Consultant in Acute Medicine QEHNHS
Job summary
Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust is seeking a dynamic Consultant in Acute Medicine to join our expanding team at Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Woolwich. This is a unique opportunity to shape the future of acute care at QEH Medicine division. The post holder will undertake senior clinical duties in the Acute Medical Unit, Acute Admissions Unit, Take, Post Take/Outliers and Medical SDEC teams.
In 2025, we launched a new clinical model aligned with GIRFT, national best practice, and South East London ICS priorities. A key feature is the new Acute Assessment Unit (AAU), focused on rapid assessment, senior decision-making, and timely discharge. Acting as the front door for medical take, the AAU will streamline triage and reduce ED pressures, ensuring patients are quickly directed to the right setting--Medical SDEC, Frailty SDEC, AMU, specialty ward, or discharged.
The redesigned AMU will support short-stay care with enhanced specialty in-reach and early discharge planning. This model aims to deliver the right care, in the right place, at the right time--reducing admissions, shortening stays, and improving outcomes.
You'll join a progressive, learning-focused team that values clinical excellence, innovation, and staff wellbeing. We're investing in training and development to support all staff through this transformation. If you have ideas, we listen, support, and help turn them into reality.
Come and join the team!
Consultant in Acute Medicine - 1
JD pending Approval by the RC
Main duties of the job
There are 4 full-time posts being advertised, each will have 10 PAs in Acute Medicine including 7.5 PAs for direct clinical care, covering hot weeks and a 1-in-10 weekend rota per post. You'll have 1.5 core SPAs, with potential for an additional SPA subject to approval.
You'll join a dynamic team of Acute Medical Consultants with diverse specialist interests, working within a supportive and high-performing department. We value passion, innovation, and personal development as much as service delivery.
Key responsibilities include:
- Providing senior clinical leadership across the Acute Medical Unit (AMU), Acute Admissions Unit, Take and Post Take, Outlier clinical activity and Medical SDEC.
- Leading consultant ward rounds, MDT meetings, and discharge planning.
- Supervising junior staff including Clinical Fellows, Physician Assistants, and trainees.
- Driving quality improvement, patient safety, and service transformation.
- Contributing to clinical pathway development and teaching.
- Participating in the general medical on-call rota.
Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust is a progressive, inclusive organisation focused on excellent care and staff development. The Queen Elizabeth Hospital site offers a vibrant clinical environment with innovation in acute and frailty medicine.
Our AMU includes:
- Acute Admissions Unit
- Acute Medical Unit
- Acute Frailty Unit- **Led by Frailty consultants**
- Frailty SDEC- **Led by Frailty consultants**
Job description
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential:
Full registration with GMC inclusion on the GMC specialist register for Acute Medicine or General Internal Medicine or within 6 months of expected date of Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT) or appropriate equivalent
MRCP or equivalent
Experience
Essential:
Broad experience in acute and general internal medicine
Proven leadership in clinical settings
Experience in supervising and developing junior staff
Evidence of service development, audit, or research activity
Desirable:
Experience in frailty or ambulatory care models
Skills and Knowledge
Essential:
Strong clinical decision-making and situational awareness
Commitment to clinical governance and patient safety
Excellent communication and team-working skills
Evidence of teaching and educational supervision
Understanding of current issues within Acute Medicine and future direction of speciality
Desirable:
Experience in quality improvement and change management
Interest in digital innovation or integrated care
About us
Our people are our greatest asset. When we feel supported and happy at work, this positivity reaches those very people we are here for, the patients. Engaged employees perform at their best and our Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) initiatives contribute to cultivate a culture of engagement. We have four staff networks, a corporate EDI Team and a suite of programmes and events which aim to insert the 5 aspirations:
- Improving representation at senior levels of staff with disabilities, from black, Asian, and ethnic minorities background, identify as LGBTQ+ and women, through improved recruitment and leadership development
- Widening access (anchor institution) and employability
- Improving the experience of staff with disability
- Improving the EDI literacy and confidence of trust staff through training and development
- Making equalities mainstream
We're proud of our collaborative culture and seek a consultant who shares our values and vision for excellence.