About this role
Job summary
Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust is looking for a skilled non-interventional consultant in Cardiology post specialising in heart failure and devices. As a Consultant Cardiologist at Royal Cornwall Hospitals, you will play a vital role in delivering excellent patient care for Cardiology patients in Cornwall.
This post is principally designed to support delivery of non-interventional Cardiology services, specifically Heart Function and Devices. Applicants should have a broad training in all aspects of Cardiology. The candidate will be expected to take part in the General Cardiology service on the wards and in out-patients. The on-call rota is covered separately by 7 Interventional Cardiologists. There is no separate General Cardiology on-call and no general medical commitment.
Main duties of the job
Devices
The Cardiology department undertake approximately 500 devices a year in the one of the two cardiac cath labs in the Trust with about 200 a year being complex devices. We now also offer conduction system pacing with further plans to introduce leadless pacing in the near future. We also implant high voltage devices including subcutaneous ICD with a regular weekly general anaesthetic list for pacing. The majority of these devices are undertaken in our new cath lab which was commissioned in 2025.
Heart Function
The current Heart Function specialists work closely with the heart function clinical nurse specialists within Cardiology including regular MDTs and clinics. There are also strong working relationships and collaboration with the community heart function nursing teams who are part of Cornwall Partnership NHS Trust.
About us
The Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust (RCHT) is the main provider of acute and specialist care services in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. We serve a population of around 500,000 people - a figure that can increase significantly with
visitors during the busiest times of the year. We employ approximately 6,700 staff and have a budget of approximately £580 million.
We are a teaching hospital in partnership with the University of Exeter Medical School, University of Plymouth School of Nursing and Midwifery, and Peninsula Dental School.
The Knowledge Spa on the Royal Cornwall Hospital site is the base for medical and nursing as well as ongoing education for health professions in clinical and non-clinical roles.
Keeping at the forefront of medical advances, we are continually developing our clinical services as well as our facilities and are committed to maximising the range of specialist care that can be offered locally. Allied to this is a growing reputation for research and innovation.
Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust is a research active organisation.
It's established South West Clinical School in Cornwall exists to promote clinical academic career opportunities for nurses, midwives and allied health professionals interested in research and evidence-based activities. Read their research paper to find out more.
Website: https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/research/clinical-schools/royal-cornwall-hospitals-nhs-trust-clinical-school
https://doi.org/10.1177/17449871231209037
Job description Job responsibilities
The post is advertised as full time with a 10 PA job plan. Candidates pursuing a part-time post or job-share may also be considered. A generic job plan is attached; the content of the final job plan will be dictated by the clinical skills the successful applicant brings. The post holder will share the in-patient management of Cardiology patients with the twelve existing consultants.
Inpatients are managed on CIU and AMU wards and the CCU, although there are also a limited number of outlying patients. The Cardiologists are responsible for the clinical management of all patients on the CCU and CIU and cardiology patients on AMU.
CCU COW starts on Monday and finishes on Friday.
During this week, you will have responsibility for the clinical management of patients on CCU and CIU all day on Mondays and in the mornings for the rest of the week, with cath lab sessions and/or outpatient clinics in the afternoon.
AMU COW starts on Monday and finishes on Sunday.
There is no overnight general cardiology on call rota for non interventional cardiologists.
Your responsibilities during this week will include:
carrying out a daily morning ward round on AMU
reviewing inpatient Cardiology referrals from the acute medical unit and on outlying wards
holding the COW phone
responding to urgent referrals from the Emergency Department (ED)
provision of clinical cover for the patients on CIU & CCU during the afternoon on Tuesday-Friday
provide urgent clinical support and advice to our Cardiac Physiologists, Chest Pain Specialist Nurses, and Heart Function Specialist Nurses.
Weekend duties will usually follow CCU/AMU COW weeks. Successful non-interventional candidates will have a 1 in 7 commitment to deliver ward rounds on Saturday and Sunday between 09:00 and 15:00. After this COW week, there are 3 compensatory days off with no commitment to any clinical or administrative duties.
There will be separate rotas for:
vetting and provision of Advice & Guidance to GPs via Electronic Referral System.
provision of routine clinical support and advice to Heart Function Specialist Nurses.
Person Specification
Qualifications Essential
GMC Registration with a licence to practice MRCP (UK) or an equivalent qualification GMC Specialist Register or within six months of obtaining CCT (or equivalent) at time of interview.
Desirable
Higher degree, eg MD or PhD.
Experience Essential
Contemporary and wide experience in general and acute cardiology Competency in the management of Heart Failure Competency in Bradycardia pacing Competency in Complex devices
Desirable
Experience in clinical audit and clinical governance Teaching experience (medical students, peers, MDT) Management course
Practical and Intellectual skills Essential
Strong clinical and personal credibility Excellent communication and interpersonal skills Conceptual and analytical skills
Disposition/ Attitude Essential
Flexible in approach and able to adapt quickly to changing priorities Able to operate as a change of agent and ability to work collaboratively with peers, MDT Attention to detail in all professional tasks
Disclosure and Barring Service Check This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Certificate of Sponsorship Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Employer details Employer name Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust
Address Royal Cornwall Hospital
Penventinnie Lane
TRURO
TR1 3LJ
Employer's website https://www.royalcornwall.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)