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. Job overview Take a major role in providing expert genetic counselling and management of complex inherited cardiovascular conditions comprising adult and paediatric services in cardiomyopathies, channelopathies, and some inherited respiratory conditions, with clinical work comprising 100% of the time. To help individuals and families cope with an inherited disorder. This is to be achieved by helping patients and their families to: o Understand the medical facts, including the diagnosis, probable course of the disorder and available management; o Understand how heredity may contribute to the disorder and the risk of recurrence in specified relatives; o Understanding the alternatives for addressing the risk of recurrence; o Help the patients choose the course of action which seems most appropriate to them; o Make the best possible adjustment to the disorder in an affected family member and/or the risk or recurrence of that disorder. Main duties of the job Main Duties: Understand the medical facts, including the diagnosis, probable course of the disorder and available management Understand how heredity may contribute to the disorder and the risk of recurrence in specified relatives Understanding the alternatives for addressing the risk of recurrence Help the patients choose the course of action which seems most appropriate to them Make the best possible adjustment to the disorder in an affected family member and/or the risk or recurrence of that disorder. To oversee the efficient processing of inherited disease referrals and equitable allocation of appointments, working together with the Specialist Nurses and secretaries. Prepare patients’ clinic appointment by accessing and interpreting data in relation to a hereditary disease Provide post-clinic contact according to clinical need. Attend clinical cross-site MDTs for inherited cardiovascular conditions Attend Genetic laboratory MDT To be the accountable supervisor for trainee genetic counsellors. Contribute to the day-to-day management of the genetic counselling for the ICC service Supporting genomics education for all staff in the Inherited Cardiovascular Conditions Service. To take responsibility for delivering diagnostic and predictive genetic results To be one of the Trust’s specialists in the field of genetic counselling, accountable for the genetic counselling service and research and development within the role. Working for our organisation Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust comprises five of the UK’s best known hospitals – Guy’s, St Thomas’, Evelina London Children’s Hospital, Royal Brompton and Harefield – as well as community services in Lambeth and Southwark, all with a long history of high quality care, clinical excellence, research and innovation. We have a long tradition of clinical and scientific achievement and – as part of King’s Health Partners – we are one of England’s eight academic health sciences centres, bringing together world-class clinical services, teaching and research. We have one of the National Institute for Health Research’s biomedical research centres, established with King’s College London in 2007, as well as dedicated clinical research facilities. Royal Brompton and Harefield hospitals joined Guy’s and St Thomas’ in February 2021 and is the largest specialist heart and lung centre in the UK and among the largest in Europe. We provide treatment for people with heart and lung disease, including rare and complex conditions, offering some of the most sophisticated treatment that is available anywhere in the world. Our integrated approach to caring for patients from before birth, through childhood, adolescence and into adulthood and old age has been replicated around the world and has gained Royal Brompton and Harefield an international reputation as a leader in heart and lung diagnosis, treatment and research. Detailed job description and main responsibilities Main tasks and responsibilities Communication Communication with individuals and families using a range of media, eliciting concerns/expectations and accurately documenting detailed family histories. Calculate risks of patients and families being affected by various genetic disorders, the risks of recurrence and carrier risks. Assess and determine the need for referral to specialist therapeutic counselling, psychiatric assessment or screening and make appropriate referrals. Manage conflict or differing expectations within a family. Provide information on the care of other family members, to identify at-risk relatives and advise how they can obtain genetic counselling, genetic testing or clinical screening. Source and interpret scientific papers and genetic test results, be a resource for advice on factors that reduce or influence risk of conditions to the patient and/or their families. Use advanced counselling skills to communicate sensitively in the presence of language, cultural and/or medical issues, or when dealing with cases where there is a highly sensitive situation. Interpret and communicate normal and abnormal findings in relation to genetic test results to patients and other health care professionals. Order genetic and biochemical tests as needed and refer to other specialties as required. Undertake predictive genetic testing as per the Clinical Genetics & Genomics Laboratory’s results and the outcomes of the relevant MDTs and relay the results appropriately to the members of the family undergoing screening. Advise future parents on family planning options including prenatal testing,preimplantation genetic diagnosis and facilitate the process when applicable. Patient/customer care (both direct and indirect) Keep clear and accurate medical records. Write a summary of consultations for the patient and referrer. Discuss cases of clinical or ethical complexity with colleagues in the genetic or other relevant teams. Liaise with a range of disciplines and genetic centres locally, regionally and nationally to obtain and provide information of relevance. Respond to enquiries from patients and clinicians in conjunction with the consultant and other members of the local genetics team. Policy & Service development Contribute to the national and international profile of the genetic counselling profession. Take an active role nationally in genetic counselling related work, participate