Specialist in Anaesthetics

East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust; Stevenage; On-site; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare provider in the UK is looking for a Specialist in Anaesthetics to provide safe, effective, and autonomous care across various surgical specialties. The successful candidate will be responsible for managing complex patients and participating in teaching and service development. This substantive appointment offers 10 programmed activities with flexibility for work patterns, focusing on high-quality patient care within a supportive environment.

Benefits

Flexible working patterns

Supportive team environment

Qualifications

• At least 12 years of medical work since obtaining a primary medical qualification, including 6 years in Anaesthesia.
• Broad experience in anaesthetic practice.
• Ability to teach and assess clinical skills.

Responsibilities

• Provide safe and effective anaesthetic care across surgical specialties.
• Manage patients with complex needs and lead in resuscitation.
• Participate in teaching, audit, and service development.

Skills

Clinical governance engagement

Communication skills

Leadership skills

Teaching skills

Sound clinical decision-making

Education

Full GMC registration with a Licence to Practise

FRCA or equivalent qualification

Job description

Job overview

Our complete commitment to developing careers means we’re looking for proactive, motivated, forward‑thinking, and dynamic individuals to join our clinical team. This post is an important part of our ongoing development of medical services at East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust, offering the successful applicant the opportunity to work closely with the existing medical staff to provide a high standard of care across the Trust. We are seeking Specialists with enthusiasm, commitment, and drive to work closely with colleagues throughout the organisation and within the community to help lead the organisation.

This is a substantive appointment, based predominantly at the Lister Hospital in Stevenage. The post comprises 10 programmed activities (PAs) and includes working on weekends. The number of PAs could be modified for a candidate preferring to work more than 10 PAs or less than full time.

This is an excellent opportunity within the Anaesthetics department at East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust, based at the Lister Hospital in Stevenage, which enjoys a unique geographical location close to London and Cambridge. The Trust also enjoys a reputation for our commitment to the highest standards of care and for our friendly and supportive approach.

Main duties of the job

The Specialist in Anaesthetics will provide safe, effective, and autonomous anaesthetic care across a range of surgical specialties. The role includes independent management of patients with complex needs, leadership in resuscitation and peri‑operative safety, and active participation in teaching, audit, and service development. The post holder is expected to demonstrate professionalism, clinical judgement, and commitment to high standards of patient care in line with GMC Good Medical Practice.

Working for our organisation

At East and North Hertfordshire Teaching NHS Trust, we are proud of the range of general and specialist services we provide and our 6,000 or so dedicated staff ensure our patients get the best care. Our ability to be flexible and innovative in the way in which we work and deliver our services to our catchment has never been more important than it is now.

We run the following hospitals :

• The Lister Hospital, Stevenage
• New Queen Elizabeth II (New QEII), Welwyn Garden City
• Hertford County, Hertford
• Mount Vernon Cancer Centre (MVCC), Northwood

We have ambitious plans to become an outstanding, patient‑led Trust where dedicated staff provide high‑quality, compassionate care to our patients. We continue to undergo significant transformation and our staff and patients are at the heart of delivering this ambitious agenda.

We are committed to a positive work life balance for our employees. This means that any employee is entitled to seek to work flexible working patterns and we are committed to listen and consider all requests. Such requests, of course, have to be made and considered formally, and will need to be balanced against service needs, but our starting point will always be to find ways to support making them happen.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

In the paragraphs above you have read an overview about the role we would like to offer and general information about main duties of the post holder. Please see attached – job description which describes in full details the duties, responsibilities and reporting relationships of the advertising role.

Person specification

Qualifications / Training

Essential criteria

• Full GMC registration with a Licence to Practise
• Evidence of being up to date and fit to practise safely, and aware of own training needs

Desirable criteria

• FRCA or qualification of an equivalent level
• postgraduate qualification (e.g. Education, Leadership, QI)

Previous Experience

Essential criteria

• Minimum 12 years’ medical work since obtaining a primary medical qualification, including at least 6 years in Anaesthesia at Specialty Doctor or equivalent level (UK or overseas)
• Demonstrated broad experience in anaesthetic practice, including general, obstetric, regional, and emergency anaesthesia
• Ability to offer and be accountable for full and independent expert anaesthetic opinion within defined scope of practice
• Evidence of leading or contributing to patient safety or governance improvements
• Demonstrated understanding of audit, evidence‑based practice, and clinical quality improvement

Desirable criteria

• Understanding of research principles, methodology, and ethics
• Experience supervising trainees, Anaesthesia Associates, or multidisciplinary colleagues

Skills

Essential criteria

• Evidence of engagement with clinical governance and learning from adverse events
• Evidence of engagement with appraisal and revalidation
• Demonstrates situational awareness and sound clinical decision‑making
• Ability to teach and assess clinical skills effectively
• Excellent communication, teamwork, and leadership skills

Knowledge

Essential criteria

• Sound understanding of audit, evidence‑based practice, and quality improvement principles
• Comprehensive knowledge of all domains of GMC Good Medical Practice
• Understanding of NHS structures, priorities, and clinical governance processes

Other Requirements

Essential criteria

• Demonstrated commitment to Anaesthesia and continuous professional development
• Experience and engagement in equality, diversity, and inclusion initiatives
• Actively promotes a culture that recognises and values diversity
• Role models Trust values and professional behaviours
• Understands and upholds the values of the NHS Constitution