Job summary
The Department of Cellular Pathology is seeking a full or part-time (10 or 8PA) locum consultant to join a dynamic and supportive team of colleagues. The post holder must have a demonstrable major interest in cytopathology & general histopathology. The department is involved in many exciting initiatives, and we are looking for an individual with appropriate skills to complement the teams and keep the service at the forefront of clinical and academic excellence. The laboratory has full UKAS/ISO accreditation status.

As an organisation, we are committed to developing our services in ways that best suit the needs of our patients. This includes asking certain groups of staff to work more flexibly so that we can offer services to patients in the evenings and at weekends. We regard this flexibility as essential if we are to continue to provide first class patient care in the future. As a result, any offer of employment to a consultant post will be subject to you agreeing to work a new more flexible pattern of working in the future if required and in accordance with the provisions of the new Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust consultant contract.

The post will include working at both Guy's and St Thomas' sites as well as the new Synnovis Blackfriars Hub Laboratory (near Southwark tube station).

Main duties of the job
The post holder will be accountable to the Clinical Lead in Cellular Pathology.

Key duties and responsibilities

Specialist Interest
The Department operates a system of specialist reporting, each consultant having one or more special interests, which facilitates dealing with difficult cases and enhances patient care in accordance with Calman-Hine recommendations.

The specialist interests of this post are cytopathology & general histopathology. Cytopathology will form the main workload (6PAs) and general pathology (2PAs).

Please refer to full job description for more details

About us
Cellular Pathology Department
The Department of Cellular Pathology provides services to Guy's & St Thomas' Hospitals, local general practitioners in Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham Strategic Health Authority and local Coroners. It is a major cancer and infection referral centre. The main Cellular Pathology Department is located at St Thomas' Hospital, 2nd Floor North Wing.

As an organisation, we are committed to developing our services in ways that best suit the needs of our patients. This includes asking certain groups of staff to work more flexibly so that we can offer services to patients in the evenings and at weekends. We regard this flexibility as essential if we are to continue to provide first class patient care in the future. As a result, any offer of employment to a consultant post will be subject to you agreeing to work a new more flexible pattern of working in the future if required and in accordance with the provisions of the new Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust consultant contract.

Details
Date posted: 28 August 2026
Pay scheme: Hospital medical and dental staff
Grade: Consultant
Salary: £113,565 to £150,569 a year
Contract: Locum
Duration: 6 months
Working pattern: Full-time, Part-time
Reference number: 196-LCON1218
Job locations: St Thomas' Hospital, London, SE1 7EH, United Kingdom

Job description
Job responsibilities
The post holder will be accountable to the Clinical Lead in Cellular Pathology.

Key duties and responsibilities

Specialist Interest
The Department operates a system of specialist reporting, each consultant having one or more special interests, which facilitates dealing with difficult cases and enhances patient care in accordance with Calman-Hine recommendations.

The specialist interests of this post are cytopathology & general histopathology. Cytopathology will form the main workload (6PAs) and general pathology (2PAs).

Diagnostic Cytopathology:
The department has an established FNA service (approx. 3000 cases annually) including EBUS & EUS FNA with onsite provisional reporting by consultant cytopathologists. A palpable FNA service is also provided by the cytopathologists in clinics, wards and theatres, which is requested through the cytology office and Epic. The cytology team provides an FNA service with Rapid Onsite Evaluation (ROSE) every working day at Guys & St Thomas sites to cover Navigational bronchoscopy, head & neck, melanoma, haematology and other rapid access clinics including Interventional Radiology.

At some clinics including Thyroid & other ultrasound guided FNA lists, where a pathologist is not in attendance, cytology Biomedical Scientists (BMS) assist radiologists in the assessment of sample adequacy by ROSE.

Other types of exfoliative cytology specimens (fluids, urine, washings and brushings) are also received in the department.

The Andrology service receives approx. 3600 specimens annually and is signed off by trained BMS staff with clinical oversight by the lead cytopathologist.

Cervical cytology and colposcopy MDMs are delivered by consultant pathologists and BMS at the London hub and is not a requirement for this post.

Cytology input is provided into the H&N, thyroid, lung, breast, haemato-oncology, gynaecological & gastro-intestinal MDMs. There is a consultant led multi-header teaching session every Monday 1-2pm for trainees and cytology BMS. The consultants are actively involved in teaching and presenting at national and international conferences, and support trainees and new consultants in their career development in Cytopathology.

