Specialty Doctor – HIV & Sexual Health

Job overview

This is an exciting opportunity for a 6 months fixed term Specialty Doctor in Sexual Health and HIV (8.25 PAs) to join the established team at Chelsea and Westminster NHS Foundation Trust, supporting services delivered at its satellite clinics in Hertfordshire and Harlow. The postholder will be primarily based at Southgate Health Centre in Stevenage, with additional HIV clinical sessions in Harlow. We envisage further retirement towards the end of this post which would enable recruitment to a substantive post(s).

The postholder will work closely with the existing medical team and will maintain an active clinical role, contributing to the delivery of high-quality Sexual Health and HIV care in Stevenage and at the Harlow HIV clinic. The role also includes responsibilities as Education/Audit Lead.

Main duties of the job

• Deliver specialist clinical care in Sexual Health and HIV, including assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of STIs and HIV.
• Provide contraception services, including LARC methods where appropriately trained.
• Offer expert advice on PrEP, PEP, and HIV management to patients and the multidisciplinary team.
• Review and manage complex GUM and HIV cases with support of the MDT and consultants.
• Manage a caseload of HIV patients, including those with seroconversion, pregnancy, treatment initiation/switches, and acute illness.
• Provide clinical guidance to HIV Clinical Nurse Specialists and the HIV Specialist Pharmacist across all sites.
• Contribute to high quality case management for patients with complex needs as part of the MDT.
• Lead the service's Education and Audit programme.
• Provide flexible senior medical cover, including cross site support when needed.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The post holder will work closely with the existing consultant and SAS body and will maintain an active clinical role, contributing to the delivery of high‑quality Sexual Health and HIV care in Stevenage and also working at Harlow HIV Clinic. The post also includes an additional role of Education/Audit Lead.

Sexual Health Hertfordshire

The sexual health service, delivered by CLCH, consists of three integrated sexual health hubs; Watford clinic, Southgate Clinic in Stevenage and Hatfield Clinic. All three locations have recently refurbished facilities. There is an additional nurse-led level sexual health clinic in Cheshunt plus online services for STI testing and routine and emergency contraception. Typical clinical activity is approximately 80,000 per annum.

There is also an ongoing program of training in general contraception and contraceptive procedures which is provided by faculty-registered trainers for both internal and external candidates. In addition, two ST1 trainees based at the Watford and Hatfield Clinics who are part of a rotational GP VTS training scheme.

The HIV outpatient services, delivered by CWFT, are based at Watford, Stevenage and Harlow manage a total cohort of 950 patients. There is a close working partnership with the HIV outpatient and inpatient teams at Chelsea & Westminster Hospital, allowing patients with complex needs to be referred to a wide variety of specialist joint clinics, an HIV day care facility and a specialist HIV ward. The inpatient team provide advice and support for the Watford, Stevenage and Harlow HIV teams and to the Medical teams at the neighboring acute hospitals when needed. The Harlow HIV Clinic is a smaller, two-day service running out of 1 The Stow, Essex sexual health service.