Hospice Doctor (1 year fixed term)

We have an exciting opportunity for a Hospice Doctor to join our hospice medical team in the provision of palliative medicine on our inpatient unit, and when needed, via our advice line or through assessment of patients in the community.

Main duties of the job

The Hospice Doctor will have excellent communication and interpersonal skills in order to provide holistic palliative care as part of the multi‑disciplinary team. They will be part of the hospice medical team, reporting to our Medical Director, and working in a supportive and collaborative environment dedicated to making a difference in the lives of thousands of patients, their families and carers when it matters most.

The Hospice Doctor may have an opportunity to contribute to our out of hours support to the inpatient unit and advice line through the junior on‑call rota from February 2027, at a maximum frequency of 1 in 6.

What we can offer

• Salary: FTE equivalent to ST3 (£67,325)
• On‑call supplement
• Fixed term for up to one year
• Working hours: 2 outpatient sessions a week (8 hours), ideally two afternoon sessions including Friday, plus possibility of on‑call commitment from Feb 2027, maximum 1 in 6.

Job responsibilities

The postholder is likely to be mainly based on the inpatient unit but may be needed for the other duties described.

Inpatient Unit: Consultant‑Led beds

• Provision of specialist palliative medicine with appropriate senior supervision and support to hospice inpatients in consultant‑led beds for patients with complex problems relating to progressive, life‑limiting illness.
• Assessment and management of common palliative care problems.
• Appropriate prescribing of medications.
• Admitting new patients to the unit, carrying out appropriate assessment, and devising a management plan, seeking senior advice where needed.
• Sensitive and skilled communication with patients and families.
• Working with the multi‑disciplinary team to provide holistic care that aims to address the physical, psychological, social and spiritual needs of patients.
• Active role in advance care planning.
• Appreciation of ethical dilemmas that may arise in this field of work and how to address these with senior support.
• Communication with external professionals when needed (e.g. oncology, radiology).

Inpatient Unit – Nurse‑Led beds

• Support with prescribing when a nurse prescriber is not available.
• Brief assessment of patients to facilitate completion of death paperwork following a person’s death on the inpatient unit.
• Medical support for any unexpected medical problems or emergencies that may arise.

Advice Line

• Provide support to the medical advice line if needed (following an appropriate period of training and support), to support our hospice nurses or external professionals in palliative care delivery to community patients.

Community/Outpatients

• Be available to visit community patients independently or jointly in their place of usual residence or as an outpatient.

On call

• Available to take part in a regular on‑call commitment on the junior medical on‑call rota at the hospice from Feb 2027, usually at a maximum frequency of 1 in 6 weeknights and weekends.
• Clerking in emergency admissions agreed by the senior medical team.
• Be available to answer to provide telephone and face‑to‑face support to the inpatient unit.
• Be available to answer the medical advice line.

Information Governance

• Abide by principles of clinical information governance that will involve both protecting and sharing clinical information appropriately, in line with General Medical Council guidance.
• Contribute towards systems that protect patients and improve patient care (e.g. reporting clinical incidents, learning from errors).

Professional Development

• Be fully committed to continuous professional development and taking part in the medical appraisal processes, as per General Medical Council guidance.

Person Specification

• Qualifications:
• MB BS (or equivalent)
• Full GMC registration with licence to practice
• MRCP or MRCGP
• Any specific qualification in Palliative Care or Palliative Medicine (e.g. diploma or certificate)
• Experience:
• 2 years experience post completion of foundation training
• Previous NHS experience
• At least 6 months experience working in a hospice for adults
• Demonstrable experience of successful multi‑disciplinary team working
• Additional Criteria:
• Driving licence and own transport
• Ability to work collaboratively with patients and colleagues
• Ability to recognise limits of own competence and seek help appropriately
• Flexibility and adaptability
• Ability to prioritise and manage workload
• Aligned with hospice values
• Desire to provide excellent palliative care to patients and their loved ones

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.