Locum Consultant Gerontologist with Interest in Acute Frailty

Job summary

This unit (widely recognised as a regional exemplar in London) offers same-day emergency care from a 12-patient clinical unit. There is a wide multi-disciplinary team including a Frailty Nurse Consultant, Advance Care Practitioners, a dedicated Pharmacist, social workers and Age UK support. At present, the AFAU offers a 5-day service with a future plan for 7-day service delivery. The postholder will have the opportunity to join this fantastic team and provide excellent care to frail, older people using the networked opportunities to provide care closer to home.

Main duties of the job

The remit of the postholder will be to work within the multi-disciplinary team providing and further developing care for frail, older patient groups from Gerontology services, and to provide and develop frailty services to the Trust's older patients. In addition, the individual will be required to play an active role in the general workload of the Care Group while having a significant commitment to teaching and training of junior staff.

About us

The Trust provides a full range of local and specialist services across its five sites. In June 2026, we launched our new strategy for 2026-31. Our vision is to transform healthcare, and we have agreed six strategic ambitions to help us improve care for patients, and the working lives of our staff.

Our six strategic ambitions are deliveringhigh-quality patient care; creating a great place to work; leading pioneering research, innovation and education; building strong and successful partnerships; providing timely and efficient care; and ensuring long-term financial sustainability.

We have also agreed four new organisational values - Caring, Collaborative, Inclusive, Innovative - and these underpin everything we do, and how our teams interact with the patients under our care.

We are at a pivotal point in our history and we require individuals who are ready to join a highly professional team and make a real, lasting difference to our patients and our people.

King's is committed to delivering Sustainable Healthcare for All via our Green Plan. In line with national Greener NHS ambitions, we have set net zero carbon targets of 2040 for our NHS Carbon Footprint and 2045 for our NHS Carbon Footprint Plus. Everyone's contribution is required in order to meet the goals set out in our Green Plan and we encourage all staff to work responsibly, minimising their contributions to the Trust's carbon emissions, waste and pollution wherever possible.

Job responsibilities

Together with other colleagues, to provide a high-quality care service to patients. This includes all aspects of treatment and relevant management duties for the proper functioning of the Care Group.

• Provide clinical supervision of junior medical/dental practitioners as a shared responsibility with other consultant colleagues.
• Responsible for carrying out teaching, examination and accreditation duties as required and contributing to CPD and clinical governance initiatives.
• Work in conjunction with clinical and other professional colleagues to ensure that the productivity of staff within the specialty is maintained and their job satisfaction is enhanced. This may include involvement in the appraisal process for peers and/or junior colleagues.
• Contribute to the audit programmes, Morbidity and Mortality, Clinical Governance programmes and Learning from Deaths.
• Conduct all activities within the contracted level of service and operating plan for service(s).
• Exercise professional leadership for all staff working in the specialty. This will include fostering and developing projects focused towards these ends and ensuring that the momentum of post-qualification professional education and other appropriate training is maintained.

• Work in conjunction with clinical and other professional colleagues to ensure that the productivity of staff within the specialty is maintained and their job satisfaction is enhanced. This may include involvement in the appraisal process for peers and/or junior colleagues.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Registerable medical qualification
• Full MRCP

Desirable

• Other higher degree or diploma (e.g., MD)

Registration

Essential

• Full Registration with GMC
• Name on GMC Specialist Register on date of taking up appointment
• On the day of interview applicants must be within 6 months of CCT or must have fully completed CESR application and be fully registered on the GMC Dermatology Specialist Register. Any applications not meeting these criteria will not be considered.

Training and Experience

Essential

• Wide experience in all aspects of Gerontology and General (Internal) Medicine culminating in award of Certificate of Completion of Training by GMC, or award of Certificate of Eligibility for Specialty Registration (CESR) by GMC.

Administration

Essential

• Experience in day-to-day organisation of Gerontology services in a busy Teaching Hospital
• Familiarity with information technology and general computer skills
• Familiar with current structure of UK National Health Service and conversant with recent initiatives and changes

Management and Leadership

Essential

• Able to demonstrate leadership capability within multi-disciplinary teams

Desirable

• Management course and/or qualification

Audit and Quality Improvement

Essential

• Thorough understanding of principles of medical audit. Must have undertaken and completed audit projects.

Desirable

• Audit Publications

Research and Publications

Essential

• Experience of clinical research.
• Publication of relevant review articles or case reports.

Desirable

• Relevant research experience in one or more aspects of Gerontology

Teaching

Essential

• Experience of undergraduate and post-graduate teaching and exam preparation.

Desirable

• Teaching skills course/qualification