Senior Clinical Development Fellows (CDFs) in General Medicine

NHS National Services Scotland; Melrose; On-site; GBP 97,000 - 131,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation package

Travel allowances from Edinburgh

Job summary

NHS Borders in Melrose is offering a Clinical Development Fellows post for post-foundation doctors at ST3 level to gain registrar‑level experience in acute and general medicine. You will join a supportive team in a beautiful rural area with opportunities for leadership and professional growth.

You will work under supervision with scheduled development activities, including on‑call and out‑of‑hours duties, plus a flexible educational plan to enhance your training and career progression.

Qualifications

• MRCP or equivalent desirable.
• Post foundation doctors at ST3 level or equivalent.
• On-site work in Melrose, Scotland.

Responsibilities

• Act as registrar level in acute/general medicine teams.
• Provide out of hours coverage as Team Leader on the Hospital at Night rota.
• Develop clinical skills and portfolio to support CV development.

Skills

MRCP or equivalent

Job description

OUR VALUES IN ACTION

Compassion Kindness Integrity Teamwork Excellence

Scottish Borders

Clinical Development Fellows (StR LAS Higher)

General & Acute Medicine, Medicine for the Elderly

Full‑time salary inclusive of out of hours allowance is £2,195 per week (pro rata if applicable).

Full Time available – part time or job share applications also welcome

Fixed term until August 2027 (opportunity for extension)

Why work for us?

Patients are at the centre of everything we do in our daily working lives at NHS Borders ensuring they are safe, cared for efficiently, effectively by suitably experienced and qualified staff driving quality at the heart of patient care. We are a dynamic and forward thinking team with a wealth of clinical and leadership experience. We aim for an open and honest culture and believe in nurturing future stars in NHS.

Our service caters for a stable population in a tranquil and beautiful rural area only 36 miles from Scotland’s vibrant capital, Edinburgh. We have excellent leisure facilities and a quality of life second to none. A relocation package / excess travel allowances from Edinburgh is available for the successful candidates. Train services to central Edinburgh run every thirty minutes (journey time 50 minutes approx) to nearby Tweedbank Station.

MELROSE has taken the title of the best place to live in Scotland in a national ranking - https://www.sundaypost.com/fp/borders-town-of-melrose-named-best-place-to-live-in-scotland/

An Estate agency (Rightmove) has named Galashiels as Scotland’s happiest place to live.More than 22,000 people across the UK took part in the survey, The happiest place to live in Scotland is Galashiels - Scottish Field

The Role

Posts are aimed at post foundation doctors at ST3 or equivalent level who have completed a foundation medical training programme and preferably core medical training or equivalent or have gained additional clinical experience after completing foundation training You must be s sufficiently competent (with appropriate support) and experienced to act at “registrar” level e.g. on-site Hospital at Night Team Leader, senior trainee on MAU, lead ward doctor supervising GPST/FY2s/FY1s. Possession of MRCP or equivalent is desirable.

You may be seeking further experience of acute or general medicine in which you have a longer term interest (e.g. future entry into specialty training), or to provide a professional development supplement to support other career options longer term. This post is not a recognised training grade but may be the right opportunity for you to develop and evidence clinical and professional competence to assist overall CV development.

You will have the opportunity to experience a range of acute and general internal medicine (including sub specialties) and Medicine for the Elderly that may support your career intention. You will work under appropriate supervision within the clinical teams to develop your skills. You will provide a proportion of out of hours activity including as a Team Leader on the Hospital at Night Team rota, evenings (1 in 12 approx) and weekends (1 in 6 approx).

In combination with the clinical component, the development component of this post is flexible according to your specific needs, level of experience and career interest. An educational supervisor (a senior clinician within the medical unit) will be appointed to support you to form a Personal Development Plan and portfolio mapped to an appropriate curriculum. Opportunities will exist for experience in
Simulation, Management and Leadership, Clinical Skills and Quality Improvement. This should equate to approximately 1 day per week for 8 weeks of a 12 week rota.

Arrangements can be made for an informal discussion / visit to the Hospital by contacting Dr Rachel Williamson [e-mail]

Whether you’re early in your career or looking to take the next step into a more senior role, NHS Borders offers a supportive environment where you can grow, influence change, and make a real impact.

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 Immigrations 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 licenced 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

***PLEASE NOTE: We cannot accept late applications so please ensure your application is submitted early***

NHS Scotland is committed to encouraging equality and diversity among our workforce and eliminating unlawful discrimination. The aim is for our workforce to be truly representative and for each employee to feel respected and able to give their best. To this end, NHS Scotland welcomes applications from all sections of society.

AI tools like ChatGPT or Copilot can be great for planning and preparing your application—but your answers must be your own.

• Show us the real you: Your application should reflect your skills, experience, and motivations authentically.
• Use AI wisely: It’s fine to use AI for ideas or to check spelling and grammar, but don’t let it write your answers.
• Why this matters: Applications that rely on AI-generated content may be withdrawn. By applying, you confirm your responses are based on your own knowledge and achievements.

Tip: Think of AI as a helper, not a substitute. We want to understand you—not an AI tool.