At a Glance
- Tasks: Provide expert advice on health and social care regulations while ensuring quality and safety.
- Company: Join the Care Quality Commission, dedicated to improving health services across England.
- Benefits: Competitive daily rate, flexible working, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Other info: Flexible role with opportunities for inspections and valuable insights into healthcare practices.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in people's lives by enhancing healthcare quality and safety.
- Qualifications: Must be a GMC specialist registered consultant with relevant medical experience.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 84000 £ per year.
Location: National
Daily rate: £300 (£268 day rate + £32 day holiday pay)
Ad-Hoc: As and when required
Closing Date: Thursday 26th March 2026 at 11.59pm
Essential Criteria: Successful candidates must be on the GMC specialist register as a speciality consultant in a medical specialty and currently in a substantive contract.
Desirable Criteria: Experience in Quality Improvement, Data Analysis, Leadership of services/divisions.
Are you committed to helping us regulate health and social care within England? When thinking about what drives you every day in your job, what keeps you motivated and passionate about your work, what comes to mind? For 3000+ people at the CQC we end each day knowing that we have made a difference to the lives of those most in need in our communities. We make sure health and social care services provide people with safe, effective, compassionate, equitable, high-quality care and encourage services to improve. We are looking for people who are caring, demonstrate integrity, aspire to excellence, committed to equitable and inclusive services and care and work well as part of a team to join with us and share in this sense of achievement.
Why this could be a great role for you: You will have an opportunity to contribute to ensuring that services and care provided to millions of people are safe, compassionate and effective and led by senior leaders with the required skills and gain valuable insight into how organisations are assessed and be exposed to varying degrees of best practice.
What you will bring:
- Be currently employed as a substantive consultant within a medical specialty. If you have additional experience in providing General Internal Medicine, please highlight this.
- Have experience in interrogating clinical datasets including national clinical audits and quality improvement projects.
- Have personal experience in quality improvement and change management.
- Possess an up-to-date appraisal in your local organisation and completion of mandatory training, including equality diversity and inclusion training.
- Demonstrate strong communication skills and evidence of collaborative/MDT working.
We are looking for experienced senior leaders currently working in Professional Practice who can bring their expertise in leadership, governance and strategy to rigorously assess organisational effectiveness at the highest level and provide specialist advice and input into the Care Quality Commission’s (CQC) regulatory inspection and investigation activity. This advice ensures that CQC’s judgements are informed by up-to-date and credible clinical and professional knowledge and experience.
Specialism categories we are looking to recruit from:
- General Internal Medicine
- Acute Internal Medicine
- Cardiology
- Respiratory Medicine
- Gastroenterology
- Haematology
- Care of the Elderly
- Endocrinology
- Neurology
- Oncology
- Palliative Care
- Renal Medicine
- Hepatology
Being a Specialist Advisor: This role can be undertaken as either a Casual Worker, paid directly to a personal bank account by the CQC for attending in your own time (non-working days, annual leave) or as a seconded position if your service is registered with the CQC and agrees to the secondment. Seconded SpAs' organisations agree in principle that their employees can attend CQC inspections and the seconded SpA seeks their line manager's permission to take leave to attend individual inspections, which can last from one to three days. The seconded SpA's organisation then invoices the CQC for the time the SpA spent away from their substantive role. You will be offered opportunities to support inspection with minimum 6 weeks’ notice whenever possible; however, you will also be contacted for more short notice support on occasions. You are under no obligation to accept an inspection should it be offered and it not be convenient for you. We are not able to guarantee you a set number of inspection opportunities in a one-year period. We recommend you undertake a minimum of two inspections a year.
If successful at interview we aim to conclude your pre-engagement checks within a 6-8 week window; please complete all forms and take actions to assist the team in achieving this. You will be provided with a dedicated onboarding peer who will support you in completing pre-engagement checks and will be on hand to answer any questions you have. You will be required to have a current DBS certificate under 3 years old and we require references going back three years. If you've been with the same employer for three years, then we'll only require one reference.
Eligibility to work: If you are successful at interview, CQC will need to verify your right to work in the UK using digital identity verification. Details of how to complete the right to work check will be provided as part of the conditional offer of employment. If we are unable to verify your right to work digitally, we are required to complete this face to face at one of our CQC Offices. Please be aware that we are unable to progress any offer of employment until right to work in the UK is confirmed. We will require all successful applicants to be active in Professional Practice.
