Consultant in Palliative Medicine

Pilgrims Hospices is offering an exciting opportunity to become part of a dynamic team of Palliative Medicine Consultants.  The Consultant role would suit a wide range of applicants, including newly qualified Consultants wanting to start their careers in a supportive environment.

Situated in the beautiful area of east Kent with good links to London and the continent, the future of health care in this area is looking bright with the commencement of the new medical school based in Canterbury.

Pilgrims is the sole provider of community and in patient specialist medical palliative care services in East Kent, with three fully resourced multidisciplinary teams; three in-patient units; a comprehensive educational programme; and an active research profile driven by a lead consultant, research facilitator and research nurse. Pilgrims is an active collaborator with other community services to enhance the current offering to patients in the community.

Pilgrims is a training unit with three specialist trainees and 15 GP trainees and two foundation year doctors, working at the hospice sites each year.

Our team of consultants all work between Pilgrims’ in-patient and community services, and East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust (EKHUFT). The post will be based with Pilgrims Hospices, which has three sites at Ashford, Canterbury and Margate. Regardless of the base site, the postholder will, from time to time, be expected to undertake clinical commitments at any of the three sites. The post is available immediately on a full time basis, although other working hours would be considered.

In addition to basic salary, the position will attract 2% of the full-time equivalent salary as an intensity supplement. On call is shared with East Kent Hospitals and Heart of Kent Hospice and is currently on a 1 in 8 basis but it is hoped this frequency will decrease further in the future.

For an informal discussion please contact Dr Andrew Thorns, Medical Director on 01233 504133 or andrew.thorns@pilgrimshospices.org.

Our Benefits

As an Employer of Choice we are committed supporting our employees and volunteers through both a holistic benefits package, but also through wellbeing and work/life balance.

Our hospices offer:

• Flexible/hybrid working arrangements and a great work-life balance with realistic working hours.
• Free onsite parking.
• Financial discounts, provided through the Blue Light Card Membership Scheme.
• Standard Life Workplace Pension. Those joining us from the NHS may retain eligibility to membership of the NHS pension scheme.
• Subsidised meals, currently £2 per meal.
• Access to Dover Counselling Services.
• Enhanced Maternity/Paternity pay to match the NHS.
• Friendly and highly professional working environments alongside passionate people.
• Opportunities for professional development through a range of extensive learning.

About Us

As an award-winning employer, Pilgrims provides end of life care services to patients and their families across east Kent.

Our commitment is to provide open, compassionate care and expertise for patients and their families – both in the community and in-patient units.

Our Vision

“Of a community where people with a terminal illness and their family and friends are supported and empowered to live well in mind and body until the very last moment of their life”.

We recognise that our workforce is integral to the delivery of our Vision and our charitable aims. Pilgrims Hospices continues to create a highly skilled, motivated, engaged and healthy workforce by providing an environment where staff and volunteers feel highly motivated to perform their roles to a consistently high standard, and actively role model our charitable behaviours and values.

To achieve our Vision, we have a shared set of values and behaviours that enable us to be the people and the charity that patients and their loved ones need us to be. They form our CODE, which guides us in our daily working and decision making:

Compassionate We treat everyone with compassion and care

Open We communicate openly, honestly and effectively

Dynamic We are dynamic, improving and developing our service

Empowered We empower people to achieve their outcomes

How to Apply

To learn more about this role, please download the full job description document as attached.

If you are interested in applying for the role and wish to join our passionate team, please complete our online application form, including as much detail as possible.