Consultant in Cardiothoracic Anaesthesia and Critical Care

Job summary

University Hospitals Birmingham (UHB) is one of England largest teaching trusts, employing around 22,000 staff. It serves over 2.2 million patients annually across four hospitals - Good Hope, Heartlands, Queen Elizabeth, and Solihull - as well as various clinics and community services. UHB is committed to delivering excellent patient care and staff wellbeing, guided by its core values: Kindness, Connectedness, and Boldness.

Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham is seeking a Consultant Anaesthetist to join its progressive anaesthesia department. Our surgical specialties, include complex areas like neurosurgery, cardiothoracics, hepatobiliary surgery, and Europe's largest solid organ transplant program.

We are excited to invite applications for a Consultant Anaesthetist specialising in the provision of Cardiothoracic Anaesthesia and Cardiothoracic Critical Care Medicine, at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham (QEHB).

Main duties of the job

The successful applicant will join 13 other Consultant Anaesthetists working within Cardiac surgical services.

The scope of Cardiothoracic Anaesthesia and Cardiothoracic Critical Care Medicine at QEHB includes providing cover for:

*Conventional cardiac surgery to include coronary artery bypass grafts (CABG), valve surgery, aortic root surgery, and cardiac emergencies

*Provision of transoesophageal echocardiography both within and out of the cardiothoracic service to support other intensive care units and the entire anaesthetic department

*Aorta surgery

*Adult congenital heart disease (ACHD)

*Heart and lung transplantation

*Mechanical circulatory support to include cardiac extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (Cardiac ECMO), ventricular assist devices, and ventricular assist systems

*Cardiology activity in the cathlabs to include transcutaneous edge-to-edge repair (TEER) of the mitral and tricuspid valve, transcutaneous implantation of the pulmonary valve, cathlab ACHD activity, electrophysiology, and support for cathlab emergencies

*Participation in multidisciplinary team meetings (MDT), audit meetings and process, morbidity and mortality meetings, and service development meetings

About us

University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust strives to have an inclusive culture where everyone feels like they belong, can thrive, knows that they add value and feels valued. We do this by developing compassionate and culturally competent leaders, being values driven in all that we do and by creating a welcoming and inclusive workplace that thrives on the diversity of our people. As such we want to attract and recruit talented individuals from all backgrounds, and for each of you to feel supported for the diversity you bring, to achieve your full potential. For those staff with a disability, including physical disability, long term health condition, mental health or neurodiverse condition, this also means being committed to making reasonable adjustments needed for you to carry out your role.

Details

• Date posted: 02 June 2026
• Pay scheme: Hospital medical and dental staff
• Salary: £113,565 to £150,569 a year
• Contract: Permanent
• Working pattern: Full-time
• Reference number: 304-KDA-1100890
• Job locations: Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Mindelsohn Way, Birmingham, West Midlands, B15 2TH, United Kingdom

Job responsibilities

The cardiac surgery programme provides about 600 operations per year but is looking to expand that to 1200 per annum.

Cardiac theatres at QEHB consist of three modern, custom-built suites providing elective and emergency anaesthesia across a whole range of adult cardiac surgery including device support for heart failure and heart and lung transplantation. The department also has well established adult congenital heart disease surgery, major aortic surgery, carcinoid heart disease surgery and cath lab-based intervention and diagnostic services.

Anaesthesia is provided with frequently upgraded and advance organ monitoring equipment and is supported by closely located modern critical care unit.

The on-calls are 1 in 7 and are busy with conventional and transplant emergencies. We are looking to support these rotas by appointing Cardiac fellows.

Applicants must be experienced Cardiothoracic Anaesthetists and Intensivists.

Applicants must be experienced with the scope of Mechanical Cardiac Support offered at QEHB.

Applicants must be experienced echcocardiographers able to provide high quality, diagnostic studies.

Applicants must be experienced Anaesthetists able to resolve all difficult airway scenarios, able to expertly use all anaesthetic equipment, experts in ultrasound guided procedures, experts in all advanced intensive care procedures including placement of pulmonary artery flotation catheters, and have advanced experience in provision of regional anaesthesia.

Applicants must have excellent communication skills and attitudes and behaviours that are conducive to conflict avoidance and resolution.

This post will be part of a team of Consultants that work within a prospective cover rota across cardiac anaesthesia and cardiac critical care. The applicant must be able to work as part of a multi-disciplinary team.

The appointee will be expected to participate in the Divisional and Departmental audit programme as well as in both undergraduate and postgraduate teaching.

The post holder must understand the significant ongoing changes in the Trust services and be prepared to take an active part in the change program.

We have included a suggested job plan in Appendix 1, but the successful candidate will be invited to discuss these options with the Specialty and Departmental CSLs on appointment. Any changes to the job plan must be first discussed with the Divisional Director and approved by the Medical Director.