Scottish Clinical Leadership Fellowship Programme

NHS Scotland; England; On-site; GBP 100,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

A national health organization in Scotland is seeking highly motivated doctors and dentists for the Scottish Clinical Leadership Fellowship Programme. This one-year programme, commencing in August 2026, focuses on developing leadership skills and managing health and care activities. Applicants must have appropriate qualifications and the willingness to live and work in Scotland. Supportive mentoring is provided, aimed at fostering diverse applications from underrepresented groups. This role offers an invaluable opportunity to develop leadership capabilities within NHS Scotland.

Qualifications

• Open to motivated doctors and dentists from all backgrounds.
• Supportive mentoring and coaching is available.
• Preference for previously under-represented groups.

Responsibilities

• Develop management and leadership capacity in health and care.
• Contribute to leadership activities within NHS Scotland.
• Participate in a national role in education and training.

Skills

Highly motivated

Leadership capabilities

Experience in clinical background

Education

Completion of CT2/ST2 or equivalent

Two years of dental specialty training or equivalent

Job description

SCOTTISH CLINICAL LEADERSHIP FELLOWSHIP PROGRAMME

NHS Education for Scotland (NES) is the national health board with statutory functions for providing, co‑ordinating, developing, funding and advising on education, training and workforce development for the NHS, and, in partnership with SSSC, for social care staff. We are a national organisation with a significant regional presence in Scotland and have a national role in both undergraduate and postgraduate education and training, as well as continuing professional development.

Programme Details: NES, in partnership with host organisations, is pleased to announce that recruitment for Cohort 16, commencing in August 2026, is open.

This year, our host organisation partners include:

• The Scottish Government
• NHS National Services Scotland
• Territorial Health Boards
• Royal Colleges
• General Medical Council

These one‑year posts are an integral part of NHS Scotland’s approach to developing management and leadership capacity. Fellows will have a bespoke opportunity to build leadership capabilities and contribute to contemporary health and care‑related activities. The programme aims to provide NHS Scotland with a cadre of doctors and dentists who are committed to living and working in Scotland and who have enhanced skills to offer leadership in their workplaces and, potentially, at national and international levels.

As part of the core programme, supportive mentoring and coaching will be available.

Eligibility and Requirements: We are looking for highly motivated doctors and dentists from all clinical backgrounds and experience levels. The Scottish Clinical Leadership Fellowship programme is open to doctors (Resident, SAS, and First5Gps) and dentists who are currently living and working in Scotland.

We particularly welcome applications from groups that have been under‑represented in previous cohorts, including International Medical Graduates (IMGs), Specialty and Specialist (SAS) doctors, and GPs within the first five years after completing training.

Resident doctors must have successfully completed CT2/ST2 (or equivalent) at the time of starting the post. Dental specialty trainees must have completed two years of dental specialty training or equivalent.

For International Medical Graduates: NHS Education for Scotland (NES) can act as a visa sponsor if a transfer of sponsorship is required.

For further information, please contact:

Doctors: Lindsay Donaldson, Deputy Medical Director `[e-mail]`; Greg Logan, SCLF Operational Lead - `[e-mail]`

Dentists: Jan Clarkson, Associate Postgraduate Dental Dean `[e-mail]`

We recognise that previously under‑represented groups of doctors may benefit from sessions to support them in their applications. Therefore, arrangements can be made for potential applicants to discuss the fellowship with current or previous post‑holders.

Applications are to be made online for the above noted positions. For further information please refer to the Job Information Pack and Application Pack below.

If you have any queries regarding this position please contact [e-mail].

Interviews will be held remotely on 23rd and 24th February 2026.

• Please be advised that if you are successful in being offered the role following the recruitment process, you will be expected to attend the office prior to your start date to complete face‑to‑face pre‑employment checks. If you require any adjustments to support this, please let us know.
• To work in the United Kingdom, there is a legal requirement for an individual to demonstrate that they have the relevant permission to work in the country. This permission is, without exception, granted by the UK Visa and Immigration Service.

As part of the pre‑employment checks for a preferred candidate, NHS Scotland Boards will check your entitlement to work in the UK. It can be evidenced through a number of routes including specific types of visa as well as EU settled and pre‑settled status. To find out more about these routes of permission, please refer to the GOV.UK website here.

For specific types of post, if you do not have the necessary eligibility to work in the UK, it might be possible (though not guaranteed) to secure sponsorship via a UK Skilled Worker/Health & Care Worker Visa. However, this is only possible if the employer is a licensed Sponsor, and if the post does not fall below the current minimum salary threshold or ‘going rate’. Further information on these criteria can be found here.

It is ESSENTIAL that you have checked that you either already have an appropriate right to work in the UK or that the post would be eligible to be sponsored BEFORE submitting your application form.

If you have any queries regarding the NHS Scotland National Recruitment Portal or the recruitment process, please don’t hesitate to contact our recruitment partners, the East Region Recruitment Service, at: [e-mail].