Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Specialty Doctor Critical Care

The closing date is 14 January 2026

Job summary

The Department of Anaesthesia and Critical Care are seeking to recruit an experienced Doctor to commence as soon as possible within the service of Critical Care.

2 Year Fixed Term Contract.

Main duties of the job

The successful applicant will join an established, successful, enthusiastic and ACSA accredited team in delivering quality anaesthetic, perioperative and critical care services to the local West Dorset population and adjoining areas.

The Trust will offer the successful candidate support, guidance and resources to complete the Portfolio Pathway (previously known as CESR - Certificate of Eligibility for Specialist Registration). Applicants wishing to seek entry onto the Specialist Register for Intensive Care Medicine must have most of the required training already completed - this post and offer of support is to facilitate organisation of evidence and application to the GMC.

About us

At DCHFT, we pride ourselves on the care we provide for our patients, and on the culture, we are creating for our staff. We work hard to create a fair, inclusive environment for our staff.

Our Mission is to provide outstanding care for people in ways which matter to them, and our vision is Dorset County Hospital, working with our health and social care partners, will be at the heart of improving the well-being of our communities.

We are a Trust that celebrates diversity, and we are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We welcome applications from people in all under-represented groups.

We understand that some applicants may choose to use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to assist in preparing their application materials. While this is not discouraged, we kindly remind candidates that all submissions must be truthful and accurately reflect your own experiences and suitability for this role.

Personal integrity and authenticity are central to our recruitment process. We value honesty and appreciate applications that are genuine and representative of the individual behind them.

Details

Date posted

05 January 2026

Pay scheme

Hospital medical and dental staff

Grade

Specialty Doctor

Salary

£61,542 to £99,216 a year per annum

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

2 years

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

405-MD2595CCU

Job locations

Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Dorchester

DT1 2JY


Job description

Job responsibilities

Our DCHFT Job Description and Person Specification (attached) tells you all about this role, what to expect and what is needed to succeed. When completing your application please make sure to tell us how your experience and skills fit the person specification.

Please contact us at medical.recruitment@dchft.nhs.uk if you are unable to view or download the attachment.

For all our roles, we are looking for staff who hold our Trust Values of Integrity, Respect Teamwork and Excellence, and who are passionate about providing the best patient care. To read more about our Trust and our Values search Dorset County Hospital online.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Our DCHFT Job Description and Person Specification (attached) tells you all about this role, what to expect and what is needed to succeed. When completing your application please make sure to tell us how your experience and skills fit the person specification.

Please contact us at medical.recruitment@dchft.nhs.uk if you are unable to view or download the attachment.

For all our roles, we are looking for staff who hold our Trust Values of Integrity, Respect Teamwork and Excellence, and who are passionate about providing the best patient care. To read more about our Trust and our Values search Dorset County Hospital online.

Person Specification

Registration and Qualifications

Essential

  • Medical Degree
  • Full GMC registration with a licence to practice is required
  • Post-graduate qualification relevant to Intensive Care Medicine (e.g. Primary FRCA, MRCP, MRCEM, EDIC)

Desirable

  • Higher post-graduate qualifications relevant to Intensive Care Medicine (e.g. Final FRCA, FRCP, FRCEM)

Clinical Experience

Essential

  • Completion of any Basic or Core Training programme or equivalent: -Core Anaesthesia Training -Internal Medicine Training -Acute Care Common Stem
  • At least 24 months General Intensive Care Medicine
  • At least 12 months Anaesthesia, with Initial Anaesthesia Competency (IAC) completed or equivalent

Desirable

  • Acute or General Internal Medicine experience
  • Neuro Intensive Care Medicine experience
  • Paediatric Intensive Care Medicine experience
  • Cardiac Intensive Care Medicine experience
  • Focused Ultrasound In Critical Care (FUSIC) or equivalent experience

Clinical Capabilities

Essential

  • Peripheral venous access (Level 3)
  • Lumbar punctures (Level 3)
  • Basic airway skills (i.e. as taught on ALS course: use of face mask, use of airway adjuncts, LMA insertion) (Level 3)
  • Advanced airway skills (i.e. intubation, videolaryngoscopy, fibroscopic intubation) (Level 2)
  • Adult Life Support provider status (Level 3)
  • Arterial Lines (Level 3)
  • Central Venous Lines (Level 2)
  • Induction and maintenance of sedation (i.e. RSI)
  • Bronchoscopy

Desirable

  • Percutaneous tracheostomy
  • Chest and ascitic drains
  • Completion of a Paediatric Life Support course
  • Completion of a Trauma Life Support course

Professionalism, Teamwork and Communication

Essential

  • Evidence of positive multi-disciplinary team working
  • Good written and verbal English language skills
  • Enthusiasm for the specialty of Intensive Care Medicine and a willingness to contribute to our new Critical Care Unit building project
  • Charisma, positive mental attitude, and other effective leadership traits
  • Understanding of clinical governance and the individual responsibilities it implies

