Required to fill this new post within the Clinical Oncology Department at St Jamess University Hospital. This is a substantive 10 PA Clinical Oncology Consultant post with a special interest in Head & Neck and Upper GI cancers, delivering both systemic therapy and radiotherapy. The post will support established and experienced multi‑disciplinary non‑surgical Oncology Head & Neck and Upper GI teams. The Head & Neck work will be delivered both at the Leeds Cancer Centre and at a peripheral Trust Bradford Teaching Hospitals Foundation Trust. The Upper GI work will be based at the Leeds Cancer Centre, St Jamess University Hospital.
There will be opportunities to contribute to Head & Neck and Upper GI MDTs in addition to departmental meetings, teaching, research and service developments. This is an exciting time to join our Head & Neck and Upper GI services as we are currently looking at pathway redesign and developing the services and the wider teams. Leeds Cancer Centre is one of the most prestigious oncology departments in the UK, providing an ideal infrastructure for high quality multidisciplinary cancer services and ensuring the best outcomes for the catchment population of West Yorkshire and the Yorkshire Cancer Network.
Main duties of the job
The successful applicant should possess FRCR (or equivalent) and should be included on the Specialist Register or within 6 months of CCT at the time of interview, if currently within a training programme within the UK. In accordance with the consultant appointment regulations, all other categories of doctors must be on the Specialist Register.
Applicants should have established skills in Clinical Oncology and its related specialties, including Head & Neck and Upper GI cancers. A strong commitment to undergraduate and postgraduate teaching and a research interest is desirable.
Consideration will be given to applicants who wish to work full or part time and those wishing to job share.
If shortlisted, you will be required to give a 10‑minute presentation on:
What will Clinical Oncology look like in Leeds in 2036
INTERVIEWS WILL BE HELD: Tuesday 9 June 2026
About us
Leeds Teaching Hospitals is one the largest teaching hospital trusts in Europe, with access to leading clinical expertise and medical technology. We care for people from all over the country as well as the 780,000 residents of Leeds itself. The Trust has a budget of £1.1 billion. Our 20,000 staff ensure that every year we see and treat over 1,500,000 people in our 2,000 beds or out‑patient settings, comprising 100,000 day cases, 125,000 in‑patients, 260,000 A&E visits and 1,050,000 out‑patient appointments. We operate from 7 hospitals on 5 sites all linked by the same vision, philosophy and culture to be the best for specialist and integrated care.
Our vision is based on The Leeds Way, which is a clear statement of who we are and what we believe, founded on values of working that were put forward by our own staff. Our values are to be:
Patient‑centred
Fair
Collaborative
Accountable
Empowered
We believe that by being true to these values, we will consistently achieve and continuously improve our results in relation to our goals, which are to be:
1. The best for patient safety, quality and experience
2. The best place to work
3. A centre of excellence for specialist services, education, research and innovation
4. Hospitals that offer seamless, integrated care
5. Financially sustainable
Job description
Job responsibilities
This is a 10 PA consultant appointment for a Consultant Clinical Oncologist, with a special interest in Head & Neck and Upper GI cancers. The Head & Neck service work in this post would be based at Bradford Teaching Hospitals Foundation Trust, one of our WYATT partners, and the Leeds Cancer Centre, Bexley Wing, St James University Hospital. The Upper GI service work in this post would also be based at the Leeds Cancer Centre, Bexley Wing.
The post holder will provide non‑surgical management, radiotherapy and SACT for patients with Head & Neck and Upper GI cancers. The successful candidate will work alongside the non‑surgical Oncology Head & Neck team led by Karen Dyker (supported by substantive clinical oncologists Dr Robin Prestwich, Dr Chrissie Podesta, Dr Vani Ramasamy, Dr Kate Cardale, substantive medical oncologist Dr Danny Ulahannan, and currently 2 locum clinical oncologists). The successful candidate will also work alongside the non‑surgical Oncology Upper GI team led by Rebecca Goody (supported by substantive clinical oncologists Sam Briggs and Eldho Joseph). The Head & Neck service receives approximately 500 new patient referrals per year for radiotherapy treatment. The Upper GI service receives approximately 200 new patient referrals per year for radiotherapy treatment. The expectation is that the post holder will manage approximately 80 new patient referrals per year in the Head & Neck service, and approximately 55 new patients per year in the Upper GI service.
