Job summary
- Main area
- Anaesthetics
- Grade
- NHS Medical & Dental: Consultant
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time
- Flexible working
- Job ref
- 179-7858967 - MSC
- Employer
- West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust
- Town
- Bury St. Edmunds
- Salary
- £113,565 - £150,569 pro rata per annum
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 08/07/2026 23:59
- Interview date
- 14/08/2026
Employer heading
Consultant Anaesthetist and Intensivist
NHS Medical & Dental: Consultant
Job overview
We are looking for a passionate and committed Consultant Intensivist and Anaesthetist to join the team at the West Suffolk Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Bury St Edmunds. Anaesthetics is part of the Directorate of Anaesthesia, Theatres and Critical Care in the Surgical Division.
The ideal candidate should have clinical training and experience equivalent to that required for gaining Dual CCT in Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine or an equivalent qualification and possess a relevant higher medical qualification. We are keen to foster individual interests including research and quality improvement ambitions and will encourage continued development through job planning review and appraisal.
This post is a replacement position. The successful candidate will contribute to the diverse workload of the anaesthetic department working across a range of surgical specialties
Please See Full Job Description attached for details
Main duties of the job
· Maintenance of the highest clinical standards of intensive care and anaesthetic practice and continue to contribute and drive quality and safety.
· To share with colleagues the responsibility for the delivery of critical care services.
· Teaching and training of junior staff, medical students, and the MDT.
· To actively participate in both departmental and Trust matters concerning Clinical Governance.
· To have responsibility for ensuring active participation in continuing medical education (CME).
- Please See Full Job Description attached for details
Working for our organisation
#BeKnown at West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust. By us. By our patients. By our community
We are a busy, friendly, rural NHS Trust providing high-quality care and compassion to more than a quarter of a million people across west Suffolk. We care for, treat and support people in hospital, at home and in various community settings.
The West Suffolk Hospital in Bury St Edmunds provides acute and secondary care services (emergency department, maternity and neonatal services, day surgery unit, eye treatment centre, Macmillan unit and children's ward). It has 500+ beds and is a partner teaching hospital of the University of Cambridge.
Adult and paediatric community services, provided in collaboration with West Suffolk Alliance partners, include a range of nursing, therapy, specialist, and ongoing temporary care and rehabilitation, some at our Newmarket Community Hospital.
We do our utmost to achieve outstanding clinical outcomes for patients and our values of fairness, inclusivity, respect, safety and team work guide how we work and behave as a team.
With nearly 5,000 staff, from all over the world, we strive to make our organisation a great place to work. Whatever your role or ambition, we want to help you be the best you can be.
We promote a diverse and inclusive community where everyones voice counts and you can #BeKnown for whoever you are.
Join us. What will you #BeKnown for?
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
· To contribute to meeting the Critical Care and Anaesthetic Directorate objectives. To provide a consultant-level service for intensive care and anaesthesia.
· To provide high quality patient care, minimising risks and maintaining patient safety in accordance with the GMCs Good Medical Practice.
· To help in the delivery of effective services within the agreed budget.
· To co-operate with other departments and agencies to meet the objectives of the Anaesthetic Department.
· To accept to work flexibly within a nominally fixed timetable.
· To undertake appropriate projects and administration as required by the department.
· To provide leadership and health-management skills in the development of anaesthesia services.
· To supervise junior staff as appropriate.
· To maintain the Directorate principles of effective multi-disciplinary team working.
· To ensure personal knowledge of, and compliance with, Trust and departmental policy and protocols.
To provide clinical services in line with the Trust’s clinical governance arrangements, which are designed to ensure that agreed quality standards are achieved.
· To contribute to clinical governance within the department and as part of the MDT.
· To undertake audit of clinical practice within the department to ensure that current standards and evidence-based practice are applied.
· To help provide training, supervision and career development to resident doctors of all grades in the Anaesthetic Department and to Anaesthesia Associates and Advance Critical Care Practitioners
· To contribute to the education of medical and nursing students, paramedics and trainees in other specialities as required.
Take responsibility for CPD and engage in annual appraisal to identify personal development opportunities. Full utilisation of study leave is encouraged
Please see job description and personal specification attached for full detail.
Person specification
Education, Qualifications and Special Training
Essential criteria
- Full GMC registration
- MBChB, FRCA or equivalent
- Evidence of ongoing commitment to Anaesthesia and smooth career progression
- Within six months of obtaining Dual CCT in ICM and anaesthesia
- Entry on GMC Specialist Register and hold a licence to practise or be eligible for entry on the Register (within six months of completion of Certificate of Completion of Training) at time of interview.
Desirable criteria
- ATLS
- ALS
- APLS/PALS
- Additional advanced training or fellowship in a relevant sub-specialty relevant to this Trust.
- Entry on the GMC Specialist Register in Anaesthesia or postgraduate training in anaesthesia equivalent to that gained in a UK CCT programme.
Knowledge and skills
Essential criteria
- To be able to work independently at consultant level and perform as member of a team.
- Depth and breadth of recent experience in Anaesthesia.
- Ability to mentor staff both medical and associate professions.
- All applicants to have demonstrable skills in written and spoken English that are adequate to enable effective communication about medical topics with patients and colleagues which could be demonstrated by the following: - PLAB 2
Desirable criteria
- Understanding of ethical and medico legal issues including confidentiality, consent, patient choice, data protection and documentation.
Experience
Essential criteria
- Extensive UK experience
- Evidence of ability to make decisions at consultant level and to manage complex clinical problems across a range of surgical specialties to enable job programme to be successfully executed.
- Recent experience of out of hours and nights on call, including management of children over the age of 1 year.
Desirable criteria
- Experience of contributing and leading MDT with shared decision making.
- Experience of effective teaching of undergraduate and postgraduate students
- Interest in Focussed echocardiography
- Interest in Perioperative Medicine
- Experience of effective teaching of undergraduate and postgraduate students
Management
Essential criteria
- Formal training and experience in management relevant to anaesthesia in the NHS or equivalent training or experience, for example Head of Department, or similar lead role.
Desirable criteria
- Experience of leading services or change
- Training and experience in management relevant to Anaesthesia.
Research and Publications
Essential criteria
- Willingness to practice evidence-based medicine.
- Critical appraisal skills.
Desirable criteria
- Research experience, presentations, publications, prizes, and honours.
- Experience in development and implementation of guidelines.
- Publications in anaesthesia.
- Completion of GCP training.
Standards
Essential criteria
- Knowledge of and commitment to the principles of ‘Good Medical Practice’ guidance from the GMC.
- Clear clinical and ethical principles.
Desirable criteria
- Membership of any relevant sub specialist societies.
Teaching and training
Essential criteria
- Commitment to high standards of teaching and supervision of training grade staff
- Commitment to ongoing professional development
- Demonstrable ability to teach and train and engage other professionals.
Desirable criteria
- Evidence of commitment to postgraduate education e.g., Postgraduate Certificate in Medical Education (PGME)
- Appraiser / Mentoring experience
- Presentation skills for a wide variety of audiences
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Applicant requirements
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
Application numbers
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Dr Vijay Gopal
- Job title
- Consultant and Clinical Director for Anaesthetics
- Email address
- [email protected]
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