Locum Consultant in Palliative Medicine

NHS; Greater London; On-site; GBP 114,000 - 151,000; Part time

Job summary

Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust in London is advertising a Locum Consultant in Palliative Medicine. The role is a 6‑month fixed term contract, part‑time with 2 sessions per week.

The pro rata annual salary ranges from £113,565 to £150,569, plus London weighting. You will provide expert palliative and end‑of‑life care within a multidisciplinary team, supporting patients across hospital and community settings while contributing to teaching and service development.

Qualifications

• GMC registration to practise in the UK is required.
• Inclusion on the GMC Specialist Register for Palliative Medicine, or within 6 months of CCT at interview.
• MBBS or equivalent primary medical qualification.

Responsibilities

• Provide efficient and responsive clinical service for patients requiring supportive and palliative care.
• Deliver high‑quality specialist palliative care within hospital and community settings.
• Work with a multidisciplinary team to support patients and relatives across the palliative care pathway.
• Develop and maintain strong working relationships with colleagues across community and hospital services.
• Contribute to service development and quality improvement initiatives within the palliative care service.

Skills

Clinical assessment

Communication

Leadership

Education

GMC registration

Specialist Register in Palliative Medicine

MBBS or equivalent

Job description

We are an award winning organisation providing care at two main hospital sites—Chelsea and Westminster Hospital and West Middlesex University Hospital—and a number of community-based services across London, such as sexual health and HIV clinics.

With 6,700 members of staff, we are proud to care for a diverse population of one million people. We are committed to ensuring that our workforce is just as diverse with a strong mix of skills and abilities.

Our staff are at the very heart of our organisation and we recognise the valuable contribution that each and every person working at the Trust makes. One of our Trust priorities is to be an employer of choice—a place where people want to start their career and to grow with us through continued education, professional development and support .

Main area Specialist Palliative Care, Palliative Medicine Grade NHS Medical & Dental: Consultant Contract 6 months (Fixed Term Contract) Hours Part time - 2 sessions per week Job ref 289-EI-209

Site Chelsea and Westminster Hospital Town London Salary £113,565 - £150,569 per annum (pro rata) + London Weighting Salary period Yearly Closing 19/11/2026 23:59

Job overview

As a Locum Consultant in Palliative Medicine at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, you will join one of England’s best ‑ performing and most highly rated NHS organisations, providing high ‑ quality specialist care across two main hospital sites—Chelsea and Westminster Hospital and West Middlesex University Hospital—as well as a network of community ‑ based services. You will be part of a multidisciplinary environment that serves a diverse population and delivers award ‑ winning services, including complex medical, cancer, and supportive care pathways.

In this role, you will provide expert palliative and end ‑ of ‑ life care, collaborating closely with acute teams, community partners, and specialist services to support patients with complex symptom management and holistic needs. You will contribute to high ‑ quality clinical care, leadership, teaching, and service development within a Trust that continually invests in its facilities—including major expansions in critical care and diagnostic services—to enhance patient experience and clinical outcomes. You will join a motivated, well ‑ supported workforce of more than 6,000 staff who are PROUD to Care and who consistently recommend the Trust as an excellent place to work and receive treatment.

Please note: Some roles may require weekend shifts at multiple sites.

Main duties of the job

Please refer to the attached job description document for a detailed list of the main duties of the job.

Working for our organisation

Our Trust is one of England's top-performing and safest trusts. We operate two main acute hospital sites—Chelsea and Westminster Hospital and West Middlesex University Hospital—along with award-winning clinics across North West London.

Our nearly 7,500 staff care for a diverse population of 1.5m, providing full clinical services including maternity, A&E and children’s services, plus specialist HIV and sexual health care. The CQC rates us Good in safety, effectiveness, care and responsiveness, and Outstanding in leadership and resource use.

We continually invest in our facilities, including a £30m expansion of critical care at Chelsea and an £80m Ambulatory Diagnostic Centre at West Mid.

We are delivering sustainable healthcare through our Green Plan. In line with Greener NHS ambitions, we aim for net zero carbon emissions by 2045. Achieving this requires collective effort. We encourage staff to reduce their impact on carbon, waste and pollution wherever possible. Every action counts to create a healthier, more sustainable future.