in national meetings and hold membership of organising bodies or professional committees. Resource management Produce the annual business plan with the clinical leads and other senior staff. Advise on how the highest quality service can be provided within agreed contracts and available resources. Input into short and long-term strategies for the development of services based on changing needs and demand, and changing modes of service delivery. Develop and implement strategies with the clinicians and other senior staff to maximise efficiency in the use of resources. With the clinical leads, undertake analysis, and ensure information and data about the Department’s performance and workload is provided in an accurate and timely manner People management Develop, and manage the genetic counselling service. Maintain an understanding of the local and national financial landscape for Clinical Genetics. professional leadership for other GCs at various stages of training and experience, ensuring staff are supported in their work. To be trained in and demonstrate fair employment practices, in line with trust policies. Undertake annual appraisal/performance management of all GCs in line with Trust procedures and policies. Promote the continued personal and professional development of the GCs, ensuring equal opportunities for training and professional development whilst considering the overall needs of the department. Co-ordinate and contribute to the teaching workload of the GC team. Provide ongoing support for experienced Specialist and Highly Specialist GCs. Ensure that the performance and conduct of the GCs meet the standards set and required. Ensure that there is the appropriate management of any grievance or disciplinary issue in line with the Trust policy. Monitor and ensure that sickness absence within the GC team is managed effectively and appropriately in line with the Trust Sickness Absence Policy. Manage all issues of change effectively within the department in line with the Trust Policy on Managing Change. Anticipate staff shortages and take action to minimise the impact of these on service delivery. Devise and implement recruitment and retention strategies. Attend weekly working group meetings and chair in absence of lead clinician. Ensure good communication between the genetic counselling team and others within the department/ Directorate/ Trust. Manage the selection, recruitment and induction of new GC posts Draw up appropriate job description and person specification for all new GC posts. Arrange and chair selection interviews for all new GC appointments. Information management In line with Trust policies, develop, lead and implement standards for clinical audit and evaluate clinical effectiveness including clinical risk management. Ensure policies and procedures relevant to Genetics are implemented. Produce reports and analysis as required by the Trust. Research and development To be the one of the Trust Specialist in the field of genetic counselling, accountable for the genetic counselling service and research and development within the role. To abide by the Trust’s Core behaviours for staff and all other Trust policies, codes and practices including standing financial instructions, research governance, clinical governance, patient and public involvement, codes and practices, and health and safety. Other duties To ensure confidentiality at all times, only releasing confidential information obtained during the course of employment to those acting in an official capacity in accordance with the provisions of the Data Protection Act and its amendments. To promote at all times equal opportunities for staff and patients in accordance with the Trust’s policies to ensure that no person receives less favourable treatment than another on the grounds of: age; disability; marriage and civil partnership; pregnancy and maternity; race (ethnicity); religion or belief; sex (gender); gender reassignment or sexual orientation. To work in accordance with the Trust’s Equality and Diversity policy to eliminate unlawful discrimination in relation to employment and service delivery. Although the department is based at the Royal Brompton Hospital, the post-holder may be required to work at other sites. Comply at all times within the requirement of the Health & Safety Regulations and take responsibility for the health, safety and welfare of colleagues, patients and visitors. May be required to undertake other duties, which are in line with the grading of the post to ensure the smooth running of the genetics clinics. To ensure skills are up-to-date and relevant to the role, to follow relevant Trust policies and professional codes and to maintain registration where this is a requirement of the role. Person specification Education and Qualifications Essential criteria MSc in Genetic Counselling or other relevant post-graduate qualification STP Genomic Counselling Desirable criteria Registered GC PhD Experience and Knowledge Essential criteria Extensive experience in clinical genetics Experience of working in a multidisciplinary setting and liaising with other health professionals Experience of working across a diverse group of staff and skill mix Experience of active involvement with innovative practice developments and evidence of significant achievements gained Desirable criteria Several years’ experience working as a GC Experience of training junior staff Experience and training in inherited cardiac conditions (ICCs) Skills and Abilities Essential criteria Ability to offer expert clinical opinion on a range of inherited diseases and genetic issues Ability to take full and independent responsibility for the clinical care of patients Effective and flexible time management skills Excellent communication skills and sensitivity to needs of others Ability to work autonomously 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. Your e-mail address is important to us - We communicate to all job applicants via the e-mail address which has been provided on the application form. Please ensure that you check your e-mail on a regular basis. Please apply for this post by clicking "Apply Online Now." Applicant requirements This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service. Further details / informal visits contact Name Dr Antonis Pantazis Job title Consultant in ICC Email address [email protected]