Job summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen a for a Clinical Sustainability Fellow post at Newcastle Hospitals. The successful candidate can choose from available specialties at the time of appointment, for example in adult cancer at the Northern Centre for Cancer Care, Paediatrics, Critical Care, Gastroenterology, Neonatology, Plastic Surgery, Respiratory Medicine and Respiratory and Sleep Medicine.
The post would suit trainees who wish to develop a special interest in Sustainable Healthcare within their chosen field of specialty. The successful post holders will have the opportunity to study masters-level modules in sustainable healthcare run by the Centre for Sustainable Healthcare. Applicants will have completed Foundation Training. The post will provide a solid basis from which to apply for either a CT post or an ST post.
The posts are available from 6 August 2025 until 4 August 2026, you must have full GMC registration with a license to practice at the time of application.
In addition to the challenges of the role, we can offer you a commitment to teaching, education, research and audit.
As a flexible working friendly organisation, we want to be sure that you can work in a way that is best for us and for our patients, and for you. Speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement. If it works for the service, we will do our best to make it work for you.
Please read attached Job Description& Person Specification.
Main duties of the job
The Clinical Sustainability Fellow will support the development of a program of sustainable-QI projects within the Trust. The posts would suit trainees who have a special interest in Sustainability.
We typically receive several hundred applications for ST1/2 locally employed doctor posts and we will therefore only shortlist candidates with paid NHS experience (this does not include Clinical Access or Clinical Observership placements) which is an essential criteria within the Person Specification. Please do not apply if you do not have paid NHS experience as this leads to significant clinician time reviewing applications from applicants who will not be shortlisted.
For an informal discussion and further information regarding the opportunity and Directorate, please contact:
Clinical: Dr Fiona McDonald, Consultant Oncologist, on 01912138671 or Fiona.mcdonald20@nhs.net
Sustainability: James Dixon, Associate Director of Sustainability, on 07834 389741 or james.dixon6@nhs.net
Please read attached Job Description and Person Specification.
About us
Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is one of the busiest, largest and most successful teaching NHS foundation trusts in the country, with around 16,000 staff and an annual income of £1 billion. We have a long history of providing high quality care, clinical excellence, and innovation in medical research regionally, nationally and internationally.
We're also proud to be the second largest provider of specialised services in the country. This means we support people with a range of rare and complex medical, surgical and neurological conditions, cancers and genetic orders.
Our staff oversee around 1.84 million patients 'contacts' each year, delivering high standards of healthcare.
We are committed to promoting equality and diversity and recognise the benefit in providing an inclusive environment. We value and respect the diversity of our employees and aim to recruit a workforce which reflects the communities we serve, and is equipped to deliver the best service to our patients. We welcome all applications irrespective of people's race, disability, gender, sexual orientation, religion or belief, age, gender identity, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity and in particular those from under- represented groups.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Clinical:
You will work clinically within the chosen area of specialty. You may take part in an on-call rota dependant on the particulardepartment the post is based in. It is anticipated you may do a maximum of 50% clinical work with the remainder of the time set to study sustainable healthcare and to develop QI projects with a focus on sustainability. We also anticipate you will develop teaching packages and deliver teaching on sustainability to clinical staff.
Applicants will have completed UK Foundation Training or the equivalent, and have 2 years experience of working in the NHS. Previous clinical experience in the area of specialism of interest would be welcomed but is not essential. The posts will provide a solid basis from which to apply for either a CT post or an ST post.
The individuals will be expected to perform duties and take clinical responsibility at ST1-2 level. Clinical duties of the post holder may include general and specialty clinical work and include ward work as well as the opportunity to attend appropriate clinics.
Administrative:
Successful applicants will be expected to carry out all administrative tasks allocated to him/her by the Medical Education Manager, or clinical supervisor, including keeping of inpatient records, ordering investigations and receiving results.
Research:
The innovative posts will produce a range of projects that will offer the opportunity to develop both research and teaching skills. We anticipate that projects will be written to publishable standards and to be shared at national meetings.
Teaching:
All staff are encouraged to learn from the extensive clinical education activities that take place in the Trust, and there are a number of weekly meetings that provide excellent educational opportunities. Successful applicants will be enrolled in the Centre for Sustainable Healthcares fellowship program of training.
Flexibility:
In line with the Trusts core value of placing patients at the heart of everything we do, we are developing our service provision to be responsive to the needs of our patients. To meet those needs some staff groups will be increasingly asked to work a more flexible work pattern so that they can offer services in the evening or weekend. As a result any offer of employment to a consultant post will be subject to you agreeing to work a new more flexible pattern or working in the future if required, including evening and weekend work.
Please read attached Job Description and Person Specification.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Clinical:
You will work clinically within the chosen area of specialty. You may take part in an on-call rota dependant on the particulardepartment the post is based in. It is anticipated you may do a maximum of 50% clinical work with the remainder of the time set to study sustainable healthcare and to develop QI projects with a focus on sustainability. We also anticipate you will develop teaching packages and deliver teaching on sustainability to clinical staff.
Applicants will have completed UK Foundation Training or the equivalent, and have 2 years experience of working in the NHS. Previous clinical experience in the area of specialism of interest would be welcomed but is not essential. The posts will provide a solid basis from which to apply for either a CT post or an ST post.
The individuals will be expected to perform duties and take clinical responsibility at ST1-2 level. Clinical duties of the post holder may include general and specialty clinical work and include ward work as well as the opportunity to attend appropriate clinics.