General histopathology:
The successful candidate will be joining an existing team of 2 consultants who share the workload & are available to mentor a new colleague. The specimen types include the following -

• Lumps and bumps: ganglion cysts, Morton neuromas, giant cell tumour tendon sheath, schwannomas/neurofibromas, lumps around eyelid e.g. chalazion/cysts.
• Vascular specimens: mostly ascending aortas for dissection or dilatation, temporal artery biopsies, heart valve ?endocarditis, heart valve other pathologies, atrial myxomas, occasional endomyocardial biopsies.
• Bone and joints: femoral heads (one or two a week), joint replacement tissue ?infection, osteochondromas, other benign bone lesions e.g. osteophytes, enchondromas etc. Synovial biopsies, PVNS etc.
• Eye: sometimes cornea and other eye specimens e.g. phthisis bulbi.

We are committed to teaching postgraduate students as well as being involved in the university teaching of undergraduate students.

Provide High Quality Care to Patients
The post holder must be medically qualified and maintain GMC specialist registration and hold a licence to practice

To develop and maintain the competencies required to carry out the duties required of the post.

To ensure prompt attendance at agreed direct clinical care Programmed Activities.

To provide expert histopathology and cytopathology services with the object of ensuring a high standard of patient care To participate in the provision of the gastro-intestinal pathology service To participate in clinical and other service activities with the object of ensuring a high standard of patient care

Research, Teaching and Training
Where possible to collaborate with academic and clinical colleagues to enhance the Trusts translational research portfolio, at all times meeting the full requirements of Research Governance.

To provide high quality teaching to medical undergraduates and members of other health care professions as required by the Clinical Director.

To act as educational supervisor and appraiser as delegated by the Clinical Director to ensure external accreditation of training post.

Performance Management
To work with medical, nursing and managerial colleagues to ensure high performance in the following areas:

• Clinical efficiency e.g. LOS reductions, reducing cancelled operations and DNA rates.
• Quality of outcomes e.g. infection control targets, reducing re-admission rates.
• Financial management e.g. identification, implementation and achievement of cost improvement programmes and participating in efforts to ensure services are provided cost effectively e.g. managing locum agency spend, monitoring and managing the drug budget to target, ensuring accuracy of clinical data for the team.
• Operational efficiency e.g. day-case rates, waiting list activity and demand management.

Medical Staff Management
To work with colleagues to ensure junior doctors hours are compliant in line with EWTD and New Deal.

To ensure that adequate systems and procedures are in place to control and monitor leave for junior medical staff and to ensure that there is appropriate cover within the clinical areas, including on-call commitments

To participate in the recruitment of junior medical staff as and when required.

To participate in team objective setting as part of the annual job planning cycle.

To be responsible for the annual appraisal of all doctors in training, Trust doctors, Clinical Fellows and non-consultant grades as delegated by the Clinical Director/General Manager.

Governance
To review clinical outcomes in designated area using external benchmarking data where appropriate, to identify and advise variances to the Clinical Director.

Participate in clinical audit, incident reporting and analysis and to ensure resulting actions are implemented.

To work closely with the Directorate, Patient and Public Involvement panels in relation to clinical and services developments as delegated by the Clinical Director.

Participate in ensuring NICE requirements are reviewed and implemented and monitored in the speciality areas.

To ensure clinical guidelines and protocols are adhered to by junior medical staff and updated on a regular basis.

To keep fully informed about best practice in the speciality areas and ensure implications for practice changes are discussed with the Clinical Director.

To role model good practice for infection control to all members of the multidisciplinary team.

Strategy and Business Planning
To participate in the business planning and objective setting process for the directorate and Trust where appropriate.

To represent the Trust at appropriate clinical networks/other external clinical meetings, as delegated by the Clinical Director.

Leadership and Team Working
To demonstrate excellent leadership skills with regards to individual performance, clinical teams, the Trust and when participating in national or local initiatives.

To work collaboratively with all members of the multi-disciplinary team and Kings Health Partners as required.

To chair regular meetings for the specialties.

To resolve conflict and difficult situations through negotiation and discussion, involving appropriate parties.

Adhere to Trust/departmental guidelines on leave including reporting absence.

The successful candidate will be expected to participate in continuing professional development (CPD) and this form part of the supporting programmed activities in the agreed job plan (please see example below).

Job description
Job responsibilities
The post holder will be accountable to the Clinical Lead in Cellular Pathology.

Key duties and responsibilities

Specialist Interest
The Department operates a system of specialist reporting, each consultant having one or more special interests, which facilitates dealing with difficult cases and enhances patient care in accordance with Calman-Hine recommendations.

