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Locum Consultant Palliative Care x 2

Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Bedford and Luton · posted 18 August 2026
Salary
£113,565 – £150,569 a year
Job type
locum
Location
Bedford and Luton

Job summary

The Specialist Palliative Care Team at Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has an exciting opportunity to join their team as they are seeking to appoint two Locum Specialist Palliative Care Consultants with a focus on inpatient work as well as supporting the Community Service. The successful candidate will join a clinical team of 2 Consultant Colleagues, 1 WTE Band 8a Practice Development Nurse, 7.2 WTE Band 7 Specialist Nurses and 2 WTE Band 6 Specialist Nurses cross site.

The Specialist Palliative Care Team are based at both Luton and Dunstable Hospital and Bedford Hospital and support patients across the hospital sites, visiting patients on the wards when required. The post holder will provide consultant advice in palliative care to specialist nurses, specialty doctors, GPs, consultant colleagues in other specialties and other health care professionals within the hospital and community as required. The Specialist Palliative Care Team at Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust work closely with all hospice services within the area.

Bedfordshire Hospitals Foundation Trust is an anchor organisation in the BLMK Integrated Care System. The Bedfordshire Care Alliance (BCA) is a collaborative of health and care providers working across the county of Bedfordshire to reduce inequalities and drive up improvements in population health outcomes.

Main duties of the job

Provision with Consultant colleagues of a service to Luton and Dunstable Hospital/Bedford Hospital with responsibility for providing and advising on Palliative Care within the hospital

To work with the Palliative Care team and wider team on Trust wide development of the palliative pathways

To support the Community Teams and the wider system through regular board rounds and virtual ward

About us

Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust provides hospital services to a growing population of around 700,000 people living across Bedfordshire and the surrounding areas across two busy hospital sites in Bedford and Luton. Both hospital sites offer key services such as A&E, Obstetrics-led Maternity and Paediatrics. You will be joining a friendly, high performing Trust committed to ensuring the health and wellbeing of staff. As one of the largest NHS Trusts in our region you will have access to a programme of high quality training and development to help you grow your career. The Trust continues to be committed to delivering the best patient care using the best clinical knowledge and technology.

Our Values

We not only recruit based on qualifications and experience - we recruit individuals who demonstrate the behaviours which underpin our Trusts core values. We achieve this by using values based recruitment. We are dedicated to making our recruitment practices as inclusive as possible for everyone, we are committed to promoting equality and diversity, and creating a culture that values differences.

Please note that vacancies may close prior to the advertised closing date when sufficient number of applications have been received. All new staff will be subject to a probationary period covering first 6 months in post. Travel between hospital sites may be required. Please review all documents attached to ensure you familiarize yourself with all requirements of the job.

Job responsibilities

To take part in research and education and looking at new ways to teach End of Life Care.

Cover for colleagues' annual leave and other authorised absences

Any responsibility, which relates to a special interest

Participating in medical audit, the Trusts Clinical Governance processes and in CPD

Willingness to undertake additional professional responsibilities at local, regional or national levels

The post holder must at all times carry out his/her duties with due regard to the Trusts Equal Opportunities Policy

It is the responsibility of all employees to maintain a safe and healthy environment for patients, visitors and staff.

It is the responsibility of the post-holder to ensure that all duties are carried out to the highest possible standard, and in accordance with current quality initiatives within the area of work

All staff who have access to or transfer data are responsible for that data and must respect confidentiality and comply with the requirement of the Data Protection Act 1998, in line with the Trusts policies.

The post-holder is responsible for data quality and complying with the policies, procedures and accountability arrangements throughout the Trust for maintaining accuracy and probity in the recording of the Trusts activities.

(Staff is required to comply with the requirements of the Freedom of Information of Act 2000 in line with Trust Policy.

Any other duties, which may be required from time to time.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • oMedical Degree
  • oRelevant postgraduate qualification

Desirable

  • oMD or equivalent Higher Degree or evidence of relevant research

Registration

Essential

  • oFull GMC Registration (GMC Licence to Practice is mandatory before employment commences)

Desirable

  • oEntry onto the GMC Specialist Register: ?CCT (or within 6 months of receipt of CCT at time of interview) ?CESR - portfolio pathway (must be on Specialist Register at time of applying)

Clinical Experience

Essential

  • oExcellent all round experience of DGH work
  • oEvidence of thorough and broad training and experience in Palliative care
  • oAble to take full and independent responsibility for clinical work and delivering service without direct supervision.

Desirable

  • oExperience in acute and/or general medicine

Clinical Effectiveness

Essential

  • oUnderstanding of clinical governance and ability to demonstrate ongoing CPD
  • oExperience of guideline appraisal
  • oParticipation in relevant local audits
  • oAbility to interpret and apply clinical research

Desirable

  • oParticipation in relevant national audits

Teaching

Essential

  • oKnowledge and ability to teach all grades of trainees and medical students

Desirable

  • oHas attended Teaching the Teachers or similar course
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