Children’s Hospices Across Scotland (CHAS) is the single specialist provider of hospice services for babies, children and young people (0-21) and their families across Scotland. CHAS supports families through the terrifying heartbreak of knowing their child may die young. With love and compassion, CHAS offers highly personalised care. For nearly thirty years, families across Scotland have been able to turn to CHAS for world-class emotional, practical and medical support. This care begins from the point a child’s condition is diagnosed or recognised, and extends right the way through to either bereavement, or transition to adult services.
Over 16,700 children live with a life-shortening condition in Scotland, and that number is rising. In part that’s because as medicine advances, children live longer. And while many are stable for now, these children and their families are often living with increasing medical and social complexity. That means the need for CHAS’s services are increasing. In the last five years alone the number of children CHAS supported has gone up by 25%. Each week, three children die from an incurable condition in Scotland. CHAS is determined that no-one should face the death of their child alone and aims to be there for each and every one of those families and keep the joy alive, even in the face of death.
CHAS staff and its dedicated volunteer force make a difference by offering integrated palliative and end of life care and respite for the whole family through: its two hospices, Rachel House in Kinross and Robin House in Balloch; through its CHAS at Home service supporting families in their own homes; and through teams working in every children’s hospital across the whole of Scotland. This is made possible through working in partnership with NHS and Local Authority colleagues.
CHAS makes things possible so that children have the freedom to be themselves, play outside, laugh, and have treasured moments of joy. We are there when needed most – in really tough days, at end of life, and after a child dies.
vacancy: CHAS Clinical Director
Salary: Aligned to NHS Scotland Consultant Terms and Conditions of Service with availability and responsibility uplifts.
hours: 5 – 8 PA sessions per week
Location: Flexible and within commuting distance of Edinburgh, Glasgow, Perth and Dundee.
Closing date for applications: Monday 6th December 2021.
Date of (virtual) interview: Week Commencing Monday 13th December 2021.
“Do you want to lead an incredible clinical team delivering paediatric palliative care in CHAS?
Due to my retirement as Medical Director in the summer of 2022 we are seeking to recruit a Clinical Director. You will strategically lead and inspire our team of Doctors, Advanced Nurse Practitioners and Independent Prescribers to deliver high quality palliative care in two children’s hospices, and CHAS at Home. You will play a key role in the care of children with palliative care needs across Scotland with palliative care needs through excellent multi-agency working.
“The death of a child has serious and lasting effects on the parents and other family members, effectively for the rest of their lives. Any attempt to reduce symptoms and improve the quality of life in the final days or weeks, must not only be good for a child but, in the fullness of time, be helpful to those left behind”
Dr Pat Carragher, Medical Director of 15 years at CHAS.
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We support around 400 children with palliative care needs and their families every year
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Day to day work leading the clinical care of children resident in our hospices
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We work very closely with NHS teams in every health board in Scotland
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Part of multiagency meetings on a regular basis
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3 Advanced Nurse Practitioners (ANPs)
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Several Trainee ANPs with further investment planned
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Lead Specialist Pharmacist
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Family support team offer outstanding holistic care
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Excellent nursing team across hospice and community
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Strong clinical and professional development
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Clear medical on call policy and standard operating procedures
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Contributes to the support for out of hours care by working a 1 in 4 (aspiring to be a 1 in 5 on call rotation for out of hours periods)
We are keen to hear from candidates who wish to perform this role as either a principal or portfolio role.
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About You
You will be committed to working with children who have complex medical care needs, and their families, proven through your experience of paediatrics, palliative medicine or general practice.
You will be able to provide clinical expertise and support the development of the CHAS Central Care services team including the Children’s Hospice Doctors, Advanced Nurse Practitioners, Trainee Advanced Nurse Practitioners, Lead Pharmacist and Independent Prescribers.
You will be able to provide high quality teaching to all health care professionals contributing to the provision of paediatric palliative services in the hospital and community where relevant.
CHAS does not hold clinical responsibility for children who are not resident at a CHAS hospice. However, increasingly families are being offered choices of place of care at end of life and CHAS may be part of the multi-agency team around children and their families. You will have the opportunity to be part of that collaborative team around the child approach and lead the way for setting a gold standard approach for children’s palliative care across Scotland.
If you would like to find out more about this fantastic opportunity, please contact Nicky Gray on 0131 240 5264 or email nicky@headmedical.com
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