Chief Medical Officer

Job summary

Reporting directly to the Chief Executive and a key member of the Board, you will play a central role in ensuring we maintain the clinical innovation and excellence that is central to the fantastic care we provide to our patients.

We are seeking an outstanding and compassionate leader with the experience and ambition to deliver Royal Papworth's current and future priorities, providing visible and transformational leadership for our outstanding medical staff. Understanding of how to lead doctors in multi-faceted environments, oversee their development, plan their activity, support their research and champion their work is central to the role.

As a member of our board, you will ensure our decisions are centred on patient care and outcomes. You will work closely with the Chief Nursing Officer in relation to patient safety and clinical effectiveness, as well as being the executive lead for one of our six strategic aims - leading nationally and internationally in heart and lung care.

We are actively seeking candidates from a range of diverse and inclusive backgrounds who offer the leadership skills required. Whilst welcoming applications from all suitably experienced candidates, we wish to encourage applications from ethnic minority and female doctors. Applications will be considered on their merits.

Main duties of the job

The post has responsibility for the key elements below:

• the leadership of, and management of professional issues associated with the medical workforce and the services provided by doctors. This includes all relevant operational developmental and strategic matters. Lead the effective management of medical staff and ensure that they deliver effective, safe and high-quality care to patients.
• in conjunction with the Chief Nursing Officer the development and delivery of the Trust's Quality Strategy and accountable for the overall achievement of safety and quality metrics.
• as the most senior doctor in the Trust, provide strong and effective medical leadership and advice to inform corporate decisions.
• in conjunction with the Chief Nursing Officer, ensure that the Trust's clinical strategy is viable and effectively implemented.
• ensure that the Trust delivers its corporate clinical targets, influencing and maintaining alignment, on the part of the Trust's medical workforce, with the Trust's goals and objectives.
• act as 'responsible officer' in relation to the GMC'S revalidation requirements.
• work proactively to raise the profile of the Trust's reputation in the field of Cardio Thoracic medicine both nationally and internationally.
• contribute to the ICS clinical leadership forums, providing leadership and supporting our system partners in the reduction of healthcare inequalities and clinical improvements across end-to-end patient pathways.

About us

Royal Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is the UK's leading heart and lung hospital, delivering care to more than 50,000 patients a year in its new state-of-the-art hospital in Cambridge. We perform the most heart and/or lung transplants in the UK and carried out the UK's first successful heart transplant in 1979. It also offers emergency heart attack treatment, sleep centre care and is one of just five centres nationally for those in severe respiratory failure.

Based on the Cambridge Biomedical Campus the largest centre of medical research and health science in Europe the Trust is at the heart of treatments of the future. Royal Papworth became the first hospital trust in the country to be rated outstanding in all five areas assessed by the Care Quality Commission - a rating it still holds today. The Trust holds its values of compassion, excellence & collaboration at its core, and all colleagues joining the team are expected to uphold these in their day-to-day roles & interactions. Royal Papworth is proud of its diverse workforce and encourages people to embrace their individuality.

The Trust values difference and welcomes all applications irrespective of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy & maternity, race, religion & belief, sex and sexual orientation. Providing they meet the minimum post criteria, applicants with disabilities will be offered an interview.

For a street view tour: https://royalpapworth.nhs.uk/virtual-tour

Details

• Date posted: 08 October 2026
• Pay scheme: Very senior manager (VSM)
• Salary: £150,569 a year
• Contract: Permanent
• Working pattern: Full-time, Flexible working
• Reference number: 175-2627-2037
• Job locations: Trustwide, Papworth Road, Cambridge Bio Medical Campus, Cambridge, CB2 0AY, United Kingdom

Job responsibilities

On this page you will find a Role Profile which provides information about the hospital and full details about the role. We recommend that you review this and refer to it as you complete your application. Please include how you will meet the Trust Values Compassion, Excellence and Collaboration. If you would like more information about the role or working at Royal Papworth Hospital, please get in touch with the contact for this role.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

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).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).