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Health and Care route minimum£25,000 a year
Pay basisNational pay scales (NHS bands)
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Role description
Job summary
An
opportunity has arisen to join the St Elizabeth Hospice team in Ipswich. You
will join a dynamic, friendly and established team of medical and nurse
consultants and the wider multi-disciplinary team. Your post will provide input
predominantly to the community of Ipswich and East Suffolk. You will join at a
very exciting time in the region as new services are designed and implemented.
St Elizabeth Hospice is playing an active part in neighbourhood health pilots
in the new combined Norfolk and Suffolk ICB and worked collaboratively to
achieve Compassionate Community accreditation for Suffolk.
St
Elizabeth Hospice is rated CQC outstanding and provides services in a large
geographical area, offering urban and rural diversity and places of outstanding
natural beauty. This coastal area of the country supports a good work-life
balance and is easily accessible to London and beyond. There are strong links
between local acute and palliative care providers and with medical schools in
the Universities of East Anglia, Suffolk and Cambridge. Teaching opportunities
abound.
Main duties of the job
After
35 years of delivering excellent care, St Elizabeth Hospice continues to drive
forward innovation and development of services. The successful candidate will
join an established team whose Consultants are involved in research and system
wide service development, and committed to the continual improvement of
clinical care.
You
will be employed by St Elizabeth hospice, supported by NHS Terms and
Conditions. Nine sessions are available plus out of hours responsibility. There
is flexibility around how the job plan is delivered; interested candidates are
strongly encouraged to approach us for discussion.
Hours: Part
time - 36 hours per week (0.9 WTE)
Interview Date: 24th November 2026
About us
St Elizabeth Hospice is committed to safeguarding
and protecting the adults and young people that we work with and has a
zero-tolerance approach to abuse, neglect and discrimination of any person. As
such, all posts are subject to a rigorous safer recruitment process, including
the disclosure of criminal records and vetting checks. We have a range of
robust safeguarding policies in place which promote safeguarding across the
hospice and staff are expected to undertake regular, mandatory safeguarding training
to equip them with the knowledge and skills to identify and respond to
potential risks.
Details
Date posted
24 September 2026
Pay scheme
Hospital medical and dental staff
Grade
Consultant
Salary
Depending on experience
Contract
Permanent
Working pattern
Part-time
Reference number
B0291-26-0034
Job locations
565 Foxhall Road
Ipswich
Suffolk
IP3 8LX
United Kingdom
Job description
Job responsibilities
Job
summary:
To work together with the other
palliative medicine consultants in the provision of medical services to
patients of St Elizabeth Hospice, Ipswich Hospital, James Paget Hospital and
East Coast Community Healthcare and to support the related multidisciplinary
staff. To develop services and improve
integrated working between local Palliative Care providers (Hospice, Hospital
and in the wider community of the Integrated Care Systems). This post will
predominantly support provision of community palliative care services.
General
This post is 0.9 WTE. Terms and
Conditions will be based on the current NHS Consultant Contract (see Job Plan
below) with the postholders contract held at the Hospice. There will be
honorary contract with the relevant partner organisations as required.
The new post holder will join a
growing medical team who work collaboratively and supportively to cover
services across the two service areas, and rotation of area of responsibility
is usual.
Current Medical consultant
provision is 4.9 WTE of which 0.2 WTE supports Ipswich hospital alongside
another 1.65 WTE consultant. There will be cover from the other consultants for
leave and as need arises. There are also 3 full time Nurse Consultants embedded
within the team, one of whom provides clinical and service development support
for Great Yarmouth and Waveney services.
There are two Specialty
Registrars on the East of England Palliative Medicine Specialty Training
Scheme. There are also four middle grade doctors providing support to both the
IPUs as well as the outpatient clinical areas.
There are 6 GP vocational training scheme doctors on attachment rotating
with other specialties and two foundation year doctors.
The team works closely alongside
the full multidisciplinary team including nurses, Clinical Nurse Specialists,
healthcare assistants, nurse associates, Physiotherapists, Occupational
Therapists, counsellors, spiritual care workers and volunteers.
