Job Summary
This is a replacement post which provides an opportunity for a committed and flexible individual to join the current consultants in developing specialist rehabilitation services in Portsmouth and South East Hampshire and to evolve and adapt along with the service. The post is for a full time Consultant in Rehabilitation Medicine and applications for those wishing to work on a less than full time basis would also be welcome.
The Lotus Rehabilitation Centre relaunched in December 2021 after NHS England approved funding for a new modular 2-storey block to be built on the Queen Alexandra Hospital Site, Portsmouth. Located adjacent to the current Rehabilitation block (which houses therapy services and the hydrotherapy pool), the ground floor provides a modern, air-conditioned 26-bed rehabilitation environment for both the Rehabilitation Medicine and Stroke Rehabilitation services (13 beds each). The centre contains 2 rehab gyms, a meeting room, patient social space as well as private access to outdoor rehabilitation and garden space. There is a bridge link to the main hospital, with easy access to other medical specialty services and imaging services.
In addition to inpatient rehabilitation, the service also provides Rehabilitation Medicine outpatient clinics, including a specialist spasticity service. The clinics are based at St Mary’s health care campus, Portsea Island. The service works in partnership with Steepers to provide consultant sessions at the dedicated ‘Murrison’ accredited regional prosthetic services based at Portsmouth Enablement Centre, St Mary’s health care campus, Portsea Island.
The appointee will work closely with the other 2 Consultants in Rehabilitation Medicine in providing comprehensive Rehabilitation Medicine services in Portsmouth serving the regional footprint as well as improving, strengthening and developing specialist services. The post offers opportunities to include elements of acute outreach, inpatient and outpatient Neurorehabilitation, paediatric to adult transition clinics and Prosthetic Rehabilitation services subject to interests and negotiation. Opportunities also exist to contribute to Rehabilitation ongoing and future service development and governance; Educational Supervision; and Departmental and Care Group leadership roles. The service is part of the Wessex Trauma Network and there are additional opportunities to be involved with this as well as opportunities for the appointee to develop a research portfolio if desired, or to collaborate academically with the University of Portsmouth and King’s College in delivering the newly established Medical Degree Programme.
Post holders are actively encouraged to participate in relevant service improvement projects, audits, research and represent the Rehabilitation Medicine service at Royal College level and/or nationally. Job plans are reviewed annually, and the post holder would need to be flexible, as changes to working patterns may occur in future years.
This post would be equally suited to an experienced consultant as well as a consultant early in their career. Mentorship is available as standard through the trust mentorship scheme and given the size of the consultant body peer support is readily available.
Key Responsibilities will include some of the following:
Prehabilitation Outreach services (DCC) – Preadmission patient reviews and providing medical support and leadership to the Acute Neuro Team (outreach team).
Inpatient Rehabilitation Ward Care (DCC) – Shared with another consultant colleague at Queen Alexandra Hospital site, including MDT meetings, direct ward care as well as supporting administrative duties to manage inpatient pathways.
Specialist Rehabilitation Medicine Outpatient Clinic (DCC) – Clinic including new and follow-up patients within a departmental agreed template (1N:4FU) or similar.
Prosthetic Rehabilitation Clinic (DCC) – MDT clinic including pre-amputation, primary amputation and follow up patients within a departmental agreed template (2N:2FU) at the “Portsmouth Enablement Centre”.
Supporting professional activities (SPA) – In line with departmental, personal and trust objectives. Agreed through job-planning process. May include clinical and educational supervision, service development, involvement with data validation for UKROC submission, involvement with Wessex Trauma Network, research and wider educational roles.
Supporting resources - Office space and secretarial support are provided for this post as well as necessary IT system access. Mentorship available as standard through trust mentorship scheme. Study leave allocation through local policy (10 days per year).
Revalidation – The trust and service are committed to support individual revalidation requirements. SPA is allocated to support this. There is a robust trust appraisal system with designated local lead for revalidation and appraisal. There is bespoke software to support along with support for revalidation activities such as patient and colleague feedback.
There is no on-call responsibility, or weekend working, commitment with this post. Out of hours inpatients are covered by the duty on-call physician.
Qualifications
Essential
- Full registration with the General Medical Council (GMC) with licence to practice
- MBBS, MBChB or equivalent
- MRCP or equivalent
- Entry on Specialist Register via CCT (proposed CCT date must be within 6 months of interview) or CESR
Clinical Experience
- Experience of Neurorehabilitation in various settings
- Holder of Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT) in Rehabilitation Medicine OR with any appropriate speciality
Clinical Skills
- Excellent Communication Skills
- Demonstrates skills and experience across rehabilitation settings
- Ability to work effectively with good time management, flexibly when needed and organisational skills
- Ability to take responsibility and provide leadership where appropriate
- Full registration with the General Medical Council (GMC) with licence to practice
- Understanding of clinical risk management
- Experience in management of prosthetics
Management Skills
Essential
- Commitment to developing quality services for patients needing specialist rehabilitation
- Constructive approach to working with wider management team
- Experience of quality improvement methods
Desirable
- Ability to negotiate and innovate
- Evidence of service development
Knowledge and Research
Essential
- Working Knowledge and Experience of research methodology
- Completed Research or equivalent, undertaken at SpR level
- Publications in topics relevant to rehabilitation, stroke, and neurology
- Desire to continue research at consultant level
Desirable
- An appropriate higher degree e.g. an MD, PhD, or equivalent
Audit/Governance
- Evidence of participation in audit
- Working knowledge and experience of governance frameworks
- Evidence of participation in Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
Other
- Access to own transport/ ability to travel between clinical sites.
The health and wellbeing of our staff is at the forefront of everything we do. We are proud to be able to offer our staff some fantastic benefits including our on-site Nursery, access to our free Beach Hut for those long summer days, our on-site Wellness Centre including a gym and a swimming pool, access to our fantastic staff networks including LGBTQ, Race Equality and DisAbility, and awards ceremonies to recognise your achievements. We believe we can offer support to all of our staff when they need it the most.
We welcome the unique contributions that you can bring in terms of your education, opinions, culture, ethnicity, race, sex, gender identity and expression, nation of origin, age, languages spoken, veteran’s status, colour, religion, disability, sexual orientation, and beliefs.
For more information, please see our People and OD Strategy 2026