Fellowship in Musculoskeletal Radiology St Luke’s Radiology Oxford
www.stlukesradiology.org.uk.
Introduction
St Luke’s Radiology is an independent musculoskeletal imaging and musculoskeletal medicine
practice based at St Luke’s Hospital in Headington, Oxford.
This document describes a new post for a full-time Fellow in musculoskeletal radiology based at St
Luke’s Radiology with links to NHS outsourced practice, teleradiology and a musculoskeletal
interventional practice.
There are many fellowships in musculoskeletal radiology, some of which are heavily service based.
We firmly believe that the proper way to gain subspecialty experience is practice based on learning
objectives with extensive supervised experience. This document describes the current practice of St
Luke’s Radiology, its research activity, teaching programs and links with other healthcare services.
The Fellowship job plan is in draft form, although this may require some adjustment based on
experience of the successful candidate.
St Luke’s Radiology
Our practice was established in 1984 and has been in continuous operation since. In the last 2 years
investment in equipment and additional personnel has led to a substantial increase in activity. We
are a fully registered independent medical practice supervised by the Care Quality Commission and
complying with appropriate guidelines, UK directives and European guidance.
Facilities
There is a large consulting room with diagnostic workstations and teleradiology facilities. There is an
examination couch and equipment to perform clinical examination.
We have recently installed a conventional radiographic suite. There is an ultrasound room
containing a General Electric E9 with elastography, fusion imaging and needle tracking systems. In
an annex to the consulting room there is an extremity CT scanner (Verity). The clinical team work in
an administration office. Radiologists and staff also work from home using diagnostic workstations
and there are electronic connections with the National Health Service and teleradiology companies.
The fellow would be expected to work at St Luke’s Radiology for a substantial proportion of the
week. There will be arranged visits to other establishments in the locale, collaborative meetings in
the University and NHS plus attendance at the teaching courses organised by St Luke’s Radiology.
Working practices
St Luke’s Radiology provides outsourced imaging service to the National Health Service with
contracts with the Oxford University Hospitals. We also provide primary reporting and audit services
to teleradiology companies. We are currently closely linked to Medica in the UK and Global
Diagnostic Imaging in the Republic of Ireland. We have a substantial medicolegal practice and
provide private imaging services to local practitioners.
Our intervention practice is undertaken using ultrasound and fusion imaging guidance at St Luke’s
Hospital. We also have access to the nearby Manor Nuffield Hospital where there are fluoroscopic
and CT interventional suites.
Trainers
Doctor David Wilson is a Consultant Musculoskeletal Interventional Radiologists who worked at the
Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre from 1984 until 2012. He moved to independent imaging practice 2
years ago but remains a senior clinical lecturer in the University of Oxford. He holds an honorary
clinical contract at the Oxford University Hospitals and is involved in collaborative research projects
with the National Health Service and other independent sector providers. He is a founder member
and former President of the British Society of Skeletal Radiology. He is currently Treasurer of the
European Society of Skeletal Radiology and the President of the British Institute of Radiology. He has
extensive experience in medical education; he started the first musculoskeletal radiology Fellowship
scheme in the United Kingdom; he was the internal examiner for orthopaedics and accident and
emergency for Oxford University Medical School and has been Vice President with responsibility for
education at the British Institute of Radiology. He established MRI and ultrasound courses in Oxford
and now runs 3 musculoskeletal ultrasound courses every year. He continues to lecture widely
throughout the world. He is a co-editor of the Elsevier textbook Imaging of the Musculoskeletal
System. He has published widely and is involved in several active research projects. He has
particular expertise in spinal intervention and was the first practitioner to bring vertebroplasty into
the United Kingdom. He was a pioneer in musculoskeletal ultrasound in the 1980s and continues to
develop this aspect of the sub-specialty.
