Locum Consultant Cardiologist – Heart Failure and Advanced Echo
The closing date is 17 November 2025
Applications are invited for a full‑time post in a 660‑bed acute hospital serving a local population of approximately 400,000. The appointment will be made under the 2003 consultant contract (England).
Job responsibilities
* Join our dynamic Cardiology department and play a pivotal role in delivering high‑quality General Cardiology and Heart Failure care at Luton & Dunstable Hospitals and within the trust.
* Provide specialist outpatient and inpatient care for patients with heart failure and develop dedicated heart‑failure clinics, including Heart Failure Rapid Optimisation Clinics (HFROC), inherited cardiomyopathy, cardiac disease in pregnancy, and valvular heart disease clinics.
* Support periodic pathway development to achieve national standards in HF management for the trust.
* Scan and report advanced echocardiography studies: 3‑D transthoracic, transoesophageal (TOE), stress (exercise and dobutamine), contrast and bubble studies.
* Oversee and support heart‑valve clinics, providing expert review of patients with moderate to severe valve disease.
* Participate in ward rounds, consultant‑to‑consultant referrals, GP advice, multidisciplinary team (MDT) meetings, and outpatient clinics.
* Provide seven‑day cover for the Cardiology bed base on a 1:8 rota and future cardiology on‑call duties as the service expands, including cross‑cover at Bedford Hospital.
* Develop and lead subspecialty clinics, contribute to teaching, audit and research projects, and implement findings in clinical practice.
* Perform high‑quality medical audit projects, collect data to meet national quality standards, and contribute to departmental and general medicine educational programmes.
* Prepare and participate in annual appraisal in accordance with Trust policy, continuing professional development and revalidation as required by the Royal College of Physicians.
About us
Our Trust provides hospital services to a growing population of around 700,000 people across Bedfordshire and surrounding areas on two busy sites in Bedford and Luton. We have state‑of‑the‑art facilities and are committed to delivering the best patient care using the best clinical knowledge and technology available.
Person Specification
Qualification
* Medical Degree
* MD or equivalent higher degree or evidence of relevant research
Registration
* Full GMC Registration with a licence to practise
* Entry onto the GMC Specialist Register: CCT (or within 6 months of receipt of CCT at interview) or CESR (must be on Specialist Register at application)
Clinical Experience
* Excellent all‑round experience of DGH work
* Thorough and broad training and experience in Cardiology and General MedicineAble to take full and independent responsibility for clinical work and deliver service without direct supervision
* Sub‑specialty interests in Heart Failure and Advanced Echocardiography (including TOE, dobutamine/exercise stress echo)
* BSE level 2 accreditation in transthoracic echocardiography
* Experience performing and interpreting a high volume of advanced echocardiography studies, including TOE and stress echo
* Training in Advanced Heart Failure management
* Training in Cardiac Transplantation and Mechanical Support
* Experience in Community Cardiology
Clinical Effectiveness
* Understanding of clinical governance and ability to demonstrate ongoing CPD
* Experience of guideline appraisal
* Participation in relevant local and national audits
* Ability to interpret and apply clinical research
* Experience of quality improvement within subspecialty interests
Teaching
* Knowledge and ability to teach all grades of trainees and medical students
* Completed Teaching the Teachers or similar course
* Ability to co‑operate in a democratic team environment
* Flexible attitude, team player with good management skills
* Leadership skills
Clinical Governance
* Able to demonstrate a broad understanding of the principles and elements of clinical governance
Personnel Circumstances
* Residence within 10 miles by road or up to thirty minutes travelling time of the hospital for on‑call emergencies
* Fit to undertake the role with satisfactory Occupational Health clearance
* Satisfactory DBS clearance
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and requires a submission for Disclosure to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
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