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Job summary

Main area
Cardiology
Grade
NHS Medical & Dental: Consultant Cardiologist
Contract
Permanent
Hours
Full time - 10 sessions per week
Job ref
179-7907198-MSC
Employer
West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust
Employer type
NHS
Site
West Suffolk Hospital
Town
Bury St Edmunds
Salary
£113,565 to £150,569 Pro Rata, Per annum
Closing
09/09/2026 23:59
Interview date
16/10/2026

Employer heading

West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust logo

Consultant Cardiologist

NHS Medical & Dental: Consultant Cardiologist

Job overview

This is an exciting opportunity for a highly motivated, enthusiastic individual to join our cardiology team here at West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust. 
 
This 10 PA post is to support the existing cardiology team working in our state of the art Cardiac Centre, including cardiac cath lab, 6 bed elective day ward, 7 bed Cardiac Care Unit, and 15 general cardiology beds.  

The successful candidate will contribute to the diagnostic angiography service as well as the cardiac pacing sevice.
 
There is currently no General Medicine commitment although support for cardiology problems in general medical patients forms an important activity.  
 
The successful candidate will join the Cardiologist of the week rota, involving ward rounds on the cardiac care unit, review of new patients on the cardiac ward and review of referrals for the day. The post holder will be expected to help supervise and teach the two Cardiology SpRs, participate in undergraduate an

Main duties of the job

Key Tasks: 


 •Maintenance of the highest clinical standards in the management of patients with cardiac disease. 
 
• To share with colleague’s responsibility for the day-to-day management of the Cardiology Department at the West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust and the development of local Cardiology services. 
 
•To teach, train and supervise junior medical staff; teach clinical students; and support health care professionals in the department 
 
•To participate in both departmental and Trust matters concerning Clinical Governance and audit. 
 
•To participate in continuing medical education (CME), and appraisal with a view to revalidation. 

Timetable 

West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (8.5 PA & 1.5 SPA)

• 3 general cardiology clinics per week, including 1 urgent outpatient “hot” cardiology clinic per week
• 1 in 6 Cardiologist of the week rota, with daily CCU and general cardiology ward rounds, review of new cardiac patients and referrals
• Pacing sessions and diagnostic angiography sessions to be decided with appropriate PA allocated 
• Admin
• Participation in weekly cardiac rhythm management MDT meetings, weekly heart failure MDT meetings, and monthly cardiorenal  MDT meetings
• Reporting of GP open access echocardiograms
• 1.5 SPA time
• Participation in monthly clinical governance and operational meetings

This timetable is a guideline for the service requirement. A mutually agreed exact job plan will be implemented at the time of taking up the post. It is expected that the successful candidate will be prepared to undertake work beyond this plan in consultation with the clinical lead and cardiology service manager to meet service requirements of the department. This Plan will be reviewed annually and will provide an opportunity for discussion of the individual’s personal development plan and for appraisal. 

Clinical Governance/Audit is undertaken locally and as an ongoing programme within the Region. It is expected that the appointee will be actively involved in this. There may be extra PAs available for those candidates wishing to take on additional roles such as clinical governance lead or educational supervisor.

Mentoring 

The new appointee will be supported and mentored for the first six months of the post – it will be provided by one of the consultants in the department, depending on the appointee’s choice.

Working for our organisation

#BeKnown at West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust. By us. By our patients. By our community

We are a busy, friendly, rural NHS Trust providing high-quality care and compassion to more than a quarter of a million people across west Suffolk. We care for, treat and support people in hospital, at home and in various community settings.

The West Suffolk Hospital in Bury St Edmunds provides acute and secondary care services (emergency department, maternity and neonatal services, day surgery unit, eye treatment centre, Macmillan unit and children's ward). It has 500+ beds and is a partner teaching hospital of the University of Cambridge.

Adult and paediatric community services, provided in collaboration with West Suffolk Alliance partners, include a range of nursing, therapy, specialist, and ongoing temporary care and rehabilitation, some at our Newmarket Community Hospital.

