Consultant in Acute Medicine QEH(Ambulatory Care Unit)

Job overview

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 5 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**

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

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