Locum Consultant Haematologist

NHS; England; On-site; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading NHS trust in the UK is seeking a Locum Consultant Haematologist for a 12-month fixed-term appointment. The role involves delivering outpatient appointments, overseeing laboratory operations, and collaborating closely with healthcare professionals. Candidates must be GMC registered with significant experience in Haematology. This opportunity is essential for maintaining patient safety and supporting the health service during a period of demand. A competitive salary and a supportive work environment are offered.

Qualifications

• Full GMC Registration mandatory before employment.
• Entry onto the GMC Specialist Register required.
• Thorough training in Haematology.

Responsibilities

• Deliver 15 new patient and 35 follow-up appointments weekly.
• Provide timely reviews for high-priority patients.
• Contribute to cross-site outpatient capacity.

Skills

Clinical governance

Leadership skills

Teaching ability

Flexibility

Education

Medical Degree

MD or equivalent Higher Degree

Job description

Locum Consultant Haematologist

Closing date: 19 December 2025

This is an exciting opportunity for an enthusiastic and committed Locum Consultant Haematologist to join the Haematology Service at Luton & Dunstable Hospital for a 12‑month fixed‑term appointment (Maternity Cover) providing maternity cover for a substantive consultant. The post offers 10 Programmed Activities, comprising outpatient clinics, inpatient reviews, laboratory oversight, MDT participation, and clinical governance duties. The role includes responsibility for delivering approximately 15 new patient slots and 35 follow‑up clinic slots per week, supporting safe service delivery during a period of sustained demand and workforce pressure.

The postholder will work closely with a team of five substantive consultants, specialty doctors, advanced nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, and a part‑time specialist pharmacist.

This temporary post is essential to maintaining patient safety, reducing waiting list backlogs, supporting cancer pathway performance, and ensuring continuity of care across the Trust’s haematology service. The service is currently reviewing pathways, expanding nurse‑led activity, introducing PIFU models, integrating cross‑site outpatient capacity, and redesigning the on‑call rota as part of service‑wide transformation. The locum postholder will have opportunities to be part of these developments while ensuring high‑quality day‑to‑day clinical care.

Job responsibilities

• Deliver approximately 15 new patient and 35 follow‑up outpatient appointments per week across malignant and non‑malignant haematology.
• Provide timely review of high‑priority patients, including those on chemotherapy pathways, myeloma, lymphoma, thrombosis, haemoglobinopathy, and complex general haematology cases.
• Support backlog recovery by participating in targeted follow‑up and routine capacity clinics.
• Contribute to cross‑site outpatient capacity, including review of selected patients at Bedford as required.
• Provide consultant‑level oversight for inpatients with haematological conditions, including ward reviews and clinical advice to other specialities.
• Offer senior clinical input to the Day Treatment Unit and SACT pathways, ensuring safe delivery of chemotherapy and supportive treatments.
• Collaborate with nursing and pharmacy teams to ensure continuity of care and timely clinical decision‑making.
• Provide clinical oversight for haematology laboratory results, transfusion issues, and urgent diagnostic queries.
• Liaise with biomedical scientists, laboratory managers, transfusion practitioners, and wider pathology colleagues to ensure safe interpretation of results and prompt escalation where required.
• Actively participate in MDT meetings for haematological malignancies.
• Support improved cancer performance indicators, including 2WW, FDS and 62‑day pathways.
• Provide senior input into diagnostic planning, treatment decisions and ongoing cancer pathway governance.
• Participate in the consultant haematology on‑call rota (1:5 moving toward 1:8 as part of ongoing cross‑site integration); provide out‑of‑hours advice for inpatients, transfusion issues, and urgent laboratory queries.
• Contribute to clinical governance, incident review, morbidity and mortality meetings, and quality improvement initiatives.
• Support implementation of service transformation projects, including expansion of nurse‑led clinics, remote follow‑up pilot and virtual review pathways, implementation of Patient Initiated Follow‑Up (PIFU), and cross‑site outpatient and on‑call service redesign.
• Help address capacity‑related patient safety risks and support actions to reduce follow‑up backlog and prevent avoidable delays.
• Participate in teaching and supervision of junior doctors, MTI doctors, specialist nurses, and other multidisciplinary staff.
• Undertake regular audit, support research activity where appropriate, and contribute to Trust‑wide clinical training.
• Maintain professional development in line with GMC standards and participate in annual appraisal.
• Provide cross‑cover for consultant colleagues during periods of leave.
• Support Trust initiatives to improve patient experience, reduce harm and maintain 18‑week performance.
• Work flexibly, including an element of remote working where appropriate, to support clinic delivery and team‑based activity.

Person Specification

Registration

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

Qualifications

• Medical Degree
• MD or equivalent Higher Degree or evidence of relevant research in Haematology

Clinical Experience

• Excellent all round experience of DGH work
• Evidence of thorough and broad training and experience in Haematology
• Able to take full and independent responsibility for clinical work and delivering service without direct supervision.

Clinical Effectiveness

• Understanding of clinical governance and ability to demonstrate ongoing CPD
• Experience of guideline appraisal
• Participation in relevant local audits
• Ability to interpret and apply clinical research
• Participation in relevant national audits

Teaching

• Knowledge and ability to teach all grades of trainees and medical students
• Has attended Teaching the Teachers or similar course

Personal Circumstances

• Residence within 10 miles by road or up to thirty minutes travelling time of the hospital for purposes of on‑call emergencies.
• Fit to undertake the role with satisfactory Occupational Health clearance
• Satisfactory DBS clearance

Personal Skills

• Ability to co‑operate in a democratic team environment
• Flexible attitude, team player with good management skills
• Leadership Skills

Clinical Governance

• Able to demonstrate a broad understanding of the principles and elements of clinical governance

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Address

Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Luton Hospital

NHS Foundation Trust, The L&D Hospital, Lewsey Rd, Luton