We do our utmost to achieve outstanding clinical outcomes for patients and our values of fairness, inclusivity, respect, safety and team work guide how we work and behave as a team.

With nearly 5,000 staff, from all over the world, we strive to make our organisation a great place to work. Whatever your role or ambition, we want to help you be the best you can be.

We promote a diverse and inclusive community where everyone's voice counts and you can #BeKnown for whoever you are.

Join us. What will you #BeKnown for?

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The Trust delivers services to patients seven days a week and aims to provide equality of treatment and outcome regardless of the day of the week. To meet these aims and changing service requirements, the Trust may need you either to work temporarily outside of your core hours or to permanently change your core working days and hours. The Trust will give you reasonable notice, where possible, of temporary changes to your days or hours of work and will consult with you and/or your staff representatives about substantial permanent changes, but ultimately, these are changes which may be required of you.

 The cardiology department has been through significant changes and developments over the past several years. In our cardiac catheterisation suite we provide diagnostic coronary angiography as well as a cardiac pacing service, including biventricular pacing for our heart failure patients.

 Our imaging and diagnostic services include stress echocardiography, TOE and 3D imaging. More recently we have been able to offer CT coronary angiography at our Newmarket Community Diagnostics Centre, significantly reducing waiting times for this test.

 The seven bedded CCU provides ECG telemetry to the medical wards.

Please see Job Description and Personal Specification attached for full detail.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria
  • MBBS or Equivalent
  • MRCP or Equivalent
  • Full GMC registration with a Licence to Practise
  • Entry on GMC Specialist Register; eligible for entry on Register or within six months of receipt of Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT) at time of interview
Desirable criteria
  • MD or PHD
  • Postgraduate Thesis

Clinical Experience

Essential criteria
  • Clinical training and experience equivalent to that required for gaining UK CCT in Cardiology
  • Experience in giving expert clinical opinion on a range of cardiological problems, and willingness to take full and independent responsibility for clinical care of patients with cardiological problems
  • Training and competency in bradycardia pacing
  • Training and competency in diagnostic cardiac catheterisation
Desirable criteria
  • Certified cardiac device specialist: Possession of HRUK, IBHRE or EHRA certificate.

Knowledge and Skills

Essential criteria
  • Depth and breadth of experience in acute ward based and out patient medicine.
  • All applicants to have demonstrable skills in written and spoken English that are adequate to enable effective communication about medical topics with patients and colleagues which could be demonstrated by one of the following: - PLAB 1, PLAB 2. If applicants believe that they have adequate communication skills, but do not fit into one of the examples they need to provide evidence

Management and Administrative Experience

Essential criteria
  • Experience of managing and organising outpatient priorities, procedure lists etc
  • Experience of audit management
  • Attended (or willingness to attend) a management course

Teaching Experience

Essential criteria
  • Experience of, and commitment to teaching undergraduates and postgraduates
  • Attended (or willing to attend) a “Teach the Teachers to Teach” Course

Research Experience

Essential criteria
  • Experience of applying research outcomes to clinical problems
Desirable criteria
  • Experience of supervising research projects
  • Publications in peer reviewed journals

Other Attributes

Essential criteria
  • Ability and willingness to work within the Trust and NHS performance framework and achieve targets
  • Ability to wok in a team
  • Good interpersonal skills
  • Enquiring, critical approach to work
  • Caring Attitude towards patients
  • Ability to communicate effectively with patients, relatives, GPs, nurses and other agencies
  • Commitment to Continuing Medical education and the requirements of Clinical Governance and Audit Willingness to undertake additional professional responsibilities at local, regional or national levels
Desirable criteria
  • Ability to Travel to rural locations
  • Live within 30 minutes travelling time or ten miles of West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust

Employer certification / accreditation badges

NHS Pastoral Care Quality AwardDisability confident employerArmed Forces Covenant

Applicant requirements

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Application numbers

MAX 50

Documents to download

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name
Seth Dockrill
Job title
Cardiology Consultant (Clinical Lead)
Email address
[email protected]
Telephone number
01284714211
Additional information

Abigail Penn - Assistant Service Manager - [email protected] - 01284712781

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