Job opportunity – Medical Director

We’re recruiting a Medical Director who can lead our provision of medical services at events with a view to starting in January 2023.

About Ourea Events

We are the small team of 12 permanent staff who organize the UK’s most challenging off-road running events including the Dragon’s Back Race®, Cape Wrath Ultra®, Salomon Skyline Scotland®, Great Lakeland 3Day™ and Northern Traverse™. We work year-round, primarily from a rural office near Kendal, and our passion is the outdoors. We are supported by a brilliant team of regular freelance staff and volunteers.

JOB DETAILS

Location: Home working + Event locations

Position type: Annual freelance contract

Anticipated start date: January 2023

Applications open until: 30th November 2022

JOB DESCRIPTION

We are looking for an experienced doctor who can lead our provision of medical services at events. The full scope of this role encompasses strategic, operational, clinical and research components, and therefore we remain open-minded about how this varied role might evolve, and the potential for multiple candidates to take responsibility for different elements of the job. For example, separating the role of the Medical Director from that of the Senior Doctor at each event. We would be delighted to informally discuss the role, including a day rate, with potential candidates.

Ourea Events has a reputation for meticulous planning, attention to detail and bulletproof organisation. The business is widely regarded as the gold standard operator organising adventure sports events, and we are seeking a Medical Director who shares these standards and has an equal passion for excellence. We are ambitious about the development of the overall provision of medical services at our events and are looking for a Medical Director who shares our vision to develop sector-leading good practice.

Given the nature of our events, a candidate with a natural affinity for, and interest in off-road running, would be a logical choice. As would a candidate with prior experience of participating, volunteering, or working at our (or similar) events.

In the following chart, we have split the role into functional areas to best demonstrate what we see as the strategic, operational, clinical and research components of the role and how these might be split.

All the medical equipment, sundry and consumable items, and medical drugs required by the Medical Team are provided by Ourea Events.

Whilst our events are famously tough for the participants, they can also be challenging for the event team. Any candidate considering an event role should be resilient and come with a positive and cheerful attitude to working at a cold, wet, muddy, and dark overnight camp.

The role of ‘Medical Director’ does not infer any fiduciary duties as a legal director of the business and the title is in name only.

Medical Director – Role

• Leading the codification of many of the good practices we have already developed into policies and guidelines

• Further developing evidence-based procedures, best practice, policies and guidelines so that we are demonstrably providing high standard medical care in keeping with our reputation as industry leaders in adventure sport events, while remaining consistent with good practice developed elsewhere

• Conducting a clinical audit of historical medical data we have accumulated over many years to make evidence-based recommendations whilst developing policies and guidelines

• Conducting ongoing quality assurance clinical audits of event medical data

• Bringing an open mind to long-term goals such as CQC registration and obtaining a Home Office license for CD use

• Determining which medical drugs are required for each event and organising the supply of this medication

• Advising Ourea Events on medical equipment, sundry and consumable items required for each event

MEDICAL DIRECTOR – EXPERIENCE REQUIRED

• A GMC registered doctor

• Experience of medical leadership and management

• Experience of developing evidence-based procedures, best practice, policies, and guidelines

• Familiarity with the GMC code of practice requirements for ‘Doctors with extra responsibilities’

• Experience in pre-hospital medicine within an emergency, event and/or expedition setting

• Must have suitable medical indemnity insurance.

Senior Doctor – Role

• The senior doctor providing top-cover advice and supervision of all medical personnel working on our events in both the Medical Team (static locations) and in the Response Team (remote locations), either in person or via the phone/radio as required

• Coordinating and leading the administration relating to recruitment, obtaining references, and confirming appropriate indemnity insurance of all healthcare professionals working on our events. This element of the role is supported by, and requires coordination with, the Ourea Events office team.

• Reviewing and updating general medical guidance given to all participants (example HERE)

Senior Doctor – Experienced Required

• A GMC registered doctor

• Listed on the Specialist or General practice Register

• Experience in pre-hospital medicine within an emergency, event and/or expedition setting

• A pre-hospital care qualification such as Diploma in Immediate Medical Care, and/or Diploma in Expedition and Wilderness Medicine, and/or a Diploma in Sports and Exercise Medicine would be beneficial.

• Must have suitable medical indemnity insurance.

SENIOR DOCTOR – ATTENDANCE AT EVENTS

The ideal candidate would need to be available to join us at our events throughout the year, becoming an integral member of the core freelance team attending all our events. It is possible that this role could be split between different senior doctors. The event dates in 2023 are below, with the dates of the additional registration and travel days associated with each event included in brackets:

• Northern Traverse™ 1st to 5th April (Friday 31st March through to Wednesday 5th April: 6 days)

• Great Lakeland 3Day™ 29th April to 1st May (Friday 28th April through to Monday 1st May: 4 days)

• Cape Wrath Ultra® 21st to 28th May (Friday 19th May through to Monday 29th May: 11 days)

• Dragon’s Back Race® 4th to 9th September (Saturday 2nd September through to Sunday 10th September: 8 days)

• Skyline Scotland® 16th to 17th September (Friday 15th September through to Monday 18th September: 4 days)

CLINICIAN – ROLE

• Pre-event screening of health information submitted by participants and event team personnel prior to our expedition races. Typically, this means reviewing the fitness of participants to participate who have pre-existing medical conditions and requires direct one-to-one conversations with the participants in question.

• Advising Ourea Events on public health related matters, such as the mitigations and management of COVID-19 at our events (example HERE).

CLINICIAN – EXPERIENCE REQUIRED

• Must be a suitably qualified healthcare professional.

• Must have suitable medical indemnity insurance.

Researcher – Role

• Analysing the medical data for research and publication purposes

• Seeking collaborative ways to communicate medical trends, illness/injury patterns and good practice solutions for the benefit of the wider community of medics working at endurance events

Researcher – Experience required

• Experience of conducting research and record of peer reviewed publications

Selection of staff is made on a competitive basis. We are committed to promoting diversity and the principle of equal employment opportunities for all our employees and encourage candidates to apply irrespective of religion or belief, ethnic or social background, gender, gender identity, disability, and all other protected characteristics.

Applications

Interviews are expected to be in person at our Kendal office.

Applications accepted by email with covering letter and CV to [email protected]

Informal questions are also welcome via the same address.