Alder Hey Children's Hospital
Liverpool
Types of job
General Paediatrics, Community paediatrics (including safeguarding and the regional referral unit for childhood sexual assault), Accident and Emergency Medicine (ED), Cardiology, Diabetes, Endocrinology, Gastroenterology, Infectious Diseases, Neurology, Oncology/Haematology, Paediatric Intensive Care, Renal, Respiratory and Rheumatology.
Size of department
A large tertiary referral centre. There are many departments and many paediatricians working here. The specialities are managed separately and have varying numbers of consultants and junior doctors working in them.
Rota intensity/frequency of shifts
All of the medical specialities (excluding ED, PICU and Community) work on the same on call rota. This is broadly split in to “1st on call” and “2nd on call” teams. 1st on call covers referrals from ED and GPs and patients recently admitted under general paediatrics. 2nd on call cover patients on the wards (including HDU).
As there are a large number of junior doctors working at Alder Hey, the frequency of shifts is less than many other jobs. Approximately one long weekend and one set of nights per month. Normal day is 9-5.
ED – like most ED rotas, this job involves a higher frequency of evenings and weekends to cover the busy times.
PICU – The majority of shifts are 13 hours, subsequently there are more off days to make up for these. Usually equal number of nights to long-days throughout the rotation. There is also some academic time allocated on the rota.
Community Paediatrics – The on call part of this job involves covering general paediatrics/neonates at Whiston hospital. (GRID trainees in community cover the child protection on call rota instead)
How busy is job – average
The medical specialities vary depending on how many patients are in at a particular time. The day job is generally less intense than when on call.
ED – This varies depending on the time of day and year but it is rare that there are not patients to see so it tends to feel like a busy job.
PICU – While busy with very sick patients, there is good support by resident consultant.
Positive points
As a tertiary referral centre, Alder Hey is involved in research in to new therapies and has many experts in their fields working here. There is usually a specialist to ask about patients most of the time. Cardiac arrest calls are attended by lots of people so there is often a feeling of being well supported. Having experts can help to give children good evidence based care.
Alder Hey is a new, state of the art hospital. Most patients have their own en-suite rooms. There is lots of research based in the specialist research facility and many academic staff based in the ‘institute in the park’ education centre on site.
Average driving commute from Liverpool centre (Baltic Triangle) rush hour v out of hours
Around 18 to 30 minutes. Need to allow extra time for finding a space in the (often full) multi-storey car park.
Public transport
Alder Hey is on many bus routes. The number 61(A), 8, 9 and 10(A) buses all stop on East Prescot road. The 15 (30 minute journey from Liverpool centre) and 102, buses stop on Eaton road.
Broad green train station is 1.1 mile (20 minute walk) connecting to Lime street (10 minutes train journey), Wigan and Manchester.
Cycle facilities
Great facilities for cyclists. Badge access locked cycle storage. Dedicated cycle changing with changing rooms, lockers and showers. (They even have free bike servicing occasionally). Ask for access when badge is made at induction.
Hospital accommodation
There are on call rooms available (next to ward 3A) if unable to drive home after a shift. These require booking two working days in advance via rota coordinators/human resources. Longer term rooms are available at Broadgreen Hospital (a 15 minute walk away) - contact Collette Tate on 01512826353 to organise. There are plans for on site accommodation due to open 2024.
Rota coordinator contact details
General paeds/specialities –Liz Harrison, rota coordinator -
MedicalOnCallRota@alderhey.nhs.uk
ED – Marie Osborne, rota coordinator Marie.Osborne@alderhey.nhs.uk
PICU – Carla Thomas, PICU consultant alderheypicurota@gmail.com
Community – Maw Tan (non grid trainees) on calls at Whiston organised by Janine (Janine.Daley@sthk.nhs.uk ). Madelline Pippon (Grid trainees rota)
Any special interests particularly catered to?
Most of them