotion of patient centered care by providing accurate information relevant to their care.
· Act as an advocate for patients which ensures a patient orientated approach to the delivery of care.
· Direct, support, encourage and advise clinical team, by actively participating in the pre-operative team brief providing specialist clinical and surgical advice to facilitate the smooth running of the theatre list, including how to prepare for non-routine steps.
Co-ordinate the provision of specialist services to patients, effectively liaising with multidisciplinary colleagues including radiology, frozen section pathology and haematology
B. Peri-operative
To have superior expertise in the following duties:
· Positioning the patient for robotic surgery, with awareness of how to prevent avoidable operative injuries relating to skin, muscles and nerves.
· Skin preparation and draping for robotic surgery
· Prepping, draping, positioning and handling a range of surgical robots (da Vinci X, Xi; CMR Versius; Medtronic Hugo)
· Creating skin incisions; with awareness of how to accommodate variances in patient anatomy, physiology and body habitus to optimise robotic surgery
· Dissection of tissues using surgical instruments with a superior degree of manual dexterity
· Confident handling of energy and stapling devices
· Effective surgical haemostasis for cases with a high level of complexity
· Application of local anaesthetic, including the siting of paravertebral catheters, and administration of intercostal blocks
· Confident insertion of a variety of different surgical drains
· Suturing of all surgical wounds, even those with a high degree of complexity with emphasis on elimination of risks of infection
· Applying dressings to wounds and compression bandages
· Ensure that patients' customs, religious beliefs and doctrines are respected within the theatre setting, ensuring patient dignity at all times.
· Actively promote and participate in the WHO check list and time out before surgery.
· Take, promote and lead on the use of universal hygiene precautions to minimize the risk of infections to the patient, the surgical team, and other staff.
· Act as a role model, demonstrating high standards of care and providing clinical leadership in the operating theatre
· Actively participate as a first assistant for a variety of complex robotic surgeries providing tissue retraction, applying suction, diathermy, maintaining a clear surgical field, applying haem-o-lock clips or liga clips, using a manual stapler and energy devices.
· Anticipate routine and non-routine steps before and during the procedure to provide a high level of support to consultants and surgical fellows.
· Teach, supervise and support surgical trainees and trainee SCPs to first assist during robotic surgery, providing skilled and consistent advice and assistance within the operating theatre under the direction of a consultant surgeon.
· Be responsible for assessing and recognising emergencies; interpreting information, taking appropriate action and leading others to do the same.
· Have obtained advanced knowledge and surgical expertise within a specialist robotic area and be continuing towards excellence through regular education and/or participation in clinical skills labs.
· Work autonomously with proximal supervision of a Consultant, delivering individualised and personalised direct patient care when necessary.
Peri-operative
· Assist other team members to participate in the safe transferring and positioning of the patient.
· Ensure clear, detailed and regular communication within the department and Recovery to ensure a smooth handover.
· Maintain accurate surgical patient records
Ensure the correct labelling of specimens has been undertaken and documented.
· Ensure faulty equipment is isolated from use, using the appropriate label, and report to a responsible person.
· Document any incidents within quality and safety systems. Actively participate in the investigation and management of reported incidents.
· Support relevant pre, peri and post procedural data capture for robotic surgery
· Provide a clear, concise and effective handover to Recovery, highlighting specific post-operative concerns and specific pathways.
· Arrange appropriate post-operative investigations as part of the multidisciplinary team to enhance patient safety, to facilitate patient- centered care and contribute to the smooth running of the hospital.
1. Post Operative
To participate in the postoperative assessments of patients with particular attention to wound care, surgical drains and catheter management.
The above is not the exhausted list of the job description; for the detailed JD, please find the attached document.
Guy's and St Thomas' celebrates, respects and values the diversity of its staff and patients. We review our policies, procedures and practices to ensure that all employees, patients and carers are treated equitable according to their needs. We are actively committed to ensuring that no one who applies for a job, works or study's at the Trust, or accesses our services is discriminated against on the grounds of race, ethnicity, nationality, disability, religion or belief, age, gender identity , gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity/paternity, or marital/civil partnership.
