Consultant Anaesthetist | and Tunbridge NHS Trust

Position Summary

We require an enthusiastic and dynamic Anaesthetic Consultant with a special interest in Regional Anaesthesia and/or Major Surgery to join our Department of Anaesthetics in Theatres and the Critical Care Directorate.

Our two hospitals offer a varied scope of practice, with emergency and elective surgery split across the two sites. The Tunbridge Wells Hospital is the hub for emergency General surgery, Paediatrics, ENT, Lower GI, Bariatric surgery, Gynaecology, Obstetric services and Trauma surgery, while Ophthalmic, Urology, Upper GI, Breast and gynaec‑oncology surgery is based at Maidstone Hospital. Fordcombe Hospital offers NHS day surgery procedures and a range of private services which support the Trust financially.

There are opportunities to develop personal interests in, amongst other things, management, research, governance, perioperative medicine, long‑term vascular access and medical education within the new Kent medical school.

The successful candidate will provide a high standard of care to any patient for whom they have clinical responsibility, including those referred to you and cared for by you personally or by members of your team. They will participate in clinical and other service activities and development to ensure a high standard of patient care across the Trust, working in close co‑operation with other medical, professional and managerial colleagues to provide high‑quality health care and contribute to future strategic thinking.

Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust ranks among the top 10 NHS Trusts nationwide and was named the second‑best Trust to work for in the South East in the 2023 and 2024 NHS Staff Survey. We are a large acute hospital trust in south‑east England, providing general hospital services and specialist care to around 600,000 residents in West Kent and East Sussex.

With a dedicated and diverse team of over 8,000 staff we are proud to offer specialised cancer services to over two million people through the Kent Oncology Centre.

Fordcombe Hospital, near Tunbridge Wells, became part of the Trust in October 2024. Specialising in planned care, it offers two operating theatres, 28 inpatient and day‑care beds, diagnostic services (X‑ray, MRI, CT, and endoscopy), and consultation/treatment rooms.

We are a flexible working‑friendly organisation. Whether it’s adjusting your hours or exploring other flexible arrangements, we want to work with you to find the best solution for you, our patients, and the Trust. Talk to us about how we can accommodate your working needs.

• Generous annual leave entitlement
• Membership in the NHS Pension Scheme, with an employer contribution of 23.7% and life assurance benefits
• Blue Light card eligibility
• Additional benefits can be found in the benefits documents below

• Participate fully in and share leadership of the clinical governance of the speciality, covering its Trust‑wide activities; attend clinical governance half‑days as detailed in the Trust’s Guide to Job Planning, unless on agreed leave or while attending emergencies.
• Participate actively in departmental audits, sharing coordination of audit activities within the department and implementation of change.
• Take an active responsibility for undergraduate and postgraduate teaching, training and supervision.
• Assume responsibility, both personally and corporately, with consultant colleagues, for the management of junior medical staff, including their professional development, both clinical and personal, as per guidance from the Deanery.

to hear what our staff say.

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