The specialist interests of this post are cytopathology & general histopathology. Cytopathology will form the main workload (6PAs) and general pathology (2PAs).

Diagnostic Cytopathology:
The department has an established FNA service (approx. 3000 cases annually) including EBUS & EUS FNA with onsite provisional reporting by consultant cytopathologists. A palpable FNA service is also provided by the cytopathologists in clinics, wards and theatres, which is requested through the cytology office and Epic. The cytology team provides an FNA service with Rapid Onsite Evaluation (ROSE) every working day at Guys & St Thomas sites to cover Navigational bronchoscopy, head & neck, melanoma, haematology and other rapid access clinics including Interventional Radiology.

At some clinics including Thyroid & other ultrasound guided FNA lists, where a pathologist is not in attendance, cytology Biomedical Scientists (BMS) assist radiologists in the assessment of sample adequacy by ROSE.

Other types of exfoliative cytology specimens (fluids, urine, washings and brushings) are also received in the department.

The Andrology service receives approx. 3600 specimens annually and is signed off by trained BMS staff with clinical oversight by the lead cytopathologist.

Cervical cytology and colposcopy MDMs are delivered by consultant pathologists and BMS at the London hub and is not a requirement for this post.

Cytology input is provided into the H&N, thyroid, lung, breast, haemato-oncology, gynaecological & gastro-intestinal MDMs. There is a consultant led multi-header teaching session every Monday 1-2pm for trainees and cytology BMS. The consultants are actively involved in teaching and presenting at national and international conferences, and support trainees and new consultants in their career development in Cytopathology.

General histopathology:
The successful candidate will be joining an existing team of 2 consultants who share the workload & are available to mentor a new colleague. The specimen types include the following -

• Lumps and bumps: ganglion cysts, Morton neuromas, giant cell tumour tendon sheath, schwannomas/neurofibromas, lumps around eyelid e.g. chalazion/cysts.
• Vascular specimens: mostly ascending aortas for dissection or dilatation, temporal artery biopsies, heart valve ?endocarditis, heart valve other pathologies, atrial myxomas, occasional endomyocardial biopsies.
• Bone and joints: femoral heads (one or two a week), joint replacement tissue ?infection, osteochondromas, other benign bone lesions e.g. osteophytes, enchondromas etc. Synovial biopsies, PVNS etc.
• Eye: sometimes cornea and other eye specimens e.g. phthisis bulbi.

We are committed to teaching postgraduate students as well as being involved in the university teaching of undergraduate students.

Provide High Quality Care to Patients
The post holder must be medically qualified and maintain GMC specialist registration and hold a licence to practice

To develop and maintain the competencies required to carry out the duties required of the post.

To ensure prompt attendance at agreed direct clinical care Programmed Activities.

To provide expert histopathology and cytopathology services with the object of ensuring a a high standard of patient care To participate in the provision of the gastro-intestinal pathology service To participate in clinical and other service activities with the object of ensuring a high standard of patient care

Research, Teaching and Training
Where possible to collaborate with academic and clinical colleagues to enhance the Trusts translational research portfolio, at all times meeting the full requirements of Research Governance.

To provide high quality teaching to medical undergraduates and members of other health care professions as required by the Clinical Director.

To act as educational supervisor and appraiser as delegated by the Clinical Director to ensure external accreditation of training post.

Performance Management
To work with medical, nursing and managerial colleagues to ensure high performance in the following areas:

• Clinical efficiency e.g. LOS reductions, reducing cancelled operations and DNA rates.
• Quality of outcomes e.g. infection control targets, reducing re-admission rates.
• Financial management e.g. identification, implementation and achievement of cost improvement programmes and participating in efforts to ensure services are provided cost effectively e.g. managing locum agency spend, monitoring and managing the drug budget to target, ensuring accuracy of clinical data for the team.
• Operational efficiency e.g. day-case rates, waiting list activity and demand management.

Medical Staff Management
To work with colleagues to ensure junior doctors hours are compliant in line with EWTD and New Deal.

To ensure that adequate systems and procedures are in place to control and monitor leave for junior medical staff and to ensure that there is appropriate cover within the clinical areas, including on-call commitments

To participate in the recruitment of junior medical staff as and when required.

To participate in team objective setting as part of the annual job planning cycle.

To be responsible for the annual appraisal of all doctors in training, Trust doctors, Clinical Fellows and non-consultant grades as delegated by the Clinical Director/General Manager.

Governance
To review clinical outcomes in designated area using external benchmarking data where appropriate, to identify and advise variances to the Clinical Director.

