Chief Registrar

Job overview

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an enthusiastic and motivated senior doctor in training (ST4 or above or equivalent) with an interest in leadership, management, and quality improvement to join University College London Hospital as a chief registrar. Successful applicants will work in a leadership role across one of the three Boards: Medicine, Specialist Hospitals, or Surgery and Cancer.

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 role provides senior trainees with 40–50% 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.

Main duties of the job

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.

Key duties include  •    leading service improvement and quality improvement initiatives •    using data to diagnose problems and evaluate change •    delivering tangible operational and patient-experience outcomes •    regularly attending departmental and divisional meetings •    representing resident doctor perspectives at Trust-level forums •    engaging in reflective leadership development •    completing the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) Chief Registrar development programme •    supporting an excellent training experience for resident doctors  •    helping improve efficiency and reduce waste  •    mentoring other resident doctors and engaging with postgraduate medical education structures.  •    acting as a bridge between resident doctors, senior clinical leaders, and managers, improving communication, engagement, and morale across the medical workforce.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

For the full Person Specification and more information regarding the main responsibilities of this role, please refer to the attached Job Description.

Please note, due to anticipated high volumes of applications, this vacancy may close earlier than the listed closing date. You are advised not to delay submitting your completed application

Applications are open to senior trainees:  •    National Training Number (NTN) ST4 level or above •    Locally employed doctors (LED) at equivalent experience of ST4 or above (up to ST8) •    Working full time or less than full time •    Who have full GMC registration.

Nodal point 4 (MT04) Nodal point 5 only paid to ST6 plus

Applications from internal candidates and applicants due to join UCLH from Aug 2026 will be prioritised.

This is a fixed-term role for 12 months. For those with an NTN, the role can be undertaken in programme (by moving to LTFT), or out of programme (training or experience) and must be discussed with your educational supervisor and training programme director (TPD) – permission to apply must be granted by the TPD.

The chief registrar post is a 12-month appointment open to doctors from any medical specialty who have not yet completed training or taken up a consultant post. Clinical work remains within the individual’s parent specialty and accounts for approximately 50–60% of their time, with the remainder protected for chief registrar responsibilities. The role may be undertaken in-programme or out-of-programme, subject to local agreement and training approval. Chief registrars are accountable to the Medical Director (or nominated deputy) of the relevant Board and are supported by a named mentor and educational supervisor.

The role is based across Trust sites as required and includes participation in on-call rotas where appropriate.

The postholder is expected to demonstrate leadership capability, professionalism, and a commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion, sustainability, safeguarding, and continuous improvement. Duties may evolve in response to organisational needs, and performance is reviewed through appraisal and agreed objectives.

Further information about the Chief Registrar Programme is available at:

https://www.rcp.ac.uk/events-and-education/education-and-professional-development/leadership-cpd-courses/chief-registrar-programme/

Come and be a part of the best NHS trust in England to work for, according to our staff*

* UCLH top trust to work at in England - In the most recent NHS staff survey UCLH had the highest percentage of staff who said they would recommend us as a place to work, out of all general acute or acute/community NHS trusts in England – for the third year in a row.

UCLH recognises the benefits of flexible working for staff – To find out more, visit: Flexible working.

To discover more about what makes UCLH a great place to work, visit: Why Choose UCLH?