There are 25 consultants, 7 Staff Grade Doctors, 5 Anaesthesia Associates (AAs) and 2 trainee AAs. Three of the Consultants are also pain consultants. The rota is nominally 1 in 7. The rota is a partial shift and is compliant with existing worktime regulations.

The rota is hugely flexible as the emergency and out of hours workload is relatively low with no ED to support. We try to minimise the amount of time spent covering HDU and maximise theatre training opportunities.

Trainees are largely supernumerary in what is overwhelmingly a consultant-delivered service allowing trainees considerably more flexibility than they might have elsewhere.

• Spinal Deformity (scoliosis)
• Major oncology resections
• Non-deformity spinal surgery
• Young adult hip
• Primary and Revision arthroplasty
• Arthroscopy (soft tissue)
• Hand surgery
• Foot & Ankle

Placement Information

Rotas: 

We use DB rotas to organise the HDU on call system. This is a not-on-call request system. If you enter your desired leave dates, you shouldn't get rostered to be on-call so you won't need to do any swaps. Once the rota is published it will be your responsibility to organise cover if needed. 

You will get an email (usually to your junk box!) which will give you a link where you can then add your not-on-call requests. If you have a problem email the support there or email Dr Brunning (see below). The messaging function on DB rotas is not regularly checked, so emailing is a more reliable way of communicating.

This is not used to calculate your pay/as your "official" work schedule from HR. HR use a standard rota template modelled on the QE rota. 

Day-to-day theatre allocations are accessed via CLW Rota; DB Rotas is used for on-calls ONLY. If there are particular lists you want to do please email Dr Sudesh Muniyappa (who organises the theatre allocations) early so he can facilitate this.

Annual Leave and Study Leave needs to be requested via CLW Rota.

Other Useful Information:

1. On Day 1 – ensure computer/PICS/PACS log ins have been applied for, car parking application has been submitted (need a permit for the car) and payroll have received your details (Contact HMRC to ensure they know you have moved to a new employer)  

2. Car parking - Your ID badge number (5 digits on the reverse of the card) and the form need to be taken to the ID badge place on the first floor. Also email this to roh-tr.car-parking@nhs.net and the form from Jo sent before you arrive. You are taking over the leaving ST’s parking spot so we have a rolling system and this should go through without issues. It is worth saying this in the email and feel free to cc me into this. After your blue salto dot thing  is activated you need to pick up a physical blue parking sticker from the estates office which is opposite the new main entrance by the staff car park exit. This should be displayed in your car windscreen.  

3. For PICS – if previously used to PICS, need to be shown how to px TTOs and how to print out morphine px to sign for approval by pharmacy. Otherwise, PICS training as per usual. Dr Panchakshariah is the pics Guru.  

4. Theatre list can be found at reception from 1600 the day before. Ensure patient location is cross checked with the master list at the front of the folder on the morning of surgery before seeing patients. 

5. When holding the HDU bleep; HDU handover is at 0800 and 2000 in the HDU coffee room. Besides HDU patients, 1st port of call for acute pain issues and airway/emergency calls on the ward.  

6. On call room is in the old ward 10. There is a baton access card which passes between you. Please locate this on your induction. Get the on call in HDU on your first day to take you there and check your badge access works before your first on call.  

7. If there is an out of hours emergency theatre case, direct the orthopaedic registrar to the on call HDU consultant. If it’s a simple request/query you can of course handle it.  

8. If you need specific WPBAs, ask Sudesh early and he should be able to accommodate you onto specific lists/sessions ie spine lists, POAC, pain. Dr Thackaran is great at letting you know about the pain service here if pain time is needed during your placement. Again please plan early. Please do not leave it until near the end of the rotation to realise that you need specific assessments done. Plan early and make the most of your time here.   

9. Audit/research. There are lots of opportunities here to get an audit or research or QIP done here despite the short timeframe. Dr Smith is the audit lead. Dr da Silva often has research ideas and ask either of them for QIP if you want to do one.  

10. Biking – there is a secure pass access only shelter by the first gate going up the Bristol Road behind HR building and where the mobile scanner/small staff non-gated car park is. Get someone to show you. Dr Smith, Dr Shellard, Dr Brunning or ask theatre staff/porters to show you.  

11. It may take some getting used to as to what cases come to HDU and why. The HDU is a bridge between ward care and the HDU/ITU level patients you will be used to elsewhere. There is a list of what cases should come and for how long they should stay. Also some straightforward surgical cases come if they have multiple comorbidities as we have minimal senior medical cover on the wards.  

12. How to get paid correctly: once started, email roh-tr.esr@nhs.net with your work schedule. They will send this to payroll and prevent LTFT trainees from being placed on a default 40h week and end up owing money back. P45 from old trust can be taken to the ESR team by gate A to get tax code actioned. 

13. To get PACS access just phone 55473 and they will set you up there and then. 

14. Need to transfer nhs.net to ROH (be marked as a leaver from old organisation and as a joiner at ROH by phoning IT) in order to access Microsoft office and edit handover sheets etc 

There are lots of things for you to get involved in and learn from. Scoliosis, major oncology can give you insight into the following: 

1. Management of the Big cases 
2. Spinal Cord Monitoring 
3. Positioning in complex spines 
4. Use of Cell Salvage 
5. Use of TIVA 
6. One lung ventilation in Anterior Releases 
7. Pre-Assessment in Spinal deformity 
8. Management of complex teams and communication thereof 
9. Analgesia for complex spines 
10. Management of young adult patients 
11. Management of CP patients with Neuro-muscular scoliosis 
12. Postoperative management after Deformity Correction

The Royal Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Bristol Road South
Northfield
Birmingham
B31 2AP

Telephone (Main): 0121 685 4000

Dept:                  0121 685 4232

Hospital Website

Dr Jim Brunning (College Tutor):                    j.brunning@nhs.net

Dr Sudesh Muniyappa (List Allocations):         Sudeshkumar.muniyappa@nhs.net 

Dr Tony Sutherland (Clinical Lead):                tony.sutherland@nhs.net

Jo McCaffrey (Anaesthetic PA):                      j.mccaffery@nhs.net

Useful phone numbers: 

IT helpdesk – 01218275830 
PICS support – ext 55256 
PACS support – ext 55473 
Payroll – ext 17525 
HR – ext 55154