Desirable

  • Recent and substantial evidence of working in the UK
  • Evidence of a senior position within a team, providing supervision and clinical leadership to more junior colleagues
  • Evidence of excellence at communication in difficult circumstances
  • Competence in non-English languages

Teaching

Essential

  • Evidence of effective teaching

Desirable

  • Delivery of a teaching programme
  • Life support instructor status
  • Familiarity with clinical simulator equipment

Audit

Desirable

  • Knowledge of medical and clinical audit principles and evidence of direct involvement in medical audit in the last 18 months.

Quality and Clinical Governance

Essential

  • Evidence of involvement in quality improvement
  • Evidence of regular appraisal

Desirable

  • Effective quality improvement (e.g. audit, safety project, change management)
  • Evidence of self-reflective practice
  • Evidence of involvement in medical research
Person Specification

Registration and Qualifications

Essential

  • Medical Degree
  • Full GMC registration with a licence to practice is required
  • Post-graduate qualification relevant to Intensive Care Medicine (e.g. Primary FRCA, MRCP, MRCEM, EDIC)

Desirable

  • Higher post-graduate qualifications relevant to Intensive Care Medicine (e.g. Final FRCA, FRCP, FRCEM)

Clinical Experience

Essential

  • Completion of any Basic or Core Training programme or equivalent: -Core Anaesthesia Training -Internal Medicine Training -Acute Care Common Stem
  • At least 24 months General Intensive Care Medicine
  • At least 12 months Anaesthesia, with Initial Anaesthesia Competency (IAC) completed or equivalent

Desirable

  • Acute or General Internal Medicine experience
  • Neuro Intensive Care Medicine experience
  • Paediatric Intensive Care Medicine experience
  • Cardiac Intensive Care Medicine experience
  • Focused Ultrasound In Critical Care (FUSIC) or equivalent experience

Clinical Capabilities

Essential

  • Peripheral venous access (Level 3)
  • Lumbar punctures (Level 3)
  • Basic airway skills (i.e. as taught on ALS course: use of face mask, use of airway adjuncts, LMA insertion) (Level 3)
  • Advanced airway skills (i.e. intubation, videolaryngoscopy, fibroscopic intubation) (Level 2)
  • Adult Life Support provider status (Level 3)
  • Arterial Lines (Level 3)
  • Central Venous Lines (Level 2)
  • Induction and maintenance of sedation (i.e. RSI)
  • Bronchoscopy

Desirable

  • Percutaneous tracheostomy
  • Chest and ascitic drains
  • Completion of a Paediatric Life Support course
  • Completion of a Trauma Life Support course

Professionalism, Teamwork and Communication

Essential

  • Evidence of positive multi-disciplinary team working
  • Good written and verbal English language skills
  • Enthusiasm for the specialty of Intensive Care Medicine and a willingness to contribute to our new Critical Care Unit building project
  • Charisma, positive mental attitude, and other effective leadership traits
  • Understanding of clinical governance and the individual responsibilities it implies

Desirable

  • Recent and substantial evidence of working in the UK
  • Evidence of a senior position within a team, providing supervision and clinical leadership to more junior colleagues
  • Evidence of excellence at communication in difficult circumstances
  • Competence in non-English languages

Teaching

Essential

  • Evidence of effective teaching

Desirable

  • Delivery of a teaching programme
  • Life support instructor status
  • Familiarity with clinical simulator equipment

Audit

Desirable

  • Knowledge of medical and clinical audit principles and evidence of direct involvement in medical audit in the last 18 months.

Quality and Clinical Governance

Essential

  • Evidence of involvement in quality improvement
  • Evidence of regular appraisal

Desirable

  • Effective quality improvement (e.g. audit, safety project, change management)
  • Evidence of self-reflective practice
  • Evidence of involvement in medical research

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).

Additional information

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

Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Dorchester

DT1 2JY


Employer's website

https://www.dchft.nhs.uk/working-for-us/ (Opens in a new tab)


Employer details

Employer name

Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Dorchester

DT1 2JY


Employer's website

https://www.dchft.nhs.uk/working-for-us/ (Opens in a new tab)


Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Consultant Anaesthetist and Intensivist

Duncan Chambler

duncan.chambler@dchft.nhs.uk

01305254414

Details

Date posted

05 January 2026

Pay scheme

Hospital medical and dental staff

Grade

Specialty Doctor

Salary

£61,542 to £99,216 a year per annum

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

2 years

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

405-MD2595CCU

Job locations

Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Dorchester

DT1 2JY


Supporting documents

Privacy notice

Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust's privacy notice (opens in a new tab)