Locum Consultant - Histopathologist

Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust; High Wycombe; On-site; GBP 114,000 - 151,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working

NHS pension

Learning & development

Health and wellbeing

Job summary

Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust (BHT) is recruiting two replacement full-time Locum Consultants in Histopathology at Wycombe Hospital, High Wycombe for 6 months. Posts are 10 PAs per week, with option to work less than full time and 10 sessions per week, Monday to Friday, no weekends.

The post involves histopathology and non-gynaecological cytology workload, with a rota agreed among 11 Consultants. Involvement in autopsy rota is desirable but not essential.

Qualifications

• Full and specialist GMC registration (or be eligible for registration within six months of interview)
• MBChB or equivalent FRCPath or equivalent
• Ability to participate in autopsy work as part of the role (desirable)
• UK-trained applicants must be within six months of award of CCT by interview date

Responsibilities

• Participate in the Histopathology and Non-Gynae Cytology workload with rota shared among eleven Consultants.
• Autopsy rota participation desirable but not essential.
• Contribute to FNA or one-stop clinics as the Trust starts thyroid one-stop clinics.
• Work within the General Regional Histopathology and National Breast EQA schemes and related pathology programmes.
• Support teaching and training of trainee medical staff and laboratory personnel.

Education

MBChB or equivalent

FRCPath or equivalent

CCT or within six months of award

Job description

Main area Cellular Pathology - Histopathology Grade Locum Consultant Contract 6 months (Fixed term) Hours

• Full time
• Part time

10 sessions per week (Monday to Friday - no weekend working) Job ref 434-MSCS-8143170-A

Site Wycombe Hospital Town High Wycombe Salary £113,565 - £150,569 dependant on experience Salary period Yearly Closing 15/10/2026 23:59

Be part of our BHT family

Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust (BHT) is an integrated provider of acute hospital and community services for people living in Buckinghamshire and the surrounding area.

We care for over half a million patients every year:

• Provide specialist spinal services at our world renowned National Spinal Injuries Centre at Stoke Mandeville Hospital, the birthplace of the Paralympics
• Nationally recognised for urology and skin cancer services
• Regional specialist centre for burns, plastic surgery, dermatology, stroke and cardiac services
• Deliver community services in health centres, schools, patients’ own homes, community hospitals and community hubs.

More than 6,500 people from different nations, cultures and backgrounds work for us.

We would be happy to discuss possible flexible working options. We strive to be a family friendly, inclusive employer.

If you require any assistance in making this application, please contact [e-mail] or phone [phone].

We pride ourselves in being a great place to work and invite you to join our BHT family.

Job overview

Two replacement full‑time Locum Consultant posts are available at Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust. The posts are fixed term for 6 months for a total of 10 PAs a week, and candidates who wish to work less than full time will be equally considered.

Main duties of the job

The post‑holder will participate in the Histopathology and Non‑Gynae Cytology workload. This will be shared on a mutually agreed rota by the eleven Consultants. The non‑gynaecological cytology workload is around 400 cases annually per consultant; gynaecological cytology is not available. Participation in the autopsy rota is desirable but not essential.

What does Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust offer you?

As part of our BHT family, you’ll benefit from learning and development opportunities to support your career progression.

Alongside NHS benefits of generous annual leave entitlement and pension scheme, you'll have access to NHS discount schemes.

We provide a range of health and wellbeing services to promote a healthy, happy workforce.

What do we stand for?

Our vision is to provide outstanding care, support healthy communities and be a great place to work.

Our mission is to provide personal and compassionate care every time.

We are working hard to increase diversity at all levels within the trust. We believe a diverse workforce can have a positive effect on both staff wellbeing and patient outcomes.

We welcome applications from black, Asian and minority ethnic candidates, LGBTQ+ candidates, candidates with disabilities and care‑experienced candidates.

We are proud to achieve the Gold award for the Armed Forces Covenant and support applications from the Armed Forces Community. Please contact [e-mail] (our Armed Forces Covenant Lead) if you would like guidance or assistance with your application.

We make employment decisions by matching our service needs with the skills and experience of candidates, regardless of age, disability, gender, gender identity, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, or sexual orientation.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The department is sub‑specialised to a degree, with all pathologists participating in the General Regional Histopathology and National Breast EQA schemes, whilst the relevant specialty team members participate in the Gynaecological Pathology EQA Scheme, the National Bowel Cancer Screening Programme EQA Scheme, Gastro Intestinal EQA scheme, Lung EQA scheme, National Dermatopathology EQA Scheme, diagnostic cytopathology scheme and the Urological Pathology EQA scheme.

