Locum Consultant Clinical Oncologist
Fixed Term for 12 months
Mountains, beaches, wild landscapes, thriving diverse towns and vibrant village communities (not to mention the scattered cottages nestled in isolation); NHS Highland Cancer Services looks after over 300,000 people spread over approximately 10,000 square miles... and that, well, that makes delivering a 21st century standard of Healthcare pretty interesting! Going beyond this, NHS Highland also provides cancer services to the Western Isles and areas of Grampian. We have to be innovative, forward thinking, engaging and embrace the challenges of a truly remote and rural population to ensure access to healthcare where and when its needed.
But don’t be fooled by the idyllic internet available photos of sprawling mountain ranges and seclusion; the Highlands has excellent transport links to the rest of the UK (we even have our own airport connecting Inverness to the rest of the world). Highland schools rank highly in Scottish league tables, housing options are excellent and Inverness is a dynamic and diverse city with all the modernity an urban dweller could desire.
NHS Highland covers an area from Caithness in the far north of Scotland to Campbeltown on the Kintyre peninsula. Secondary healthcare is provided by Raigmore (district general) Hospital in Inverness and rural general hospitals (RGHs) in Wick, Fort William and Oban. Our team is based in Inverness and at full cohort consists of 7 consultant oncologists who provide a comprehensive service across the Highlands. Approximately 1400 new cancer patients are seen annually. We have strong links to community, a solid cohort of outreach workers and locally based skills across the north. This is something we have been continually developing and are proud of the achievements made. We are keen to attract a Clinical Oncologists whose skills and outlook complement those of the existing team and in order to do so can negotiate job plans which accommodate research, teaching and development. Our immediate need is for a colleague with responsibilities which include Lower GI or Urology. The department has an enthusiastic and dedicated clinical trials team with high participation rates in Phase II and III trials. We are recognised for our innovative and flexible approach, our strong team ethos and our high quality patient focused service. NHS Highland recognises and encourages staff to learn, maintain and develop skills throughout their careers. Facilitation of this is something that the service values highly and is here to support.
As a member of the North Cancer Alliance, the NHS Highland Oncology Service benefits from being in a well established collaboration with two other Cancer Centres in Grampian and Tayside providing excellent peer support. The department has a modern outpatient suite which includes a day case SACT area. The department enjoys excellent working relationships with colleagues within the community, secondary care, primary care and has four nurse led SACT units in peripheral hospitals.
Applicants are asked to make contact with the department before applying (find out more about us, let us know who you are; give us a call!) You can ask for a Teams meeting to be set up.