John Radcliffe Trauma Unit - by Jon Campion


Consultants (8) & Interests.

Blue team:
Prof. Keith Willett (part time)  pelvis, football, politics, foreign travel.
(Arctic) Bob Handley  foot + frames, pelvis, cricket, hiking, chickens, very cold places.
John McMaster - new appointee.
Gregoris Kambouroglou upper limb, water polo, Camels, Schizophrenia
Red team:
Mark Deakin - knees, pelvis, sport, "fine wines", Porsche
Phil Wilde (part time)  knees, cricket, golf, diplomacy
Richard Keys  pelvis, Golf, BUPA
Stuart Mathews anything + frames, farming, bee keeping, dry stone walling, shiraz


Junior Staff.

Eight registrars working in teams of 4 (red and blue) swapping after 3 months
Red team covers trauma patients plus any spinal trauma inpatients.
Blue team covers trauma patients plus any hand trauma inpatients.

Eight SHO / trust doctors

Rota.

Currently pay band 1a
Rolling rota with holidays / study leave incorporated into timetable (i.e. Not very flexible).
Normal day 0800 - 1700ish
On call day (Mon/Tues for red team, Wed/Thurs for blue team Fri-Sun for weekend duty) 0800 - 2200ish
On call night 2100 - 1000ish (Mon-Thurs and Fri-Sun)

On Call:
Alternate weeks on call for hand trauma (shared with plastic surgery).
On Call team: 1 Consultant (resident for 24 hours) 1 registrar, 1 SHO (reg./SHO change at 2100hs)
On Call day: Screens at 0800, # clinic 0930-1200ish, trauma theatre 1230-2100, ward round and handover 2100-2200ish.
On call night: Ward round and handover 2100-2200ish, prepare screens for next day, ward round and handover pre or post screens depending on consultant / number of admissions.

Teaching.

Medical student usually attached from 0800 to 1700ish during on call days. Medical student programmed teaching on Friday (of week D)  topics will be assigned

Registrar teaching :
Wednesday afternoon formal teaching from 1400hs (cover provided by SHO if on call form 1300-1900hs).
Wednesday morning informal consultant teaching after screens until 0930
Friday morning “doughnut” rounds registrar self directed teaching with consultant supervision (topic assigned).

Theatre time (approx. 160 cases per 6/12)

Trauma theatre scheduled every day from 0900ish until 2100hs.
Hand theatre on Monday (separate list) and Thursday mornings.
The morning sessions are allocated according the weekly timetable for red and blue teams (red team gets more cutting time). Afternoon sessions are staffed by the on call team (all day at weekends).
Consultant cover is usually available for all lists.
After 2100hs cases go on the emergency list and compete with gen. surgery and cardiothoracics etc.

Top Tips.

All the consultants are very approachable  don't worry about calling them.
Prof Willett wants to be called about EVERY admission (even NOFs) during the night.
Afternoon clinics all start at 1230hs
Sort out any holiday / study leave before starting the job so it can be timetabled into the rota if possible
The whole trauma service falls apart if the computer is not kept up to date with admissions (on call team job)
Best sandwiches and coffee found in the theatre coffee room.
Security don't seem to be too concerned about valid parking permits  just leave a note and see if you can avoid buying one.