St Luke’s (Cheshire) Hospice

Senior Speciality/Specialist Doctor

The closing date is 30 November 2025

Job summary

We are looking for an experienced doctor with at least 4 years FTE experience in Palliative Medicine as a distinct specialty, rather than as part of GP experience, who will support the Medical Director in the provision of high-quality palliative care services at St Luke's Hospice, primarily providing medical support for a 10 bed in-patient unit.

This person will play an important medical role in the delivery of care to inpatients, community and day-patients in collaboration with the Medical Director, medical colleagues and the wider disciplinary team.

The role also involves participation in training and educational activities as well as activities relating to maintaining clinical excellence within the service.

There is flexibility for the role to be between 6 - 7.5 sessions per week. There is the opportunity to develop into a Deputy Medical Director role within the Hospice with 2 of the PAs, if this is of interest to the candidate, and can be discussed with the individual as part of the application / interview process.

Our core staffing, excluding the post being advertised, is:

Medical Director - 0.75 WTE - excluding on call commitment

Consultant in Palliative Medicine - 1.5PA post shared with Leighton Hospital vacant currently but with plans to advertise to fill by summer 2026

Speciality Doctors - 1.4 WTE excluding on call commitment

Advanced Nurse Practitioner - 0.6 WTE excluding on call commitment

IMT3 doctor shared with Leighton Hospital

Main duties of the job

Key Tasks

Admitting patients to the inpatient unit and providing the medical component of the multidisciplinary assessment and treatment planning
Providing continuity of medical care on the inpatient unit and day services
Supporting day care services by consultation and medical assessments of attendees when necessary
Supporting hospice community services by consultation with the specialist nursing team and patient medical review as appropriate
Liaison with other members of the multidisciplinary team, patients families, community teams, hospital services and other specialist palliative care teams
Working on the on-call rota and providing out of hours cover to the unit (1 weekday overnight in 5, and 1 weekend in 6)
To provide high quality specialist palliative care medical advice to health care professional colleagues.
To participate in the teaching and educational activities of the unit (students, nursing staff, primary health care professionals, patients and families) including the training of junior medical staff on rotation through the centre
To participate in activities related to maintaining clinical excellence with the centre and clinical governance e.g. audit of clinical practice, implementation of best practice statements.
To promote an ethos of audit throughout the services and where possible, under the direction of the medical director, contribute to regular clinical and/or service audit

About us

At St Lukes Hospice, our ethos is one of service; being of service to our local people and community is central to all that we do. We believe the most important privilege any person can have is the opportunity to comfort and support ones fellow human beings in their hour of need. This spirit of service at St Lukes extends not only to the patients, but also to family and friends, and we welcome diversity.

The founding members of St Lukes Hospice were driven by the same ideals that inspire us today; to reach out a warm and caring hand to those in need and to help relieve their suffering of mind, spirit or body. The founder of the Hospice movement, the late Dame Cicely Saunders, wanted hospices to remain a beacon of hope with a message of care and community. St Lukes is a lively and vibrant Hospice that has a very powerful reason to be here.

St Lukes is an incredibly inspiring place to work and volunteer. You will be joining a passionate team, dedicated to delivering care and support to local people and their families.

We all share in the sense of privilege and honour that comes from being involved in a local organisation doing such important work and each day we look for new and innovative ways to make a difference to the wider community.

Each member of staff is highly valued at St Lukes.

Date posted

12 November 2025

Pay scheme

Hospital medical and dental staff

Grade

Specialty Doctor

Salary

Depending on experience Starting salary commensurate with NHS grades

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Part-time, Flexible working

Reference number

B0242-25-0018

Job locations

Grosvenor House

Queensway

Winsford

Cheshire

CW7 1BH

Job description

Job responsibilities

Key Tasks

1. To be defined by the lead clinician, or nominated deputy in their absence, and includes:

To provide high quality, flexible and responsive medical support, assessment and care and/or specialist advice for hospice in-patients, patients at home, in the day hospice or attending as out-patients who have complex pain, symptom, spiritual and psychosocial needs which require specialist palliative care interventions.

Responsibilities will include:

a. Admitting patients to the inpatient unit and providing the medical component of the multidisciplinary assessment and treatment planning

b. Providing continuity of medical care on the inpatient unit and day services

c. Supporting day care services by consultation and medical assessments of attendees when necessary

d. Supporting hospice community services by consultation with the specialist nursing team and patient medical review as appropriate

e. Liaison with other members of the multidisciplinary team, patients families, community teams, hospital services and other specialist palliative care teams

f. Working on the on-call rota and providing out of hours cover to the unit - 1 weekday overnight in 5, and 1 weekend in 6

g. Completing administrative duties including discharge letters, day care letters, accurate record keeping

2. To provide high quality specialist palliative care medical advice to health care professional colleagues.

3. To provide medical support and on-call cover for in-patient unit. Additional on-call duties will be required as detailed above and remuneration discussed.

4. To develop high professional standards within the hospice and promote multi-professional team working within the hospice.

5.To participate in the teaching and educational activities of the unit - students, nursing staff, primary health care professionals, patients and families, including the training of junior medical staff on rotation through the centre

6. To participate in activities related to maintaining clinical excellence with the centre and clinical governance e.g. audit of clinical practice, implementation of best practice statements.

7. To promote an ethos of audit throughout the services and where possible, under the direction of the medical director, contribute to regular clinical and/or service audit

8. To develop relevant research interests and participate as and when possible.

9. To maintain continuing professional development through personal development goals and regular reviews to support and encourage development.

Personal Development

The post holder will be expected to maintain high professional standards and keep abreast of professional issues and best practice in their area of specialism. The Hospice will support relevant education and development opportunities whenever possible and as agreed as part of personal development discussions.

Health & Safety & Security

Under health and safety legislation each individual has a legal responsibility for their own welfare and for the health and safety of others and to co-operate in maintaining their place of work in a tidy and safe condition, thereby minimizing risk. Any queries you may have relating to health and safety matters should be raised in the first instance with your line manager.

Similarly, it is each persons responsibility to ensure a secure environment and bring any breaches of security to the attention of their manager.

Equal Opportunities

St. Luke's Cheshire Hospice has given its full commitment to the adoption and promotion of the key principles of equal opportunities contained within current legislation and St. Luke's Cheshire Hospice Equality & Diversity Policy.

All staff has personal responsibility for the application of this policy on a day-to-day basis and should not undertake any acts of discriminatory practice during the course of their employment. Similarly, all staff has a responsibility to highlight any potentially discriminatory practice to their line manager.

Health & Safety & Security

Under health and safety legislation, each individual has a legal responsibility for their own welfare and for the health and safety of others and to co-operate in maintaining their place of work in a tidy and safe condition, thereby minimising risk. The Hospice has a Health & Safety Policy which applies to all staff.

Similarly, it is each persons responsibility to ensure a secure environment and bring any breaches of security to the attention of their manager.

Equal Opportunities

St Luke's Cheshire Hospice has given its full commitment to the adoption and promotion of the key principles of equal opportunities contained within current legislation and St Luke's Cheshire Hospice Equality and Diversity Policy.

Confidentiality

In the course of your duties, you will have access to confidential material about members of staff, volunteers, other hospice business and patients. The Hospice has a Data Protection Policy which applies to all staff.

St Luke's Cheshire Hospice is committed to safeguarding adults and children and expects all staff to share in this commitment. Staff have a responsibility to ensure that they are aware of specific duties relating to their role and should familiarise themselves with the Hospices Safeguarding Policies. Safeguarding training is mandatory for all staff.