Individual Adjustments: We are committed to being open and transparent around our processes and we endeavour to offer every candidate the opportunity to perform at their best throughout the recruitment process. We seek to support candidates to identify potential challenges and work with them to identify and facilitate individual adjustments as appropriate. Should you require assistance and/or would like to request an adjustment at any stage of the recruitment process, please contact a member of the team via email.
Specialist Advisor – General Internal Medicine Consultant Doctor employer: Care Quality Commission
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is an exceptional employer, offering a unique opportunity for Specialist Advisors to make a significant impact on health and social care across England. With a commitment to quality improvement and a supportive work culture, CQC fosters professional growth through exposure to best practices and collaborative teamwork. Employees benefit from flexible working arrangements, competitive daily rates, and the chance to contribute to meaningful regulatory activities that enhance patient care.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Specialist Advisor – General Internal Medicine Consultant Doctor
✨Join Medical Networks
Get involved in local and national medical associations, like the Royal College of Physicians. These networks can help you connect with mentors and colleagues who might know of openings, plus they're great for staying updated on the latest in medicine and clinical practices.
✨Attend Healthcare Conferences
Make it a habit to attend medical conferences and seminars. These events are fantastic for networking and often feature job boards where hospitals and clinics post their openings. Plus, it’s a good way to get your face recognised in the industry.
✨Leverage Your Medical School's Resources
Don’t forget to use your medical school’s career services! They usually have great connections with hospitals and clinics looking to fill full-time physician positions and can help you with mock interviews or networking events.
✨Apply Directly Through Hospital Websites
When you're ready to apply, make sure to check the careers section of hospital websites directly. Hospitals like Care Quality Commission often post their job openings there first, and applying directly can sometimes give you an edge over other applicants.
We think you need these skills to ace Specialist Advisor – General Internal Medicine Consultant Doctor
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Credentials:When applying for a physician role, make sure to highlight your medical qualifications and any special certifications you have. We want to see your medical degree, residency training, and any additional certifications that set you apart, like specialised training in paediatrics or geriatrics. Don’t leave out those all-important letters after your name!
Tailor Your CV to Medicine:Your CV should reflect your experience and skills as a doctor. Be specific about your clinical rotations, medical practice, and any research work you've done – we love seeing quantifiable impacts, so mention how you've improved patient care or led successful treatment plans.
Craft a Personal Statement with Heart:In your cover letter, let us know why you chose medicine and what drives your passion for patient care. Personal stories about transformative experiences—like a memorable patient encounter or a moment that defined your career path—can really make you shine. Remember, we're looking for someone who genuinely cares about their patients!
Demonstrate Continuous Learning:In the medical field, showcasing your commitment to continuous learning is essential. Mention any recent courses, workshops, or conferences you’ve attended, and highlight your willingness to stay updated on medical advancements. This shows us that you’re not just a physician; you're a lifelong learner, ready to adapt and grow.
How to prepare for a job interview at Care Quality Commission
✨Get Clinical Knowledge Sharp
Brush up on your clinical knowledge, particularly in areas relevant to the role at Care Quality Commission. Expect questions about diagnosis, treatment plans, and patient management. Be ready to discuss case studies or even do some role-playing with hypothetical patient scenarios for a more practical assessment.
✨Know Your Procedures and Protocols
Familiarise yourself with the latest procedures and protocols that are specific to the field of medicine you’re applying to. Whether it’s surgical techniques or patient care protocols, being able to discuss these confidently can really set you apart in the interview at Care Quality Commission.
✨Show You're a Team Player
In the medical field, collaboration is key. Have examples ready that showcase your teamwork and communication skills. Talk about how you've worked with nurses, specialists, or other doctors in the past to provide the best care for your patients. This shows you're ready to integrate into the team at Care Quality Commission.
✨Stay Current with Medical Trends
Make sure you’re clued up on the latest medical trends, research, and innovations. Not only does this prepare you for technical questions, but it also shows your passion for the field. Be ready to discuss how these trends might affect your practice at Care Quality Commission.