Participate in clinical audit, incident reporting and analysis and to ensure resulting actions are implemented.

To work closely with the Directorate, Patient and Public Involvement panels in relation to clinical and services developments as delegated by the Clinical Director.

Participate in ensuring NICE requirements are reviewed and implemented and monitored in the speciality areas.

To ensure clinical guidelines and protocols are adhered to by junior medical staff and updated on a regular basis.

To keep fully informed about best practice in the speciality areas and ensure implications for practice changes are discussed with the Clinical Director.

To role model good practice for infection control to all members of the multidisciplinary team.

Strategy and Business Planning
To participate in the business planning and objective setting process for the directorate and Trust where appropriate.

To represent the Trust at appropriate clinical networks/other external clinical meetings, as delegated by the Clinical Director.

Leadership and Team Working
To demonstrate excellent leadership skills with regards to individual performance, clinical teams, the Trust and when participating in national or local initiatives.

To work collaboratively with all members of the multi-disciplinary team and Kings Health Partners as required.

To chair regular meetings for the specialties.

To resolve conflict and difficult situations through negotiation and discussion, involving appropriate parties.

Adhere to Trust/departmental guidelines on leave including reporting absence.

The successful candidate will be expected to participate in continuing professional development (CPD) and this form part of the supporting programmed activities in the agreed job plan (please see example below).

Person Specification
Professional Qualifications
Essential

• Full and Specialist registration (and with a licence to practise) with the General Medical Council (GMC), or be eligible for registration within six months of interview.
• Applicants that are UK trained, must ALSO be a holder of a Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT), or be within six months of award of CCT by date of interview.
• Applicants that are non-UK trained, will be required to show evidence of equivalence to the UK CCT.
• FRCPath or equivalent.

Desirable

• PhD or other Higher Postgraduate degree in Medicine or Science
• Any additional medical or sub-speciality qualifications either national or international.

Clinical Experience
Essential

• Comprehensive clinical experience in cyttopathology & general histopathology.
• Proven record of experience as a trainee in histopathology and cytopathology.
• Continuing and recent diagnostic practice experience in cytopathology as a major specialist interest
• Continuing and recent diagnostic practice experience in general pathology

Clinical Skills
Essential

• Ability to work as an effective member of a multidisciplinary team.
• Familiarity with modern morphological and molecular diagnostic techniques

Desirable

• Experience in clinical guideline development.

Audit Management & IT
Essential

• Evidence of contribution to effective clinical governance, audit clinical risk management, and IT skills.
• Understanding of principles of audit.
• Evidence of understanding of the role of clinical management.

Desirable

• Management training or qualification.
• Evidence of leadership in the development of clinical services.

Research, Teaching skill & experience
Essential

• Understanding of the principles and applications of clinical research.
• Evidence of original research.
• Ability to supervise junior staff in diagnostic work.
• Experience of teaching and training undergraduates, postgraduates and junior medical staff.

Desirable

• Appraisal training.
• Teaching qualification.
• Evidence of original research and publication in Cyttopathology & general pathology.

Leadership/Management skills
Essential

• Communication; Ability to communicate with clarity and intelligently in written and spoken English; ability to build rapport, listen, persuade/ negotiate.
• Accountability; Ability to take responsibility, lead, make decisions and exert appropriate authority.
• Interpersonal Skills; Empathy, understanding, listening skills, patience and ability to work co-operatively with others.
• Able to change and adapt, respond to changing circumstances and to to cope with setbacks or pressure.
• Ability to work as part of a team
• Staff Management; Experience of of performance management, developing and motivating staff.
• Finance; Knowledge of finance and budgets.

Desirable

• Previous experience in management positions, e.g. speciality lead, clinical lead, clinical director.

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 the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for 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).

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.
Applicants must have current UK professional registration.

Employer details
Employer name: Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust
Address: St Thomas' Hospital, London, SE1 7EH, United Kingdom
Employer's website: https://www.guysandstthomas.nhs.uk/careers/careers.aspx (Opens in a new tab)

Employer contact details
For questions about the job, contact:
Consultant Histopathologist
Ashish Chandra
ashish.chandra1@nhhs.net
02071882925

Details
Date posted: 28 August 2026
Pay scheme:> Hospital medical and dental dental staff
Grade: Consultant
Salary: £113,565 to £150,569 a year
Contract: Locum
Duration: 6 months
Working pattern: Full-time, Part-time
Reference number: 196-LCON1218
Job locations: St Thomas' Hospital, London, SE1 7EH, United Kingdom

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