We are committed to equal opportunities and believe diversity drives innovation and excellence. We welcome applications from the global majority, veterans and underrepresented communities, valuing the perspectives they bring.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• Provide an efficient and responsive clinical service for patients requiring supportive and palliative care.
• Deliver high ‑ quality specialist palliative care within the hospital and community settings.
• Work as part of a multidisciplinary team to support patients and relatives across the palliative care pathway.
• Develop and maintain strong working relationships with key colleagues across community and hospital services.
• Participate in cross ‑ clinical cover within other areas of the specialist palliative care service, including liaison with hospital teams.
• Contribute to strategic development and service improvement initiatives across the palliative care service.
• Participate in rota arrangements for the palliative care service as required.
• Provide clinical leadership and guidance within the palliative care team.
• Support education, training, and development opportunities for colleagues within the service.
• Contribute to the coordination and delivery of a 7 ‑ day visiting and on ‑ call service, if the department has such arrangement in place.
• Engage in service ‑ wide quality improvement, innovation, and integrated models of care.
• Provide specialist advice and support to other healthcare professionals managing palliative care needs.
• Participate in multidisciplinary meetings to review patient needs and optimise care planning.
• Ensure continuity and safety of patient care through effective documentation and communication.

Promote a compassionate, person ‑ centred approach to end ‑ of ‑ life care across all clinical interactions.

Person specification

Education and Qualifications

• Full registration with the General Medical Council (GMC) and licence to practise
• Inclusion on the GMC Specialist Register for Palliative Medicine, or within 6 months of CCT at the time of interview
• MBBS or equivalent primary medical qualification

Experience

• Substantial experience delivering specialist palliative care within hospital and/or community settings
• Experience of managing complex symptom control and end‑of‑life care for patients with advanced illness
• Experience of working effectively within multidisciplinary and multi‑agency teams
• Experience of providing senior clinical advice and support to other medical and nursing teams

Skills and Knowledge

• Excellent clinical assessment and decision‑making skills in palliative and supportive care
• Strong communication skills, including advanced communication with patients, families, and carers
• Sound knowledge of national guidance, standards, and best practice in palliative and end‑of‑life care
• Ability to contribute to service development, quality improvement, teaching, and clinical governance

Personal Qualities

• Demonstrates compassion, empathy, and professionalism when caring for patients, families, and carers in emotionally complex and sensitive situations
• Able to work calmly and effectively under pressure, managing uncertainty and complex decision‑making with resilience
• Strong team‑working ethos, with the ability to build positive, collaborative relationships across multidisciplinary and multi‑agency teams
• Committed to delivering high‑quality, patient‑centred care and upholding NHS values, equality, and dignity at all times

Recruitment Fraud Warning

Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Trust does not charge any fees for job applications, recruitment processes, sponsorship arrangements or offers of employment.

All legitimate recruitment communications and applications will be made through our official careers website and published contact details. If you receive a job offer or recruitment communication requesting payment, please do not make any payment and verify it with us using the contact details published on our official careers website.

Important

• There may be some occasions when we have to close a vacancy earlier than the advertised closing date, this will be due to a high volume of applications. You are therefore advised to submit your application as early as possible to avoid disappointment.
• Please check your emails regularly (and your junk folder) as this is how we will communicate with you throughout the recruitment process.
• In submitting an application, you authorise the Trust to confirm any previous NHS service details via the Inter Authority Transfer (IAT) process, should you be appointed to the post.
• During the recruitment process your identity documentation (ie passport, driving licence, visa etc) will be scanned using a device which recognises UV, infrared and machine-readable zone security features of the documents provided.
• Employment at the Trust is offered subject to successful completion of a six month probationary period.
• We operate a joint recruitment hub across the North West London Acute Provider Collaborative Group. As part of this, your application and personal data may be shared with partner trusts within the group for recruitment and workforce purposes, in line with General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)

Right to work

If you need sponsorship to work in the UK, please visit the Home Office website for information on sponsorship and visa status before you fill in your application form. Due to recent changes in the UK immigration rules which affect Skilled Worker Visas, Global Business Mobility, Higher Skill Level and Increased Salary Thresholds, please ensure that you are able to meet the requirements to live and work in the UK before applying. Further information about eligibility is available on UK Visas and Immigration - GOV.UK

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.