Chief Registrar

Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trusts; Nottingham; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading NHS trust is inviting applications for the Chief Registrar role in Adult Critical Care Medicine. This 6-12 month position starts in August 2026 and is aimed at candidates with anaesthetic experience seeking to enhance their skills within a tertiary teaching ICU. The role includes leadership responsibilities, involvement in service improvement, and opportunities for professional development through a bespoke programme. Applicants should have at least 2 years of post-foundation experience, with a focus on collaboration in a multidisciplinary environment.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 2 years post-foundation experience in any acute specialty.
• Evidence of clinical competencies in Intensive Care Medicine/Anaesthesia.
• Active engagement in quality improvement and audit initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Lead service improvement initiatives within the critical care setting.
• Act as a bridge between senior clinical leaders, managers, and trainees.
• Oversee junior resident doctors and lead on clinical commitments.

Skills

Leadership

Clinical judgement

Problem solving

Effective communication

Research understanding

Education

Full registration with the General Medical Council

ST5 or above in Intensive Care Medicine or Anaesthesia

Evidence of satisfactory training progress

Job description

Chief Registrar

The closing date is 29 December 2025

Applications are invited for a Chief Registrar post in Adult Critical Care Medicine for a 6‑ or 12‑month period commencing in August 2026.

This post would ideally suit candidates with anaesthetic experience who are aiming to advance their CV and develop their ICM and Acute Care skills to a higher level within a tertiary teaching ICU and also gain experience within a leadership role. The applicant should have at least 2 years post‑foundation experience in any acute speciality, of which at least 12 months should be in Anaesthesia.

The chief registrar role is a leadership role for senior specialty trainees, providing 40% protected time to develop and implement local initiatives focusing on, for example, service improvement, engagement and morale, education and training, workforce and sustainability.

Chief registrars also benefit from access to a bespoke development programme provided by the RCP, comprising five 2‑day modules that they are expected to attend. The chief registrar will report to and be mentored by the Deputy Medical Director, and will also have a named educational supervisor who may or may not be the same as their clinical supervisor.

Main duties of the job

Chief registrars provide a bridge between senior clinical leaders, managers and the wider trainee workforce to improve communication, engagement and morale. They lead service improvement initiatives such as redesigning pathways, implementing new technology, and establishing new services to improve patient flow and outcomes, and they support and mentor other trainees in quality improvement. They work in workforce planning, improve deployment of trainees, increase efficiency, reduce waste, and engage stakeholders in quality improvement and change.

During the role, the chief registrar will attend departmental, directorate and care group management meetings to gain an understanding of management and the wider social, political and economic influences on healthcare delivery.

Care Group Specific Roles and Responsibilities include:

• Acting as a bridge between the Trainees/Fellows and the Critical Care Leadership Team and the Trust.
• Planning appropriate personal objectives for the year, which may be broad or focused on a specific project.
• Gaining an understanding of how the department, Care Group and wider hospital operate through a range of experiences such as attending relevant meetings and hands‑on experience with progressing business cases.
• Depending on the candidate’s interests, tailoring the role toward projects in focused areas such as staff wellbeing, service user experience or patient safety.

Clinical Responsibilities

The amount of time spent on clinical commitments will be up to 60%. The successful applicant is expected to take part in the Senior (Airway) Critical Care on‑call rota and will lead more junior resident doctors under the leadership and support of the Duty Critical Care Consultant. Clinical duties will be based at both QMC and City campuses and will be tailored to the individual’s training needs.

The post is on the MT04 (ST5)/MT05 (ST6+) pay scale and is compliant with the EWTD.

Person Specification

Qualifications and Training

• Full registration with the General Medical Council
• Be fit to practice
• Be ST5 or above in Intensive Care Medicine or Anaesthesia
• Not already hold a CCT or be within 12 months (ideally not within 18 months) of completion of training on intended start date
• Must have approval of TPD to apply
• Evidence of satisfactory or more than satisfactory progress through training, including ARCP outcomes
• Additional relevant degree (intercalated, masters or doctorate)

Clinical Skills

• Evidence of clinical competencies in Intensive Care Medicine/Anaesthesia appropriate for the stage in training
• Appropriate knowledge base and ability to apply sound clinical judgement
• Ability to prioritise clinical need
• Ability to maximise safety and minimise risk
• Ability to work without supervision where appropriate

Research

• Understanding of research, including awareness of ethical issues
• Understanding of research methodology and ability to use basic qualitative and quantitative methods
• Knowledge of evidence‑based practice
• Evidence of relevant academic achievements, including publications/presentations

Leadership and Management

• Evidence of effective team working and leadership, supported by multi‑source feedback or workplace‑based assessments
• Self‑awareness, with knowledge of personal strengths and weaknesses, impact and areas for development
• Interest in and knowledge of the importance of leadership and management for clinicians
• Evidence of involvement in local management systems
• Evidence of effective leadership (e.g. leading innovations or improvements)
• Understanding of the local and national context of the NHS, including economic and political influences

Quality / Service Improvement and Audit

• Understanding of clinical governance, including audit, clinical risk management, evidence‑based practice, patient safety and quality improvement initiatives
• Evidence of active involvement in quality improvement, audit, research or other activity focused on patient safety and clinical improvement and innovation
• Interest in and knowledge of the delivery of safe, effective healthcare services
• Evidence of a portfolio of audit / quality improvement projects, including evidence that the audit loop has been closed and learning about change management
• Evidence of publications/presentations/prizes in quality improvement or audit
• Good knowledge of the UK healthcare system, including education, research, service provision, regulation, career structures, medical politics and ethics

Education and Training

• Evidence of interest in and experience of teaching
• Evidence of positive feedback on teaching approaches
• Development of teaching programmes
• Participation in teaching courses
• Participation in degree or diploma courses in education
• Action learning sets / simulation instructor
• Clarity in written / spoken communication
• Ability to adapt language to the situation, as appropriate
• Active listening and empathy
• Ability to build rapport and communicate effectively with others
• Ability to persuade, influence and negotiate
• Ability to communicate effectively under pressure
• Writing experience: clinical and/or non‑clinical topics peer‑reviewed publications and/or other communication (e.g. blog, letters to journals)

Problem Solving and Decision Making Skills

• Capacity to use logical/lateral thinking to solve problems / make decisions, indicating an analytical / scientific approach and, where appropriate, creativity in problem solving

Organisational and Planning Skills

• Capacity to manage/prioritise time and information effectively
• Evidence of thoroughness (well prepared, self‑disciplined / committed, punctual and meets deadlines)
• Capability to work with long time‑scales for delivery within agencies with differing priorities
• Ability to work effectively under pressure
• Capacity to manage conflicting demands
• Self‑motivation and resilience
• Initiative and ability to work autonomously

Team Working, Leading and Managing Others

• Can build effective teams and partnerships
• Ability to work well in multidisciplinary teams
• Understands and values contributions of others
• Ability to show leadership, make decisions, organise and motivate other team members through, for example, quality improvement

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and requires a submission for Disclosure to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trusts