Doctor Georgina Allen is a Consultant Musculoskeletal Radiologist and a Sports Physician. She is a
qualified General Practitioner, Physician, Musculoskeletal Radiologist and Sports Physician. She
trained in musculoskeletal radiology in Oxford and worked for 8 years in specialist bone tumour
service and musculoskeletal radiology department at the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital and Selly Oak
Hospital Birmingham. She now works for 2 days a week for the Oxford University Hospitals in the
NHS and for the remainder of the week at St Luke’s Radiology. She was a Radiologist in the Royal Air
Force. She has a particular expertise in sports medicine imaging combining this with her clinical
skills. Her research includes ultrasound elastography where she is a pioneer. She is a director of
musculoskeletal ultrasound skills courses and has extensive experience in teaching from
undergraduate to fellowship level. She has recently completed a Master of Science in Sports
Medicine at Bath University based on research methods and techniques.
Marion Watson is our Superintendent Radiographer who worked for over 30 years in the NHS and
has special expertise in MRI. She holds an MSc in radiography and is highly skilled in imaging
methods.
Poppy Brown is our Practice Manager and organises the workflow.
Peter Selwood is Finance Manager and deals with all purchases and invoices.
Stuart Bullock and Mark Maybury are Physiotherapists who work with this on research and clinical
cases. Mark is trained in musculoskeletal ultrasound which he practices in the National Health
Service including injection techniques.
Work plan
The Fellow will be registered practice for NHS outsourced cases by teleradiology reporting and will
assist with ultrasound, CT and MRI private practice where we will double report all cases. We also
expect close involvement in our research activities and expect the Fellow to become a co-author in
publications and gain experience in presenting at international meetings.
At first we expect that all procedures, including routine reporting, will be reviewed by one of our
Consultants before reports being issued. All interventional procedures will be directly supervised in
the first few months. Independent practice will only commence in areas where the Fellow has
shown experience and expertise. We anticipate that this will take place gradually over the first 6 to
9 months. The Fellow should expect to be supervised for the large proportion of their work. In the
last 3 months we anticipate allowing more independent practice but with dedicated time to review
problem cases. There will be regular meetings to discuss the Fellow’s educational progress with
review of the Fellow’s logbook of practice.
The essence of the Fellowship will be direct supervision of all procedures and reporting, gradually
moving to independent practice by the time the attachment to the practice is complete. The Fellow
will not be used as an independent spare pair of hands. The intention of the appointment is to train
a colleague to a high level of expertise over a one-year period.
We have close collaboration with the nearby National Health Service hospitals and have outline
agreement for the fellow to attend multidisciplinary team meetings in bone and soft tissue tumours,
spinal injuries and trauma. We will arrange honorary contract with the appropriate organisations.
We welcome applications from overseas candidates. For those who do not have English as a primary
language we will offer one half day a week of English tuition. Similarly, for those who do not need
English training, the time would be used for other associated education - for example learning a new
clinical skill or an additional language.
Requirements
Essential
Qualification in medicine with General Medical Council registration and inclusion on the Specialist
Register.
Radiological qualification with or equivalent.
English language skills sufficient to undergo supervised tuition and intention to improve to a level
sufficient for independent practice within 6 months.
Appropriate residence and work status in the United Kingdom.
Desirable
Experience in research protocols.
Qualification in a non-radiological medical specialty.
Previous authorship of publications.
Remuneration and terms of employment
The duration of employment will be one year. However, those with previous fellowship experience
may be considered for a shorter attachment.
Employment will be for 40 hours per week which will include an allocation of time for continued
education and research. This allocation will be flexible according to the demands of current research
projects and the timing of education events however will be equivalent to at least 5 hours per week.
Annual leave will be for 30 working days booked at least 2 months in advance with a maximum of 10
days per leave period.
The annual salary will be £30,000 per annum payable by bank transfer at the end of each month.
Termination of contract requires 2 months’ notice.
David Wilson
Consultant Musculoskeletal Radiologist
8th January 2015