Specialty Doctor in Elderly Care

Join a dynamic and friendly medical team to develop and embed high quality acute care for older patients in a number of different clinical settings alongside the existing speciality doctor and consultant team. We have established acute front‑of‑house frailty team, frailty SDEC, hospital at home service, acute frailty wards, specialist movement disorder service, ortho‑geriatrics, surgical liaison, general geriatric clinics, falls/syncope and tilt clinic. As a result we are able to develop a candidate's interest to gain extensive experience in geriatric medicine and actively involve in future service development. Previous post holders have found significant benefit in developing a variety of skills in acute frailty care with projects that have been presented regionally, nationally and published.

Main duties of the job

The post is primarily based within the Acute Frailty Team, working at the front‑door in the Frailty Assessment Unit and Hospital at Home services to provide acute Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA) as part of a multidisciplinary team approach. The role supports acute frailty units, specialist frailty wards and rehabilitation wards as required, and provides outreach support to surgical, orthopaedic and medical wards across the Trust. The post holder acts as a key liaison between nursing staff, junior doctors, multidisciplinary teams, patients, relatives and senior medical teams to ensure coordinated, high‑quality patient care. The role includes attending and contributing to consultant‑led ward rounds, frailty and orthogeriatric liaison activities, and outpatient clinics where appropriate to support professional development.

The post holder is expected to engage in continuing professional development, including studying for higher examinations where required, attending weekly educational and multidisciplinary meetings, and participating in quality improvement and clinical audit programmes. In addition, the role involves supporting the teaching and training of junior medical staff and postgraduate trainees and, where appropriate to experience, supervising and managing junior members of the medical team.

About us

We provide hospital services from two acute sites – Darlington Memorial Hospital and University Hospital of North Durham. We have a centre for planned care in Bishop Auckland and provide care from community hospitals in Chester‑Le‑Street, Shotley Bridge, Barnard Castle, Sedgefield and Weardale as well as over 80 other community‑based settings and providing care in patients' homes. We particularly welcome applications from disabled and Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) candidates as BAME and disabled people are currently under‑represented.

Job responsibilities

The post involves providing continuity of medical care for older patients undergoing Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA), working closely with multidisciplinary teams and senior clinicians to deliver high‑quality, patient‑centred care. The role includes liaising with healthcare professionals across services to support appropriate admissions, timely discharges and seamless patient pathways, while actively contributing to multidisciplinary team meetings and care planning. The post holder is expected to participate in teaching, training and supervision activities, including supporting junior medical staff, postgraduate trainees and undergraduate students, with responsibility for supervision depending on experience. They will contribute to clinical governance, quality improvement and audit programmes, maintain ongoing Continuing Professional Development (CPD), and participate in appraisal processes. The role also requires effective use of resources in line with departmental objectives and accountability to the Clinical Lead for Elderly Care. In addition, the post holder will support service continuity by providing cross‑cover during periods of colleague absence and may contribute to the acute frailty on‑call rota, depending on experience and service requirements.

Person Specification

• Special Requirements
• IT literate
• Excellent diagnostic and clinical skills
• Good time management
• Highly developed interpersonal skills
• Flexible

• Special Skills & Knowledge
• Advanced communication oral and written skills, interest in elderly care medicine

• Experience
• Communication and influencing
• Problem solving

• Qualifications
• Medical Degree
• Foundation training completion or equivalent
• Evidence of continuing professional development
• MRCP or working towards
• Geriatric diploma or other elderly care clinical experience
• Completion of IMT2 or equivalent

Statutory Registration

Full GMC Registration

Disclosure and Barring Service Check: This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.