The On call commitment is currently
approximately 1 in 8 second on call with 5% availability supplement. This
provides telephonic medical and symptom control advice to St Elizabeth Hospice,
Ipswich Hospital, West Suffolk Hospital and St Nicholas Hospice Care in Bury St
Edmunds, James Paget Hospital (Gorleston), and community calls in Suffolk and
the Great Yarmouth and Waveney area. This may involve taking calls from GPs,
hospital doctors, nurses or allied healthcare professionals. There is no formal
expectation of face to face reviews on call but should the consultant be on
site during that time then this time will be deducted from their clinical PAs
in the next week and remunerated accordingly. There may be the need to do
occasional first on-call on an emergency basis and this will be compensated by
a PA off in lieu for each PA done as first on-call (week night equals 1 PA and
weekend equals 6 PAs).
Formal consultant appraisal is
completed by the hospice appraisal team with St Elizabeth Hospice as the
designated body and the Medical Director of the Hospice as Responsible Officer.
The postholder will be supported through the appraisal and revalidation
process.
All new consultants can be
mentored by an established consultant within the organisation or by one of the
consultants from the neighbouring Palliative Care service providers to enable
them to settle into the post and to support them in their initial years as a
consultant. Established consultants will also have access to mentoring or
support as needed.
The postholder will have shared
administrative support from a pool of administrators and will have a dedicated
computer station in a shared office. Additional office facilities will be
available if attending other sites of work. IT team support is available.
About our services
St Elizabeth Hospice serves the
population of Ipswich, East Suffolk, Great Yarmouth and Waveney, and supported
almost 4,000 patients and their families last year. It was established in 1989
and has an 18-bedded inpatient unit in Ipswich as well as a substantial
community team, a virtual ward and a 24/7 telephone advice line called OneCall
which is at the core of the Palliative and End of Life Care Co-ordination Hub.
The hospice delivers outpatient
clinics, therapy, counselling and physiotherapy services, with a comprehensive
bereavement programme called LivingGrief that supports families across East
Suffolk. It also delivers an education programme collaboratively with St Helena
Hospice in Colchester and Farleigh Hospice in Chelmsford, and works with the
University of Suffolks Health and Wellbeing Institute.
The hospice is committed to
encouraging Compassionate Communities as a public health approach to improving
cultural confidence in supporting one another through the experience of dying,
death and grief. Active research links are being established with University of
Suffolk (UoS), University of East Anglia (UEA) and University of Cambridge. A
research facilitator works as part of the team supported by NIHR funding.
Since 2019, the hospice has been
sub-contracted by East Coast Community Healthcare (ECCH) to deliver specialist
palliative care in Great Yarmouth and Waveney, six specialist palliative care
beds within Beccles Hospital, a specialist community team and providing
in-reach support to the James Paget University Hospital. Outpatient clinics
operate out of Beccles Hospital, the Louise Hamilton Centre in Gorleston,
Martham Health Centre and the Pear Tree centre in Halesworth. Our strategic
partner ECCH hold the contract for Community Services for Great Yarmouth and
Waveney, as part of the Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care System.
St Elizabeth Hospice delivers a
transition programme for young adults moving on from the care of the local
childrens hospice (EACH). This transition programme is called Zest and offers exchange
days, medical support, social activity days and nurse-led short break respite
care. There are currently 50 young adults registered with Zest and is being
gradually extended to a wider geographical footprint.
In East Suffolk, the hospice
works closely with Ipswich Hospital and is a full member of the Ipswich and
East Suffolk Alliance. In Great Yarmouth and Waveney the hospice has
representation on the Place Board. It is anticipated that the hospice will be
fully represented on both Suffolk and Norfolk Die Well programme boards
following the outcome of the ICB restructure.
The Hospice has a Chief Executive
and a Senior Leadership Team which includes the Medical Director, Director of
Care, Director of Income Generation and Chief Operating Officer.
St Elizabeth Hospice has 400
employees and 1,500 volunteers, including 800 volunteers in our 36 retail
stores and two Moments coffee shops. We also have a social enterprise
domiciliary care agency called St Elizabeth Care Agency, whose profits
contribute to the hospices charitable funds.
