Consultant Cardiologist

Consultant Cardiologist

The closing date is 06 May 2026.

Applications are invited for a consultant interventional cardiologist to join a team of 16 cardiologists providing comprehensive cardiology services from our two acute hospital sites in South Tyneside and Sunderland, serving a local population of nearly half a million and providing specialist services across the wider integrated care system for a population of nearly 1 million people.

The department provides 24/7 coronary intervention, complex device implantation and follow up, and a full range of cardiac imaging modalities. There are close links with the two regional surgical centres (Freeman Hospital in Newcastle and James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough), with regular multi disciplinary meetings for revascularisation and structural heart disease. The heart failure service is integrated across acute and community, covering South Tyneside, Sunderland and North Durham.

All consultants participate in an active weekly programme of departmental meetings for research, quality improvement and governance. The Trust has close links with Newcastle and Sunderland medical schools, with opportunities to become involved in teaching and supervision of medical students, resident doctors and nursing staff, and other allied health professionals. Job plans can be tailored to individuals to encompass special interests and flexible working.

We welcome all applications irrespective of race, disability, gender, sexual orientation, religion/belief, age, gender identity, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy/maternity and in particular those from under represented groups. Looking after our workforce's health and wellbeing is a priority. We also provide access to high quality education, training, career progression and support. Flexible working is supported via our Flexible Working Policy.

Main duties of the job

The successful candidate will contribute to the general cardiology on call rota (approx 1 in 13) with cross site inpatient ward commitments and elective sessions, working alongside our multi professional cardiology team. There is a separate 1 in 7 24/7 interventional rota.

Dedicated sessions for the successful applicant will include weekly interventional lab lists, general and sub speciality clinics, and MDT meetings. There is a weekly interventional group meeting, fortnightly revascularisation MDT meeting, and weekly departmental meetings for governance, mortality, audit and research. The vascularisation MDT is supported by interventional and non interventional cardiologists and visiting cardiothoracic surgeons.

Direct admissions are received in our dedicated chest pain assessment unit, staffed 24/7 by our cardiology advanced nurse practitioner team, and coronary care unit on the SRH site. Acute admissions on the STDH site are received via the emergency admissions unit (EAU) with in reach from cardiology nurse practitioners. Elective cases are managed in our purpose built recovery suite, with the cath labs co located adjacent to the chest pain assessment unit, coronary care unit, and cardiology inpatient ward. Non invasive cardiology, including echocardiography, is provided from dedicated facilities on both acute sites and from various community sites, supported by a highly skilled cardiac physiologist team with a number holding advanced accreditation.

Job responsibilities

You will be expected to coordinate a strategy to achieve improvement in overall cardiac health for the population served by the Cardiology Service. The appointee will be responsible, in conjunction with colleagues, for maintaining a comprehensive Cardiology service to the population of Sunderland and South Tyneside and others choosing to use the Service. Cardiologists will share clinical responsibility for cardiology patients across the clinical areas in accordance with the agreed admissions policy. The appointee is not expected to participate in the GIM rota. It is expected that the successful candidate will see new and follow up outpatient referrals in two outpatient clinic sessions per week. Junior staff may attend for training. A consultant has continuous responsibility for any patient under his or her care. Final job plans will be agreed in discussion between the successful candidate and the Clinical Director and will be subject to annual review.

The candidate will be expected to participate in the general cardiology on call rota on a 1:10 to 1:12 basis. Some sessions, particularly audit and teaching sessions, will be worked flexibly and there will be the opportunity to revise the fixed procedural sessional timetable to accommodate other commitments. The post holder is expected to attend monthly Directorate clinical governance and business meetings. The Clinical Director is Dr Mickey Jachuck. The post holder will be expected to develop the service in keeping with national guidance and the Local Modernisation and Reform Group priorities/targets. Consultant performance is monitored within the Directorate, and strong emphasis is given to personal career development.

Person Specification Management and administrative experience

• Understanding of the NHS, clinical governance process and resource issues
• Evidence of organisational, management and time management skills
• Evidence of management and administration experience and understanding of management goals
• Management course and/or certificate

Teaching and education

• Experience of supervising junior medical staff
• Experience of participation in undergraduate and postgraduate teaching
• Ability to teach clinical, technical, practical skills
• Qualification in medical education

Audit and research

• Ability to apply research outcomes to clinical practice
• Involvement in quality improvement measures
• Undertaken research with published papers in refereed journals

Personal attributes

• Alignment with the Trust core values and behaviours
• Flexible approach to service delivery and a committed approach to development
• Committed to share in professional, managerial, and teaching responsibilities necessary to fulfil the obligations of the Directorate, to the Trust and its workforce
• Ability to communicate effectively with patients, relatives, healthcare workers and other agencies
• Evidence of understanding of and adherence to principles of Good Medical Practice set out by the GMC

Qualifications

• Primary medical qualification
• Full GMC registration
• Entry onto the GMC Specialist Register or eligibility for entry within six months of the date of the AAC (with flexibility within the 6 month period with Executive Medical Director approval)

Experience

• Fully trained in general and interventional cardiology
• Evidence of clinical audit
• Understanding of clinical governance and readiness to accept and acknowledge the responsibilities it implies
• Success in obtaining funding for research
• Evidence of research or innovative service developments

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and, as such, will be necessary for a submission for disclosure to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.