Chief Registrar
12-month fixed term post from 05/08/2026 or September 2026 by the latest.
Trust Grade ST4-ST8 Trainee Doctor
2 posts available at 0.4 FTE each

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an enthusiastic and motivated senior doctor in training (ST4 and above or equivalent) with an interest in leadership, management and quality improvement to take up the role as a chief registrar. Applications are open to both full time and less than full time trainees.

The chief registrar role provides senior trainees with 40% protected time to develop skills and confidence in leadership, management and quality improvement. Learning that chief registrars gain from the Royal College of Physicians' (RCP's) bespoke development programme will be put into practice in a supported environment that provides autonomy, flexibility and support to develop and support projects that address key local challenges and priorities. This may include service improvement, engagement and morale, education and training, workforce, and sustainability.

Please note that the start date is subject to the satisfactory completion of all pre-employment checks. The base location can be discussed and amended, if required, and will be confirmed when offers are made.

Main duties of the job
The chief registrar role will suit trainees who:

• Want to learn about leadership and gain senior leadership experience
• Are comfortable working in uncertain environments and across traditional boundaries
• Relish the opportunity to develop their own ideas and initiatives
• Are committed to and passionate about improving the NHS.

The chief registrar will be mentored by a senior clinical leader within the organisation and gain a unique insight into NHS leadership and management processes, as well as deeper knowledge of NHS structures and stakeholders.

The chief registrar will be expected to attend modules delivered as part of the RCP's bespoke development programme, which will cover, for example, change management, team culture and development, quality improvement, leadership, influencing and personal resilience.

About us
We are Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust. We care for the mental health and wellbeing of people across Kent and Medway and are rated 'Good' by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

Our teams support children, young people and adults with a wide range of mental health needs. We also provide specialist services, including all-age eating disorder services and neurodevelopmental assessments for children and young people, such as autism and ADHD.

Because we work across the whole county and across hospital and community settings, we can make care more joined up and easier to access for the people we serve.

Our vision is simple: we are here to help communities not just live with mental illness but live well. It's why we're passionate about working with communities to make mental health care better for everyone. Everything we do is guided by our values: caring, inclusive, curious and confident.

Join us if you share our passion for better mental health care and want to be part of a team that's working well together.

Job responsibilities
The chief registrar role is a leadership role for senior specialty trainees. The role provides 40-50% protected time to develop and implement local initiatives focusing on, for example, service improvement, engagement and morale, education and training, workforce and sustainability.

Chief registrars benefit from access to a bespoke taught development programme provided by the RCP, which comprises five 2-day modules that chief registrars are expected to attend.

The Chief Registrar role is intentionally broad in scope to allow both the individual and the Trust autonomy and flexibility in shaping the work undertaken during the year. Chief Registrars are expected to focus on addressing key local challenges and organisational priorities in ways that align with wider NHS strategic ambitions, including prevention and reducing inequalities, digital transformation, and strengthening community-based and integrated care.

This work may include some or all the following:

• Acting as a bridge between senior clinical leaders, managers and the wider trainee workforce to improve communication, engagement and morale, and to ensure the wider resident workforce informs organisational priorities and change.
• Leading or contributing to service improvement initiatives, which may include redesigning pathways to better support community-based care, implementing digital solutions and new technologies, developing new services, and designing preventive approaches that improve patient flow, safety, experience and outcomes.
• Enhancing the quality of clinical and non-clinical education and training, supporting and mentoring other trainees to engage in quality improvement work, and embedding improvement, digital awareness and preventive thinking into training environments.
• Contributing to workforce planning and trainee deployment, supporting models of care that improve service delivery, morale and equity of access across patient groups.
• Identifying opportunities to improve efficiency, reduce waste and minimise unwarranted variation, including through the effective use of data, technology and system redesign.
• Working across professional, organisational and system boundaries to engage stakeholders in quality improvement and influence sustainable change, particularly where this supports integration between services, community care and population health approaches.
• Supporting, or where appropriate undertaking, the role of Resident Doctor Peer Representative Lead, advocating for trainee wellbeing, engagement and involvement in organisational and system decision-making.

Involvement in Organisational Leadership and Decision-Making
Chief Registrars are expected to gain meaningful exposure to senior management and organisational decision-making processes. This includes:

• Attending departmental and divisional management meetings to develop an understanding of management and the wider social, political and economic influences on healthcare delivery.
• Attending Board meetings where appropriate and feasible.
• Leading discussions, workshops or sessions relating to service development, improvement and transformation for which they hold direct responsibility.

Oncall
Contributing to the Tier 2 Oncall rota will be expected for Section 12 approved doctors.

Person Specification
Skills
Essential

• Experience in delivery of teaching and education.
• Evidence of active involvement in quality improvement, audit, research or other activity that focuses on patient safety and clinical improvement and innovation

Desirable

• Evidence of relevant academic achievements, including publications / presentations
• Participation in teaching courses
• Leadership skills gained in the NHS or elsewhere

Qualifications
Essential

• Full registration with the GMC and licence to practice
• Appropriate professional postgraduate qualification e.g. MRCPsych

Desirable

• Additional relevant degree
• Distinctions/Honours/Prizes

Personal attributes
Essential

• Clarity in written communication
• Commitment to personal and professional development
• Excellent computer literacy

Desirable

• Evidence of altruistic behaviour, e.g. voluntary work

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. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).