Consultant Anaesthetist - General Anaesthesia
The closing date is 30 August 2026

Job summary
Applications are invited for this exciting opportunity to join the anaesthetic team of 68 Consultants and 8 SAS doctors at the Royal Cornwall Hospital. The department is a dynamic, forward thinking and innovative department covering a wide range of specialties. We deliver anaesthesia across 4 sites namely the Royal Cornwall Hospital, St Michael's Hospital, West Cornwall Hospital and St Austell Surgical Hub.

We are looking to appoint Consultants in General anaesthesia.

The Hospital is a major District General Hospital; a major trauma unit, a vascular centre, with comprehensive cancer services, providing over 30,000 anaesthetics per year, and over 4000 births, with over 750 beds. We have 27 operating theatres and anaesthesia delivery areas and 18 critical care beds, and further expansion planned. There is agreed government funding for a new Women and Children's extension to the hospital to include to obstetric theatres, 2 paediatric theatres and 2 further theatres.

The department provides care in line with the Trusts key values of Respect, Compassion Honesty and Teamwork.

Job Overview
General Anaesthesia
The successful applicant will take part in the general on-call rota (approx 1 in 30) and will provide long day (08.00 to 20.30) CEPOD or Trauma emergency theatre provision on approximately 10 occasions per year.

Main duties of the job

• Maintenance of the highest clinical standards in the management of Anaesthesia
• To share with colleagues the responsibility for the day-to-day management of the Anaesthetic department.
• Teaching and training of junior staff and medical students where applicable.
• To have responsibility for ensuring active participation in continuing medical education (CME).
• To actively participate in both departmental and Trust matters concerning Clinical Governance and Audit.
• To participate in quality improvement, data analysis and information presentation, and service development, as appropriate.
• To attend care group and directorate business, operational and governance meetings as appropriate.
• Fulfil duties of weekly timetable including any out-of-hours responsibilities.
• Deliver pre-operative assessment and cardiopulmonary exercise testing sessions and contribute to development of digital perioperative medicine (POM) pathways.

About us
The Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust (RCHT) is the main provider of acute and specialist care services in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. We serve a population of around 500,000 people - a figure that can increase significantly with visitors during the busiest times of the year. We employ approximately 6,700 staff and have a budget of approximately £580 million. We are a teaching hospital in partnership with the University of Exeter Medical School, University of Plymouth School of Nursing and Midwifery, and Peninsula Dental School. The Knowledge Spa on the Royal Cornwall Hospital site is the base for medical and nursing as well as ongoing education for health professions in clinical and non-clinical roles. Keeping at the forefront of medical advances, we are continually developing our clinical services as well as our facilities and are committed to maximising the range of specialist care that can be offered locally. Allied to this is a growing reputation for research and innovation.

Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust is a research active organisation.

It's established South West Clinical School in Cornwall exists to promote clinical academic career opportunities for nurses, midwives and allied health professionals interested in research and evidence-based activities. Read their research paper to find out more.

PLEASE NOTE: To view the full Job Description and Person Specification, please click view the supporting document on the right hand side

We reserve the right to close this advert early, or when the allocated number of applications has been reached. Please submit your application at the earliest opportunity.

Details
Date posted: 09 July 2026
Pay scheme: Hospital medical and dental staff
Grade: Consultant
Salary: £113,565 to £150,569 a year
Contract: Permanent
Working pattern: Full-time, Part-time
Reference number: 156-MS-8091070
Job locations: Royal Cornwall Hospital, Truro, TR13JL, United Kingdom

Person Specification

Qualifications
Essential

• GMC Registration.
• GMC Specialist Register or within six months of obtaining CCT (or equivalent) in Anaesthetics at time of interview.
• FRCA or equivalent

Desirable

• Perioperative medicine Specialist interest area.
• CPET competency

Experience
Essential

• Ability to offer expert clinical opinion on a broad range of problems in Anaesthesia.
• Ability to take full and independent responsibility for clinical care of patients.
• Experienced in Clinical Audit and Clinical Governance and the benefits of how this improves the quality of care provided to patients and ensuring this is embedded in clinical practice.
• Experience in pre-assessment to Higher competency
• Emergency CEPOD and Trauma experience

Desirable

• Professional Management and Leadership
• Duty Floor Anaesthetist Systems of Emergency Support and Acute Theatre Staff and Patient Scheduling
• Post-Anaesthetic Level 1.5 Care experience
• Extensive transfer experience across all age ranges

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).

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: Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust. Address: Royal Cornwall Hospital, Truro, TR13JL, United Kingdom. Employer's website: https://www.royalcornwall.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab).

For questions about the job, contact: Consultant Anaesthetist Dr Guy Hooper, guy.hooper@nhs.net, 07834986284.