Brighton has a high HIV seroprevalence (13.7% in men who have sex with men) & has one of the largest cohorts of HIV positive individuals in the UK with approximately 1100 patients currently under follow up. Outpatient services are located at the Lawson Unit (at the RSCH site) & the dedicated inpatient & day treatment unit is based in the Elton John Centre (currently at the Brighton General Hospital site, although this is due to move to the RSCH in 2005). The services link closely with the Community HIV Team (South Downs NHS Trust), primary care teams & the Sussex Beacon (continuing care facility). There are well-established links with psychology, psychiatry, dermatology, oncology, respiratory, neurology & ophthalmology services..A service-user representative post was established over four years ago. The Unit is nationally & internationally recognized for its contribution to HIV research & participates in a large number of HIV studies, both commercially sponsored & funded by external bodies.

THE JOB ITSELF

For the first two weeks the new post-holder will have a structured induction during which time he/she will meet all the members of the multidisciplinary team & sit in clinics with senior colleagues. He/she will be provided with clinic guidelines & appropriate textbooks. Before conducting clinics alone, he/she will see patients in the presence of the educational supervisor to assess confidence & competence.

After the above training the post will involve staffing both the male & female GUM clinics in the Claude Nicol Centre & on occasions the Wilde clinic, a sexual health clinic for gay men held on a Wednesday evening. He/she will also see HIV positive patients attending outpatients for emergency appointments.

During the sessions the post-holder will be required to:

1. Take careful & relevant histories & examine male & female patients including genital examinations. Request investigations for STI's & interpret results. Treat STI's appropriately according to the clinic guidelines
2. Promote safer sex to heterosexual & homosexual men & women
3. Refer patients to health advisers & other medical personnel where appropriate
4. Keep detailed legible notes for consultations
5. Liase with the clinic nurses & health advisers as required for the optimal management of all patients
6. Perform sensitive partner notification in accordance with the clinic guidelines

The exact timetable will be discussed with the post holder but it is anticipated he/she will undertake 7-8 clinical sessions, usually lasting 3.5-4 hours each. The post holder will have 1-2 sessions for administration including audit / coding / research & 1 session participating in the departmental educational meetings on Wednesday mornings. During these sessions we have external expert speakers lecturing on a range of GU & HIV topics, departmental therapeutics & protocol meetings, journal club, notes review meetings, doctors meetings & audit presentations. There is also specific SHO level training undertaken by the SpRs. The named supervising Consultant has monthly meetings with the trainee to discuss career plans, audit projects & educational needs. They will also have regular meetings with the post-holder, in protected time, to run through clinic notes in order to identify any difficulties & to give constructive feedback. Post holders are encouraged to do the Sexually Transmitted Infection Foundation (STIF) course &/or the Diploma in GU Medicine during their tenure. There will be no on-call commitment.