As part of the Trusts resource commitment, the post holder will have access to secretarial assistance as required, and will be supplied with adequate office space and IT equipment to support fulfilling their job plan.
The Bexley Wing is one of the largest oncology facilities in the UK, within one of the largest acute general hospitals in Europe. There are 350 beds, day‑care and out‑patient facilities and a patient hotel. The Bexley Wing incorporates services in non‑surgical oncology, haematology, the Academic Unit clinical offices and support areas and substantial services in cancer surgery. There is a dedicated Clinical Research Facility for patients in early‑phase clinical trials.
Clinical and Medical Oncology are based in the Bexley Wing, and run as an integrated service within a single bed base, and integrated site specialist teams. The service provides comprehensive non‑surgical oncology services to the Trust and to the population of West and the majority of North Yorkshire. They are key components of the Leeds Cancer Centre. There is a hub and spoke arrangement with the surrounding cancer units in Airedale, Bradford, Dewsbury, Halifax, Harrogate, Huddersfield, Pontefract, Wakefield and York. This covers a population of approximately 2.7 million. In addition, there are other tertiary referrals from a more extensive catchment area from East Yorkshire, East Lancashire and North Yorkshire.
The Leeds radiotherapy service treats over 7,000 new patients a year with radiotherapy. The department has twelve linear accelerators. There are three CT simulators and an MRI simulator. The building houses a dedicated brachytherapy suite containing two theatres. Shielded treatment rooms on the wards support unsealed source therapy. There are dedicated clinical cancer research facilities with beds and a nursing research team. The links to the Academic Unit of Cancer Medicine are strong and there are world class molecular oncology labs and research programmes on site. The Leeds radiotherapy service has a workforce which includes 135 radiographers, 10 nurses, 32 clinical scientists and 62 clinical technologists.
OBJECTIVES OF THE POST
2.1 To deliver care to patients with Head & Neck and Upper GI cancers through:
• Provision of Out‑patient clinics
• Responsibility for the delivery of radiotherapy
• Responsibility for the delivery of systemic therapy
• Contribution to the Head & Neck ward cover rota (1:4)
• Contribution to specialist MDT meetings and QA meetings
2.2 To link with consultant colleagues in other relevant site specialist teams within the Leeds Cancer Centre and across the Yorkshire Cancer Network. To work with consultant colleagues in all specialties across the Trust to coordinate & deliver care for patients with Head & Neck and Upper GI cancers. The post holder will be encouraged to facilitate and contribute to the current clinical research programs on going in the department.
2.3 To contribute to research, teaching and new developments within the Leeds Cancer Centre. The post holder will be encouraged to facilitate and contribute to the current clinical research programmes in the department.
Person Specification
Management, Interpersonal Skills & Other Criteria
Essential
* Understanding of current issues in the NHS.
* Well organised and skilled in good time management.
* Effective interpersonal skills.
* Demonstrate ability to relate to and work within a team.
* Hold full GMC Registration with a license to practice.
* Entry on the GMC Specialist Register via:
• CCT (proposed CCT date must be within 6 months of interview).
• Portfolio Pathway (or) international applicants should comply with the GMC specialty registration process. Portfolio Pathway applicants must be on the relevant Specialist Register at the time of application.
Desirable
* Attendance at recognised management course.
Experience
Essential
* Must be able to demonstrate a high level of clinical experience and competence in Clinical Oncology.
* Specifically, must demonstrate higher training in managing patients with Head & Neck and Upper GI cancers.
* Evidence of continuous career progression consistent with personal circumstances.
Training, Research, Teaching & Audit
Essential
* Should have completed a recognised training programme in Clinical Oncology.
* Evidence of the ability to carry out medical research.
* Experience in training undergraduate medical students and postgraduate doctors.
* Experience of participation in regular clinical audit.
Desirable
* Previous experience of supervising research by junior staff.
* Previous attendance on Appraisal Techniques and Small Group Teaching Workshops.
Qualifications
Essential
* FRCR or equivalent qualification.
* Hold full GMC Registration with a license to practice.
* YOUR GMC NUMBER MUST BE CLEARLY STATED IN YOUR APPLICATION.
* Eligibility to work in the UK.
* Is up to date and fit to practise safely.
Desirable
* Relevant higher degree.
C9298-CON-962
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