Hospice Doctor

Job responsibilities

Hospice Doctor

Fixed Term Contract 6 12 months

£95.48 per 4-hour daytime session

£95.48 per on-call session (48 hours at the weekend = 6 sessions)

24 hours (daytime work) per week = 6 sessions (i.e. 3 days/week)

(Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, 8.30am-5pm)

AND 1 in 5 weeknights and weekends on-call

Weeknights: 5.00pm - 8.30am

Weekends: Sat 8.30am Mon 8.30am

Fixed term contract 6-12 months

Half a weekday (4 hours) = 1 daytime session

Weeknight non-resident on call -1 on-call session

24 hours non-resident on call at a weekend

3 on-call sessions

A contribution towards medical indemnity fees will be made

by the Hospice

NHS pensions can be continued but not started in this role

Annual Leave entitlement is six weeks (pro rata)

In addition, there is an entitlement to ten public and bank holidays (pro-rata)

All employees benefit from an additional 1-day Birthday Leave taken on or close to their birthday

Employer is Overgate Hospice (not an NHS trust)

Responsible to Dr Rachel Sheils, Medical Director (Consultant in Palliative Medicine)

Accountable to Tracey Wilcocks, Chief Executive

Supervised by Dr Rhona Parrish (Associate Specialist)

Closing date -Wednesday 26 November 2025

Applications utilising AI are strongly discouraged

Job Summary

Minimum Qualifications / Experience Required

Full registration with the GMC and a licence to practice are essential prior to applying.

As a charity, the Hospice, does not provide sponsorship

As a minimum, completion of Foundation Years training is essential.

Hospice medicine requires excellence in both written and spoken English language.

Key Working Relationships

Medical Director

Associate Specialist (line manager)

Director of Clinical Services, and Deputy Director of Clinical Services

Medical Team

Nursing Teams in Day Hospice and Inpatient Unit

Patient and Family Support Team

Community and Hospital Specialist Palliative Care Teams

Duties and Responsibilities

Clinical

To provide medical care to inpatients at Overgate Hospice, alongside the multi-professional team.

To provide medical input to Day Hospice patients at Overgate Hospice, with good independent decision-making skills.

To provide support to primary care teams and other professionals.

To support and advise any medical colleagues & students who are more junior/less experienced in palliative medicine.

To participate in the non-resident on-call rota.

To maintain and administer medical records as per Hospice policy.

To ensure confidentiality of information is always preserved, whether at, or away from work.

To be involved in audit, research, and service development programmes as appropriate.

To participate actively in multi-professional discussions and meetings.

To help ensure that the high standard of medical care and support for carers and families at the Hospice is maintained.

Professional/Management

To work closely with the Medical Director and Associate Specialist, to ensure provision of medical input throughout the Hospice.

To maintain standards and quality of care throughout the services delivered by the Hospice, by participating in standard setting and audit, attending relevant meetings, and contributing to Hospice policies, procedures, and guidelines.

To support the development of clinical governance, including a commitment to clinical audit, risk management, staff development, peer review and appraisal within the Hospice governance framework.

Education

To participate in the appraisal system of medical staff at the Hospice.

To participate in in-house education sessions (attending and delivering) and attend external study days as appropriate.

Additional Information

The post-holder must participate in the on-call rota. The on-call commitment is to Overgate Hospice Inpatient Unit. When on-call, the post-holder will have consultant support by telephone. On call is currently 1 in 5 and is non-resident. At the weekend, the on-call doctor is expected to complete a ward round and assess any admissions, then continue to be available but non-resident.

Please see page 1 for details of on-call hours.

Prospective Cover

Doctors provide prospective cover for each others leave. Additional weekday and on-call sessions worked to back-fill someone elses leave attracts sessional payment at the usual rate.

This post will provide adequate medical staffing levels such that Hospice Doctors will have allocated non-clinical time to contribute to indirect care (for example, via audit, policies, procedures, guidelines, teaching, governance).

Study & Training

The Hospice is committed to continuous professional development and will grant appropriate study leave with funding for this purpose whenever possible.

There is a post-graduate medical education centre with excellent facilities at Calderdale Royal Hospital. Multi-disciplinary education is also available at the Hospice.

Articles from the main palliative medicine journals are available via Calderdale Royal Hospital Library.

A laptop will be available for use during non-resident on-call sessions and non-resident, non-clinical time.

Hospice Medical Staffing

There are five part time medical posts totalling 2.6 Whole Time Equivalents, as well as GP trainees (up to 0.8 WTE).

In addition, there are two consultants, who have joint appointment with Calderdale & Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust and Overgate, providing 1 WTE Hospice, and 0.6 WTE Calderdale Royal Hospital/Calderdale Community Specialist Palliative Care Team.

Dr Rachel Sheils is the Hospice Medical Director.

Medical secretarial support is available, and the doctors share an office.

Safeguarding Children and Adults at Risk

All Hospice staff are required to act in such a way that always safeguards the health and well-being of children and adults at risk. Familiarisation with and adherence to the Hospice safeguarding policies is an essential requirement of all employees as is participation in related mandatory/statutory training.

Valuing Diversity and Equality

All employees should carry out their duties in accordance with the values and principles of valuing diversity and equity of provision. It is the responsibility of all employees to support the Hospice vision of promoting a positive attitude to diversity and equality of opportunity, to eliminate discrimination and disadvantage in service delivery and employment, and to manage, support or comply through the implementation of the Hospices Equal Opportunities Policy.

Qualifications

Essential

• Full registration with the GMC, and as of 16.11.2009, a GMC licence to practice
• As a minimum, completion of foundation years training, or equivalent for doctors trained overseas

Desirable

• Completion of Core Medical training (post-foundation) medical experience or equivalent
• M.R.C.P. / M.R.C.G.P.
• Experience working within the NHS

Role Specific Requirement

Essential

• Ability to attend the Hospice within 60 minutes (maximum) when required during on-call periods

Experience

Essential

• Knowledge of holistic care and the principles of palliative care, and ability to develop independent decision making in this specialist field
• Able to demonstrate empathy towards patients and families, including ability to adapt style and practice to individual situations (i.e. patient-centred)
• A commitment to personal development and continuing medical education

Job Specific Requirement

Essential

• Ability to attend the Hospice within 60 minutes (maximum) when required during on-call periods

Skills & Abilities

Essential

• Ability to communicate clearly in English - in speech and writing, and to maintain confidentiality.
• Computer literate able to use email and Microsoft programmes including Word, and able to learn to use electronic patient records / information systems.
• Ability to provide leadership and direction relating to own discipline
• Excellent team working and interpersonal skills, including co-operation in setting the on-call rota.
• Able to recognise and respect the skills of others within the whole Hospice team and effectively collaborate with colleagues.

Personal Attributes

Essential

• Ability to communicate clearly in English - in speech and writing, and to maintain confidentiality.
• Computer literate able to use email and Microsoft programmes including Word, and able to learn to use electronic patient records / information systems.
• Ability to provide leadership and direction relating to own discipline
• Excellent team working and interpersonal skills, including co-operation in setting the on-call rota.
• Able to recognise and respect the skills of others within the whole Hospice team and effectively collaborate with colleagues.

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.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).