Consultant Physician

NHS Scotland is committed to encouraging equality and diversity among our workforce and eliminating unlawful discrimination. The aim is for our workforce to be truly representative and for each employee to feel respected and able to give their best. To this end, NHS Scotland welcomes applications from all sections of society.

Lorn and the Islands Hospital is a Rural General Hospital, situated in Oban on the west coast of Scotland - one of the most beautiful areas of Scotland.  We are developing a new model for the delivery of medical services, linked with colleagues in NHS Glasgow and Clyde and North Highland: whilst this will be a uniquely Oban-focussed project, there will be parallels with existing successful models of rural health care in Scotland, such as that in Caithness General in Wick. This is an excellent opportunity to be directly involved in shaping and delivering clinical change, to which we are committed.

We need an enthusiastic, visionary consultant physician to join our team, with the option of fulfilling the Lead Physician role. This is a consultant physician led service, centred on high quality health care but supporting a great work life balance. When you come to work you will deliver high quality health care to the local population, but you will not have people queueing in ambulances or waiting in corridors. You will work with a small, dedicated team in a hospital that serves the population of Argyll; you will see your patient from one end of their hospital journey to the other, with the satisfaction that you have made a real difference to their care and experience. You will work alongside dedicated junior doctors and fantastic nurses and allied health care workers.

Rural Emergency Physicians, who are more senior doctors usually on the specialist register in their own right from a GP or ED background, help to ensure the front door of this rural general hospital is run safely and smoothly, and support the training and supervision of the junior doctors; this reduces the time commitment to the front door for the Consultant Physicians.

Lorn & Islands Hospital is located on the southern outskirts of Oban and forms a hub for both acute and community services within the area. Purpose built in 1995, the Hospital provides a full 24-hour medical, surgical and anaesthetic service, and an on-site radiology service. The consultants also provide outpatient clinics to community hospitals throughout Argyll including the island of Mull.

The area is of one of outstanding natural beauty. The town of Oban is a tourist and commercial centre for the West of Scotland and the Isles. The port town has ferry links to the islands of Mull, Iona, Islay, Coll, Tiree, Colonsay and Lismore. There is plenty of opportunity for enjoying leisure pursuits including yachting, canoeing, walking, climbing, cycling and fishing. There is a strong culture of traditional music and dance in Argyll. It’s a great place to bring up a family with good local schools and reasonable property prices. Oban provides the advantage of a high quality of life in a rural setting with access to the main centres of Inverness, Glasgow, Stirling and Perth all within 2-3 hours travel time.

This vacancy is offered on the basis of 10 Programmed Activities per week with on call availability supplement at 1:4 available for each post.  Up to 2 additional PAs may be available by negotiation.

 Part time applications will also be considered.

Applicants are encouraged to visit the hospital and surrounding area.

For an informal and confidential chat please contact:

Dr David Robinson, Consultant Anaesthetist davidnrobinson@nhs.scot or

Dr Emma Beveridge Consultant Radiologist emma.beveridge@nhs.scot  Interim Clinical Leads Lorn & Islands Hospital or

Dr Duncan Scott - duncan.scott2@nhs.scot  Divisional Clinical Director for Medicine NHS Highland

Closing date: Midnight Sunday 17 September 2023