Job summary
Working Full time: 10 PAs per week

The department is seeking to appoint a Consultant in Intensive Care and Anaesthesia. The candidate will integrate into the team of existing consultants to provide a complete intensive care service, including the equivalent of a full-time commitment to ICU hot weeks, ICU on call and weekend cover as well as weekday anaesthetic sessions.

This post has arisen from a vacancy in the Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care. It will add resilience to ICU consultant staffing and support an appropriate ratio of consultants to patients as described in GPICS guidelines.

The Intensive Care Unit (ICU) consists of 21 single rooms, each of which can be used for either level two or three care. Fifteen beds are commissioned on a flexible level 2/3 basis, funded as seven level three and eight level two beds. The additional rooms allow for future expansion, provide surge capacity and allow the ICU team to work flexibly to accommodate patients while maintaining staff patient ratios. The unit supports the tertiary South Mersey Arterial hub's activity.

The successful candidate will hold CCTs in both ICM and anaesthesia. It is also open to those who are within six months of attaining their CCTs.

Main duties of the job

The successful candidate will be responsible for providing intensive care cover along with the other Intensivists. Currently most of the Intensivists are also Anaesthetists who provide elective and emergency anaesthesia care when not on their intensive care hot weeks or on the ICU. The ICU on-call commitment will be 1:12 (including this post) to cover the ICU on call rota. The weekend on-call commitment will be 1:12 for long days and overnight on call. There are additional short-day weekends (so that there are two Intensivists for the morning ward rounds) making the overall weekend commitment 1 in 7.

Irrespective of other commitments, the post holder will contribute fully to the ICU on call, daytime and weekend ICU consultant cover. In addition, the successful candidate will also undertake additional sessions in anaesthesia to work a 10 PA contract with core 1.5 SPA included to meet the needs for appraisal and revalidation.

About us

The Trust's services are provided from three locations: The Countess of Chester Hospital: providing 473 general and acute beds. Ellesmere Port Hospital: providing 60 beds as a rehabilitation, intermediate and outpatient facility. Tarporley War Memorial Hospital: a base for community services which serve the local rural population. The Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust employs 5,964 staff (headcount) to provide care and treatment to a population of over 400,000 people living in Chester and West Cheshire which includes Ellesmere Port and Neston as well as the Deeside area of Flintshire. The Trust works collaboratively within the wider Cheshire and Merseyside Integrated Care System. Due to its location on the border with North Wales, the Trust also works closely with the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board. The Trust treats patients from England and some parts of Wales. During 2024/2025, there were approximately 643,000 patient attendances (inpatient, A and E, outpatient and diagnostic) ranging from a simple outpatient appointment to major cancer surgery.

Details
Date posted: 04 November 2026
Pay scheme: Hospital medical and dental staff
Grade: Consultant
Salary: £113,565 to £150,569 a year pa
Contract: Permanent
Working pattern: Full-time
Reference number: 210-2026-805

Job responsibilities
See Job Description for further details.

Recruitment selection processes are based on competence (see Person specification) and values. An applicant guide to help and support you through your recruitment journey can be accessed at the bottom of this page.

If you have a disability that meets the definition set out in the Equality Act 2010, and you can show that you meet the essential criteria described in the person specification for an available position, please answer YES to the question: Do you wish to be considered under the Guaranteed Interview Scheme?

Please inform the team if you have any special support needs to be considered as part of the interview and selection processes.

The trust offers a Guaranteed Interview Scheme to any armed forces community applicants who meet the essential criteria for the post.

If a DBS is required for your role, you are encouraged to enrol for the DBS Update Service. A small annual fee applies which is payable to the DBS Service. Please note applicants will be required to pay for their DBS check. Costs will be deducted from their salary over the first three months of employment.

New entrants to the NHS will commence on the minimum of the scale stated above.

Applicants requiring sponsorship may wish to determine the likelihood of obtaining sponsorship for this position by assessing themselves against the criteria on the gov.uk website. The Trust will not sponsor where the starting salary does not meet immigration rules.

Applicants are advised to apply early as if a large number of applications are received for this post, we reserve the right to close the vacancy prior to the advertised date.

Good luck with your application.

Person Specification

Qualifications and Skills
Essential

• Full registration with the GMC with licence to practise
• FFICM or equivalent Diploma
• CCT (or equivalent) with entry on Specialist Register for Intensive Care or within six months of anticipated CCT on the date of interview
• FRCA or equivalent Diploma
• CCT (or equivalent) with entry on Specialist Register for Anaesthesia or within six months of anticipated CCT on the date of interview
• Minimum of 7 years' experience in ICM and anaesthesia
• Minimum of 1 year worked within NHS

Desirable

• Additional degree or post-graduate qualification (MRCP, MD etc)
• Post graduate prizes
• FUSIC accreditation

Clinical Experience and Effectiveness
Essential

• Smooth progression through training consistent with personal circumstances
• Evidence of ALS competencies

Desirable

• APLS, ATLS or ETC

Teaching and Training Experience
Essential

• Evidence of achieving GMC standards to be recognised as a clinical supervisor
• Active regular participation in teaching and training of medical and para-medical colleagues

Desirable

• Extensive / formal experience in medical education including regional teaching
• Formal Educational Qualification
• Life support course instructor

Clinical governance and management
Essential

• Active consistent engagement with clinical audit
• Regular commitment to continuing medical education
• Evidence of reflective practice
• Good understanding of NHS management structures

Desirable

• Evidence of implementing change to improve patient care
• Evidence of leadership in anaesthesia/critical care
• Evidence of involvement in clinical research
• Presentations at regional and national meetings
• Publications in peer reviewed journal

Personal Attributes
Essential

• Evidence of: Good organisational skills, Commitment to team working, Leadership qualities, Good interpersonal skills, Excellent written and spoken English, Industry and enthusiasm, Flexibility in a changing work environment, Caring and responsible attitude to colleagues

Desirable

• Evidence of: Potential for wider hospital leadership roles

Other Requirements
Essential

• To live within 10 miles of the Trust (unless negotiated otherwise)

Desirable

• Member of a medical indemnity organisation

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. 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 on the Criminal records checks for overseas applicants page.

UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see the NHS Careers website.

Employer details
Employer name: Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Address: Countess of Chester Hospital, Liverpool Road, Chester, CH2 1UL, United Kingdom
Employer's website: https://www.coch.nhs.uk/working-with-us.aspx

Employer contact details
For questions about the job, contact: ICU Clinical Lead, Dr K Tizard, k.tizard@nhs.net, 01244365461