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An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Consultant in Intensive Care Medicine to join a modern and expanding critical care service in North East England.

The Intensive Care Unit admits approximately 400 patients annually and provides Level 3 critical care services. A new purpose-built Intensive Care Unit opened in 2025, offering modern facilities including individual patient rooms, enhanced staff environments, and an advanced clinical information system.

The department is supported by an experienced multidisciplinary workforce including consultant intensivists, trainee doctors, nursing leadership teams, and a dedicated Critical Care Outreach service.

Applications are welcome from candidates trained in single-speciality Intensive Care Medicine or in dual-training backgrounds (e.g., Anaesthesia and ICM).

Consultants play a key role in leading multidisciplinary teams, overseeing patient care pathways and supporting service development across the critical care service—consultant JD SGH.

Main Duties of the Job

Clinical Responsibilities

• Provide consultant-level intensive care management for critically ill patients
• Lead ICU ward rounds, review referrals and oversee admissions to critical care
• Deliver specialist care for patients requiring advanced organ support and complex interventions
• Maintain overall clinical responsibility for patients under ICU care
• Support the development and operation of the Critical Care Outreach service
• Work collaboratively with colleagues in anaesthesia, surgery, emergency medicine and other specialities

Where dual training applies, the consultant may also support anaesthesia services within operating theatres, contributing to surgical services including:

• General surgery
• Trauma and orthopaedics
• Obstetrics and Gynaecology
• Ophthalmology
• Urology
• Maternity services
• Minor vascular surgery

Multidisciplinary Team Leadership

• Lead multidisciplinary teams delivering patient care
• Coordinate care pathways and support collaborative clinical decision-making
• Provide senior clinical leadership across critical care services

Consultants act as senior clinical leaders, overseeing care delivered by junior doctors and other team members within the service. Consultant JD SGH.

Teaching and Training

• Participate in teaching and supervision of junior doctors and medical students
• Support postgraduate training programmes and continuing medical education
• Contribute to clinical skills training for medical staff

Consultants share responsibility for recruitment, supervision and development of junior medical staff within the department. Consultant JD SGH.

Governance, Audit and Service Development

• Participate in clinical governance, quality improvement and audit programmes
• Contribute to research and service development initiatives
• Participate in consultant appraisal and job planning processes
• Maintain professional development through CPD and Royal College requirements

Consultants are expected to actively participate in clinical governance activities, research and audit programmes to support best practice across the organisation—Consultant JD SGH.

Job Plan

The role is offered as 10 Programmed Activities (PAs).

Direct Clinical Care

• Intensive Care Unit ward rounds and clinical sessions
• Patient assessment, referrals and critical care management
• Participation in ICU on-call rotas

Supporting Professional Activities (SPA)

Core SPA allocation: 1.25 PA per week

Activities include:

• Continuing professional development
• Clinical governance
• Teaching and training
• Audit and quality improvement

Up to 2 additional PAs may be offered, subject to service requirements.

On-Call Responsibilities

• Participation in the Intensive Care Medicine on-call rota (currently 1:8)
• Approximately 46 nights on-call per year
• Equivalent to 2.8 PAs per week
• On-call rota classified as Category A
• Consultants must reside within 30 minutes (10 miles by road) of the work base for on-call duties

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Primary Medical Degree (MBBS or equivalent)
• Full GMC registration with a licence to practise
• FRCA and FFICM accreditation
• Entry on the GMC Specialist Register for Intensive Care Medicine
• or within 6 months of CCT / Portfolio Pathway (CESR)

Desirable

• Post-CCT Fellowship
• FICE or FUSIC accreditation
• Instructor in recognised Life Support courses
• MD or equivalent higher degree

Clinical Experience

Essential

• Minimum 1 year NHS experience
• Demonstrated consultant-level clinical expertise in Intensive Care Medicine
• Experience managing critically ill patients requiring complex clinical decision-making
• Knowledge of Good Medical Practice and GMC requirements
• Experience participating in clinical audit and governance activities

Desirable

• Substantive NHS experience
• Experience contributing to service development initiatives

Leadership & Management

Essential

• Ability to lead multidisciplinary teams
• Ability to organise and manage clinical workloads effectively
• Strategic thinking and problem-solving ability
• Commitment to improving patient experience and service delivery

Teaching & Training

Essential

• Experience teaching medical students and junior doctors
• Ability to deliver clinical skills teaching

Desirable

• Higher teaching qualification
• Experience supervising specialist trainees

Communication & Personal Skills

Essential

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to communicate complex clinical information clearly
• Ability to work effectively within multidisciplinary teams
• Ability to remain calm and effective in high-pressure clinical environments

Additional Requirements

Essential

• Ability to travel between sites where required
• Must reside within 30 minutes (10 miles by road) of the workplace for on-call duties
• CV must demonstrate the experience and competencies required for consultant-level Intensive Care Medicine practice