Administrative:
Successful applicants will be expected to carry out all administrative tasks allocated to him/her by the Medical Education Manager, or clinical supervisor, including keeping of inpatient records, ordering investigations and receiving results.
Research:
The innovative posts will produce a range of projects that will offer the opportunity to develop both research and teaching skills. We anticipate that projects will be written to publishable standards and to be shared at national meetings.
Teaching:
All staff are encouraged to learn from the extensive clinical education activities that take place in the Trust, and there are a number of weekly meetings that provide excellent educational opportunities. Successful applicants will be enrolled in the Centre for Sustainable Healthcares fellowship program of training.
Flexibility:
In line with the Trusts core value of placing patients at the heart of everything we do, we are developing our service provision to be responsive to the needs of our patients. To meet those needs some staff groups will be increasingly asked to work a more flexible work pattern so that they can offer services in the evening or weekend. As a result any offer of employment to a consultant post will be subject to you agreeing to work a new more flexible pattern or working in the future if required, including evening and weekend work.
Please read attached Job Description and Person Specification.
Person Specification
Education and Qualifications
Essential
- Primary Medical Qualification
- Full GMC registration with a licence to practice at the time of application.
- Satisfactory completion of Foundation Training (or equivalent).
- Paid experience working in the NHS.
Desirable
- Relevant higher degree
- ALS.
Clinical Skills and Knowledge
Essential
- To be clear, fluent and articulate in communication in English
- Good history & examination skills
- Able to formulate a working diagnosis.
- Able to order appropriate investigations.
- Image interpretation relevant to practice
- Ability to manage common medical emergencies
- Knows when to appropriately seek assistance from a senior colleague.
- A strong interest in sustainability.
Desirable
- Experience and interest in one of the referenced specialties.
- A high standard of record keeping and familiarity with electronic patient records.
- Ability to perform basic general procedures
Management and Administration Experience
Essential
- Committed to share in professional, managerial and teaching responsibilities necessary to fulfil the obligations of the Directorate to the Trust and its workforce.
- Able to communicate well with patients and colleagues
- An understanding of Clinical Governance
Desirable
- Proven management and administration ability
- Understanding of management goals
- Experience with audit
- Evidence of leadership / project management
- Evidence of having implemented change
Teaching
Essential
- Experience of supervising junior staff.
- Ability to teach clinical skills.
Clinical Governance, Audit and Research
Essential
- Experience of audit projects
- Understanding of research principles
Desirable
- Presentation of completed audit projects at local or national meetings.
- Organised or contributed to an audit project that has resulted in change
- Evidence in participation in research projects
- Publication of research in peer reviewed journals and presentation at local and national meetings
Communication, Relationships and Working with Colleagues
Essential
- Ability to communicate and liaise effectively with patients and other people within a team.
- Ability to work as a team with professional colleagues in all disciplines
Personal Attributes
Essential
- Alignment with the Trust's Values.
- Flexible approach to service delivery and committed approach to development.
- A commitment to personal / unit CPD.
- Time management skills
- Honesty, integrity, awareness of ethical dilemmas, respect for confidentiality.
Desirable
- Evidence of leadership skills
- IT literate.
- Presentation skills
Person Specification
Education and Qualifications
Essential
- Primary Medical Qualification
- Full GMC registration with a licence to practice at the time of application.
- Satisfactory completion of Foundation Training (or equivalent).
- Paid experience working in the NHS.
Desirable
- Relevant higher degree
- ALS.
Clinical Skills and Knowledge
Essential
- To be clear, fluent and articulate in communication in English
- Good history & examination skills
- Able to formulate a working diagnosis.
- Able to order appropriate investigations.
- Image interpretation relevant to practice
- Ability to manage common medical emergencies
- Knows when to appropriately seek assistance from a senior colleague.
- A strong interest in sustainability.
Desirable
- Experience and interest in one of the referenced specialties.
- A high standard of record keeping and familiarity with electronic patient records.
- Ability to perform basic general procedures
Management and Administration Experience
Essential
- Committed to share in professional, managerial and teaching responsibilities necessary to fulfil the obligations of the Directorate to the Trust and its workforce.
- Able to communicate well with patients and colleagues
- An understanding of Clinical Governance
Desirable
- Proven management and administration ability
- Understanding of management goals
- Experience with audit
- Evidence of leadership / project management
- Evidence of having implemented change
Teaching
Essential
- Experience of supervising junior staff.
- Ability to teach clinical skills.
Clinical Governance, Audit and Research
Essential
- Experience of audit projects
- Understanding of research principles
Desirable
- Presentation of completed audit projects at local or national meetings.
- Organised or contributed to an audit project that has resulted in change
- Evidence in participation in research projects
- Publication of research in peer reviewed journals and presentation at local and national meetings
Communication, Relationships and Working with Colleagues
Essential
- Ability to communicate and liaise effectively with patients and other people within a team.
- Ability to work as a team with professional colleagues in all disciplines
Personal Attributes
Essential
- Alignment with the Trust's Values.
- Flexible approach to service delivery and committed approach to development.
- A commitment to personal / unit CPD.
- Time management skills
- Honesty, integrity, awareness of ethical dilemmas, respect for confidentiality.
Desirable
- Evidence of leadership skills
- IT literate.
- Presentation skills
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.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
Additional information
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.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