Summary of Duties

The post‑holder will participate in the Histopathology and Non‑Gynae Cytology workload. This will be shared on a mutually agreed rota by the eleven Consultants. The non‑gynaecological cytology workload is around 400 cases annually per consultant; gynaecological cytology is not available. Participation in the autopsy rota is desirable but not essential. Some commitment to FNA or one‑stop clinics is required for this post as the Trust will be starting one stop thyroid clinics soon. A specialist interest in dermatopathology and breast pathology is desirable but not essential.

Intra‑operative one‑step nucleic acid amplification of lymph node metastases (OSNA) for breast cancer has been discontinued in 2026 due to no EQA scheme available in the country. Specimen X‑ray facilities are available at Wycombe Radiology Department.

Surgical requests approx. 33 000, of which approximately 9% are from General Practice

Breast specimens: approx. 2000

Non‑gynaecological cytology specimens: 1400

Andrology requests : approx. 2200

Medico‑legal autopsies are not part of the NHS contract. Subject to agreement with HM Coroner, the appointee will be invited to perform Coroner’s autopsies, sharing these on an equal basis with the four Consultants who currently perform this role.

Multidisciplinary teams

The Bucks Healthcare Trust provides diagnostic pathology for all of Buckinghamshire except for the unitary authority of Milton Keynes. It also serves small areas of Oxfordshire, Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire. Skin cancer services are provided for a wider area including Milton Keynes and parts of Northamptonshire. This is part of the South Central Strategic Health Authority Cancer Services Network.

Regular multidisciplinary team meetings are held for all the major tumour sites: skin, breast, colorectal, urology, gynaecology, haematology, upper GI, colposcopy and lung cancer. The meetings are video‑conferenced between Stoke Mandeville and Wycombe Hospitals and between the Buckinghamshire Hospitals and Oxford University Hospitals as needed. There are facilities for demonstrating histology and radiology at all of these meetings. All of these meetings are currently conducted using MS Teams.

Teaching and Training

Buckinghamshire Healthcare is part of Health Education Thames Valley and there are up to 5 year 2-5 trainees on rotation with the Oxford University Hospitals. The laboratories have teaching rooms and multi‑headed microscopes. There are facilities for macro and microphotography. An interest in undertaking the role of educational supervisor is desirable but not essential

The post‑holder will be expected to take part in the training of these trainee medical staff as well as laboratory staff. The appointee may also be expected to take part in the training of other health service staff including nursing staff, police, ambulance staff, physiotherapists and radiographers as needed.

Person specification

• Full and specialist registration (and a licence to practise) with the General Medical Council (GMC) (or be eligible for registration within six months of interview)
• Applicants that are UK trained, must ALSO be a holder of a Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT), or be within six months of award of CCT by date of interview. Applicants that are non-UK trained, will be required to show evidence of equivalence to the UK CCT
• Ability to participate in autopsy work (desirable not essential)
• MBChB or equivalent FRCPath or equivalent

PPE requirements: Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust requires all colleagues to wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) in accordance with our infection prevention and control procedures.

Flu vaccinations remain the best way to protect yourself, your family, your colleagues and of course our patients from the viruses when working in our healthcare settings. We encourage our staff to be vaccinated when recommended.

Application deadline: This post will close on the closing date stated at midnight, however if we receive a large number of applications or there is a change in circumstance, we may be required to close a job before the advertised date.

Contacting you: We will contact candidates through the email address supplied on their application form. Please make sure you check this regularly.

Application information: If you are offered a job, information will be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Records (ESR) system.

Shortlisting: The monitoring and safeguarding sections are not made visible to the shortlisting panel. The safeguarding section may be made visible to the interview panel, dependent on the role being recruited into.

Travel expenses: It is Trust policy that travel expenses for interviews will not be reimbursed.

Smoking: All Trust sites are NO SMOKING. Smoking in all areas of the buildings and premises is prohibited.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

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.

Name Gayathri Wathuge Job title Consultant Histopathologist and Clinical Director Email address [e-mail] Telephone number 01494425202