Key responsibilities:
Professional and Managerial
1.
On
call will be based on NHS terms and conditions, and will be at 5% based on a
frequency of 1 in 8. Should the frequency reduce then the availability
supplement will be reiewed. There is no formal expectation of face to face
reviews on call but should the consultant be on site during that time then this
time will be deducted from their clinical PAs in the next week. The job plan
will then be reviewed to determine if a designated PA is needed for on call.
2.
To
assist in the supervision of junior medical and other staff in the hospice,
ensuring that medical care and practice follow professional guidelines and St
Elizabeth Hospice Policies and Procedures. This includes acting as named
clinical supervisor for trainees on GP training scheme.
3.
To
support effective liaison and communication with relevant disciplines in
respect of all aspects of palliative and end of life care.
4.
To
attend multidisciplinary team meetings at St Elizabeth Hospice or in the
community (such as GSF meetings).
5.
To
establish and provide outpatient clinics and day services at St Elizabeth
Hospice or at other community sites as required and to undertake domiciliary
visits as necessary.
6.
To
be responsible with the other consultants for the admission, inpatient care and
discharge of patients at hospice inpatient sites.
7.
To
develop and maintain knowledge and skills to a level appropriate to the
responsibilities of the post.
8.
To
work with colleagues in the development and provision of education and training
in palliative care at St Elizabeth Hospice inpatient sites, Ipswich Hospital,
James Paget Hospital and the community.
9.
To
contribute to the initiation and conduct of research projects in Palliative
Care. Any agreed research activity will be in discussion with the medical
director with appropriate SPA allocated to support the research project from
existing SPA allowance or additional SPA if part time employees. Sessions as
researchers with local research units may require acting as principle investigator or chief
investigator and to maintain good clinical practice (GCP) training.
10.
To
initiate and participate in audit and quality improvement activity regarding
palliative and end of life care in the hospice, hospital and community, and
participate in all aspects of the hospice governance programme such as incident
review and responding to complaints and concerns.
11.
To
represent the Hospice on local and national bodies as appropriate.
12.
Formal
consultant appraisal for revalidation will be completed by the hospice
appraisal team with St Elizabeth Hospice as the designated body with the
Medical Director of the Hospice as Responsible Officer. The hospice supports
the requirements for continuing professional development (CPD) as laid down by
the Royal College of Physicians and is committed to providing time and
financial support for these activities.
Person Specification
Personal Attributes
Essential
Effective communicator.
Able to work in a close-knit team and co-operate with all medical, nursing and other healthcare staff.
Flexible, able to cover colleagues absence.
Professional attitude towards work, reliability, good record of attendance and tidy personal appearance.
Car driver with driving licence (driving will be an essential part of day to day work in this area).
Desirable
Familiarity with information technology and general computer skills.
Management & Teaching
Essential
Possession of basic management skills.
Experience of postgraduate teaching.
Desirable
Management course and /or qualification.
Teaching skills course and /or qualification.
Qualifications
Essential
Registered medical qualification MRCP, MRCGP or equivalent.
Full registration with GMC and name on Specialist Register for Palliative Medicine on date of taking up appointment.
Desirable
Other Higher Degree or Diploma (eg Diploma or MSc in Palliative Medicine or MD).
Experience
Essential
Wide experience in all aspects of palliative care, culminating in entry onto the GMC specialist register via CCT, CESR or European community rights.
Experience in medical procedures such as paracentesis.
Desirable
Experience of general medicine and other specialties such as oncology, care of the elderly, general practice.
Advanced Communication skills course or qualification.
Administration & Audit
Essential
Experience in day-to-day organisation of specialist palliative care services.
Thorough understanding of principles of medical audit and quality improvement.
Experience in undertaking and completing audit projects.
Desirable
Familiar with current structure of NHS and conversant with recent initiatives and changes.
Presentation or Publication of Audit results.
Research and publications
Essential
Knowledge of the principles of medical research and of the palliative care literature.
Desirable
Research experience.
Publication of research and /or review article(s).
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.