Applications are welcomed from applicants with a disability. We can make reasonable adjustments and offer support and advice in a variety of ways throughout the application process. Equality of opportunity is our policy.
As an organisation we are committed to developing our services in ways that best suit the needs of our patients. This means that some staff groups will increasingly be asked to work a more flexible shift pattern so that we can offer services in the evenings or at weekends.
Flexible working
We are committed to supporting all employees to achieve a healthy work life balance and to work in a way that is best for them and our patients. We will consider all requests to work flexibly, taking in to account the individual's personal circumstances as well the needs of the service. We encourage all prospective applicants to discuss their individual circumstances with the recruiting manager as part of the on-boarding process.
Due to recent changes in the UK immigration rules which affect Skilled Worker Visas, Global Business Mobility, Higher Skill Level and Increased Salary Thresholds, please ensure that you are able to meet the requirements to live and work in the UK before applying. Further information about eligibility is available on the UK Government website.
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NHS AfC: Band 8a
Guy's and St Thomas' is among the UK's busiest and most successful NHS foundation trusts. We provide a full range of hospital and community services for people in south London and as well as specialist care for patients from further afield including cancer, renal, orthopaedic, respiratory and cardiovascular services.
Guy's is home to the largest dental school in Europe and a £160 million Cancer Centre opened in 2016. As part of our commitment to provide care closer to home, in 2017 we also opened a cancer centre and a kidney treatment centre at Queen Mary's Hospital in Sidcup. St Thomas' has one of the largest critical care units in the UK and one of the busiest emergency departments in London. It is also home to Evelina London Children's Hospital.
Evelina London cares for local children in Lambeth and Southwark and provides specialist services across south east England including cardiac, renal and critical care services. We lead a number of specialist service networks aiming to ensure children are treated locally where possible, but have access to specialist expertise when they need it. Our community services include health visiting, school nursing and support for families of children with long-term conditions.
Our adult community services teams deliver care at the heart of the local communities we serve, working in partnership with GPs, local authorities and other healthcare and voluntary sector organisations. Working with our partners in Lambeth and Southwark, we are focusing on new ways of working to improve care for local patients.
In February 2021 the Royal Brompton and Harefield joined Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, bringing together world-leading expertise in the care and research of heart and lung disease. Our merger provides a once in a generation opportunity to build a lasting, world-renowned heart and lung centre, providing the highest quality care for patients and conducting world-leading research.
We have a reputation for clinical excellence and high quality teaching and research. We are part of King's Health Partners, one of eight accredited UK academic health sciences centres. In partnership with King's College London we have dedicated clinical research facilities including an MHRA accredited Phase I clinical trials unit.
Patients are at the heart of everything we do and we pride ourselves on ensuring the best possible patient experience as well as safe, high quality care. We are proud to have one of the lowest mortality rates in the NHS. Following a comprehensive Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection in 2019 we maintained our overall rating of 'good'. Our adult community services achieved a rating of 'outstanding'.
The commitment of our 23,500 staff is key to our success. We are one of the largest local employers and we aim to develop and support all our staff so they are able to deliver high quality, safe and efficient care. The 2019 NHS staff survey results show that we have one of the most engaged and motivated workforces in the NHS. We know this has a positive impact on the care provided to our patients.
We have one of the most ambitious capital investment programmes anywhere in the NHS., Guy's and St Thomas' is among the UK's busiest and most successful NHS foundation trusts. We provide a full range of hospital and community services for people in south London and as well as specialist care for patients from further afield including cancer, renal, orthopaedic, respiratory and cardiovascular services.
We have a strong history of clinical and scientific excellence. As part of King's Health Partners, we are one of England's eight academic health science centres, combining leading care, teaching, and research. With King's College London, we host a National Institute for Health Research biomedical research centre (established in 2007) and dedicated clinical research facilities.
We strive to recruit and retain the best staff as the dedication and skills of our employees lie at the heart of our organisation and ensure that our services are of the highest quality, safe and focused on our patients.
Our values sit alongside our Trust strategy, which sets out what we want to achieve. They guide how we work together and how you see our values in action every day.
Our values are:
Caring
We put patients first.
Ambitious
We innovate and strive for excellence.
Inclusive
We respect each other and work collaboratively.