Consultant Cellular Pathologist int. in Cytopathology/Lung Pathology

Job overview

The Department of Cellular Pathology is seeking a full-time (10 PA) or part-time (8PA) consultant to join a dynamic and supportive team of colleagues.  The post holder must have a demonstrable major interest in lung pathology and cytopathology with a current diagnostic cytology and lung pathology practice. The department is involved in many exciting initiatives and we are looking for an individual with appropriate skills to complement the teams and keep the service at the forefront of clinical and academic excellence. The laboratory has full UKAS/ISO accreditation status.

Main place of employment:

These posts will include working at both Guy’s and St Thomas’ sites as well as the new Synnovis Blackfriars Hub Laboratory (located near Southwark tube station).  However, it is a requirement of your employment that you be prepared to work at any additional or different location owned or served by the trust, either on an on-going or temporary basis according to the demands of the service.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will be accountable to the Clinical Lead in Cellular Pathology.

Specialist Interest

The Department operates a system of specialist reporting, each consultant having one or more special interests, which facilitates dealing with difficult cases and enhances patient care in accordance with Calman-Hine recommendations.

The specialist interests of this post are lung pathology and cytopathology. Cytopathology will form the main workload (4.5-5 PAs) with diagnostic lung pathology comprising the minor component (3.5-4 PAs).

Please refer to full job description for more details

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Diagnostic Cytopathology:

The department has an established FNA service (approx. 3000 cases annually) including EBUS & EUS FNA with onsite provisional reporting by consultant cytopathologists. A palpable FNA service is also provided by the cytopathologists in clinics, wards and theatres, which is requested through the cytology office and Epic. The cytology team provides an FNA service with Rapid Onsite Evaluation (ROSE) every working day at Guy’s & St Thomas’ sites to cover Navigational bronchoscopy, head & neck, melanoma, haematology and other rapid access clinics including Interventional Radiology.

At some clinics including Thyroid & other ultrasound guided FNA lists, where a pathologist is not in attendance, cytology Biomedical Scientists (BMS) assist radiologists in the assessment of sample adequacy by ROSE.

Other types of exfoliative cytology specimens (fluids, urine, washings and brushings) are also received in the department.

The Andrology service receives approx. 3600 specimens annually and is signed off by trained BMS staff with clinical oversight by the lead cytopathologist.

Cervical cytology and colposcopy MDMs are delivered by consultant pathologists and BMS at the London hub and is not a requirement for this post.

Cytology input is provided into the H&N, thyroid, lung, breast, haemato-oncology, gynaecological & gastro-intestinal MDMs. There is a consultant led multi-header teaching session every Monday 1-2pm for trainees and cytology BMS. The consultants are actively involved in teaching and presenting at national and international conferences, and support trainees and new consultants in their career development in Cytopathology.

Lung pathology:

The successful candidate will be joining an existing team of 4 substantiative lung consultants and 2 locums. The current lung consultants also have other speciality interests.

Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust is a specialised thoracic tertiary referral centre and receives referrals from the South East London network and wider including Canterbury and Reading. The histopathology service is currently provided by a team of three consultants. There are six thoracic surgeons based at Guy’s Hospital, making it one of the largest centres in the UK covering 17 referring hospitals and 14 MDMs. There were over 1400 operative resections in 2024 and frozen sections are relatively frequent. There is a expanding navigational bronchoscopy service of approximately 30 cases per month with plans to expand to 500 per year by the end of 2025 We receive a wide variety of surgical specimens from biopsies to lobectomies and pneumonectomies and well as thymectomies and decortications. There is one MDM a week (Friday 8am).

We routinely do molecular analysis on our tumours which we integrate into our reports. We provide thoracic tissue for a bank which provides material for research and is of great value to the Academic Health Science Centre and the Biomedical Research Centre. All the clinicians are keen on research and running trials so there is ample opportunity for participation in this.

We are committed to teaching postgraduate students as well as being involved in the university teaching of undergraduate students.

Provide High Quality Care to Patients

• The post holder must be medically qualified and maintain GMC specialist registration and hold a licence to practice
• To develop and maintain the competencies required to carry out the duties required of the post.
• To ensure prompt attendance at agreed direct clinical care Programmed Activities.
• To provide expert histopathology and cytopathology services with the object of ensuring a high standard of patient care ·         To participate in the provision of the gastro-intestinal pathology service ·         To participate in clinical and other service activities with the object of ensuring a high standard of patient care

Research, Teaching and Training

• Where possible to collaborate with academic and clinical colleagues to enhance the Trust’s translational research portfolio, at all times meeting the full requirements of Research Governance.
• To provide high quality teaching to medical undergraduates and members of other health care professions as required by the Clinical Director.
• To act as educational supervisor and appraiser as delegated by the Clinical Director to ensure external accreditation of training post.

Performance Management

• To work with medical, nursing and managerial colleagues to ensure high performance in the following areas:
• Clinical efficiency e.g. LOS reductions, reducing cancelled operations and DNA rates.
• Quality of outcomes e.g. infection control targets, reducing re-admission rates.
• Financial management e.g. identification, implementation and achievement of cost improvement programmes and participating in efforts to ensure services are provided cost effectively e.g. managing locum agency spend, monitoring and managing the drug budget to target, ensuring accuracy of clinical data for the team.
• Operational efficiency e.g. day-case rates, waiting list activity and demand management.

Medical Staff Management

• To work with colleagues to ensure junior doctors’ hours are compliant in line with EWTD and New Deal.
• To ensure that adequate systems and procedures are in place to control and monitor leave for junior medical staff and to ensure that there is appropriate cover within the clinical areas, including on-call commitments
• To participate in the recruitment of junior medical staff as and when required.
• To participate in team objective setting as part of the annual job planning cycle.
• To be responsible for the annual appraisal of all doctors in training, Trust doctors, Clinical Fellows and non-consultant grades as delegated by the Clinical Director/General Manager.

Governance

• To review clinical outcomes in designated area using external benchmarking data where appropriate, to identify and advise variances to the Clinical Director.
• Participate in clinical audit, incident reporting and analysis and to ensure resulting actions are implemented.
• To work closely with the Directorate, Patient and Public Involvement panels in relation to clinical and services developments as delegated by the Clinical Director.
• Participate in ensuring NICE requirements are reviewed and implemented and monitored in the speciality areas.
• To ensure clinical guidelines and protocols are adhered to by junior medical staff and updated on a regular basis.
• To keep fully informed about best practice in the speciality areas and ensure implications for practice changes are discussed with the Clinical Director.
• To role model good practice for infection control to all members of the multidisciplinary team.

Strategy and Business Planning

• To participate in the business planning and objective setting process for the directorate and Trust where appropriate.
• To represent the Trust at appropriate clinical networks/other external clinical meetings, as delegated by the Clinical Director.

Leadership and Team Working

• To demonstrate excellent leadership skills with regards to individual performance, clinical teams, the Trust and when participating in national or local initiatives.
• To work collaboratively with all members of the multi-disciplinary team and Kings Health Partners as required.
• To chair regular meetings for the specialties.
• To resolve conflict and difficult situations through negotiation and discussion, involving appropriate parties.
• Adhere to Trust/departmental guidelines on leave including reporting absence.