Consultant Upper GI Surgeon Common Bile Duct ExplorationinBirminghaminBirminghamPUBLISHED TUE 25 MAR 2025

We are excited to invite applications for Consultant Upper GI Surgeon with an interest in benign biliary surgery and common bile duct exploration. The post will be based on the Heartlands and Solihull Hospital sites.

Our unit is a high-volume centre for benign biliary surgery with the majority of these cases for University Hospitals Birmingham centralised to Heartlands Hospital and Solihull Hospital sites. We have access to a dedicated theatre in the recently opened Heartlands Treatment Centre which performs benign biliary surgery five days per week. This dedicated infrastructure helps to increase productivity and specialisation for such procedures. Overall this service performs approximately 1000 cholecystectomies per year and is contributed to by all upper gastrointestinal and hepatobiliary surgeons across all trust sites.

The Trust is aiming to further develop this service by formally developing a service for complex benign biliary surgery including common bile duct exploration. It is hoped the post-holder will help to develop this aspect of the service by leading in this area and introducing new techniques including ability for intra-operative ultrasound for the identification of bile duct stones.

Experience in complex benign biliary disease including common bile duct exploration.

Experience in other aspects of benign upper gastrointestinal surgery

In addition to our high-volume benign biliary service, we are an extremely busy centre for bariatric surgery (approximately 200 cases per year) and complex benign upper gastrointestinal surgery. Depending on circumstances it may be possible to offer mentorship in these areas for the postholder to develop additional skills depending on the requirements of the individual and the overall service needs. There is a monthly benign upper gastrointestinal multidisciplinary meeting to discuss complex cases amongst surgical colleagues, gastroenterologists and oesophageal physiologists.

The trust is dedicated to expansion of elective services and there is a new elective theatre complex at Solihull Hospital site which will open in the coming weeks. This will provide six brand new operating theatres, one of which will be dedicated for benign upper gastrointestinal surgery each day. This site will also house our established surgical robotics programme (including two surgical robots) with a view to expanding this provision to include upper gastrointestinal surgery in the coming months.

The postholder will be expected to work with local managers and professional colleagues in the efficient running of the service, both elective and emergency. Appointees will participate in the emergency on call rota which is performed in a 1:8 cycle. This includes a paired Upper GI and Colorectal Consultant surgeon on call at all times to provide speciality cover.

About us

The proposed timetable for the postholder will include one weekly all-day theatre list, one general surgery clinic weekly, and a weekly endoscopy list. It may be possible for training in endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) to be offered to the candidate if needed or any individuals who perform this procedure independently may be able to have clinical sessions dedicated to ERCP. Specific duties may be subject to adaptation during discussions following appointment. The postholder will also participate in the on-call rota and attend multidisciplinary meetings. Adequate time will be provided for supporting professional activities and administrative duties.

You must observe agreed policies and procedures on clinical matters and should follow the standing orders and financial instructions of the Hospital. This is to support the development of evidence-based medicine and is not intended to constrain individual consultant freedom.

In the management of employees of the Trust, you will be expected to follow legislation and personnel policies and procedures and in particular to act in accordance with the principles of equality of opportunity.

You must at all times comply with appropriate Hospital Health and Safety policies and legislation laid down in this respect.

All employees must comply with the Trust Infection Control Policy. All employees must attend infection control training as required within their department or as directed by their line manager.

This post has been identified to aid service expansion and to ensure there is sufficient sub-speciality cover within the team. The post holders will support the general and Upper GI service to ensure maximal session utilisation within the team. The post holders will work within the Upper GI team based at Heartlands and Solihull Hospitals.

To help in development of the benign upper gastrointestinal surgery service with a particular focus on development of common bile duct exploration and advanced benign biliary surgery.

To contribute towards regular clinical audit

To ensure that clinical services are efficiently administered

To provide education and supervision to doctors in training.

To maintain Continuous Professional Development

To participate actively in Clinical Governance

To develop audit / research interests within the resources available

The post holders will be required to undertake any other duties and responsibilities that fall within the broad framework of the post following agreement between the postholder and management team.

As this is a post in a developing Trust structure, the role will be reviewed from time to time and the post holder is expected to respond flexibly to develop this and/or other roles to enable the trust to meet differing priorities.