Job Advert
Consultant Physician – NHS Orkney
Location: The Balfour, Kirkwall, Orkney
Contract: Flexible – Full time, part time or annualised
Salary: Consultant £111,430 – £148,064 including Distant Islands Allowance pro rata per annum
Have you ever imagined what it would be like to practise medicine in a place where your work truly matters – and your life outside of work is just as fulfilling?
In Orkney, we’re offering more than just a job. We’re offering a lifestyle – one where you can enjoy a meaningful and varied medical role in a modern, well-equipped hospital, while living in one of the most beautiful and welcoming communities in the UK.
We’re looking for an experienced Consultant Physician to join our small, dedicated team at The Balfour, our 44-bed Rural General Hospital serving a population of around 22,000 across 20 inhabited islands. This is a role that offers clinical variety, autonomy, and the opportunity to make a real difference in a unique healthcare setting.
We are also open to hearing from candidates who are within 6 months of completing CCT.
You’ll work at the heart of a close-knit, adaptable clinical team, collaborating with colleagues across NHS Orkney, NHS Grampian, and national emergency retrieval services. Your voice will be heard, your expertise valued, and your impact visible.
We understand that flexibility is key, and we’re open to shaping the role around the right candidate. Whether you’re looking for full-time, part-time, or annualised hours, we can offer a contract that fits your lifestyle. You might choose to live locally or commute from elsewhere – either way, we’ll support you. We also encourage and facilitate regular placements in larger centres to help you maintain and develop your clinical skills, alongside study leave and CPD opportunities.
And then there’s Orkney itself. Regularly ranked one of the best places to live in the UK, it offers excellent schools, a strong sense of community, and a rich cultural life. From sea kayaking and birdwatching to world-class archaeology and internationally renowned music festivals, there’s always something to explore. With excellent ferry and air links to the Scottish mainland and beyond, you’re never far from where you need to be – but you might just find you never want to leave.
If this sounds like the kind of change you’ve been looking for, we’d love to hear from you.
For an informal discussion, please contact:
Dr Kevin Fox, Consultant Physician – kevin.fox@nhs.scot or
Dr Alasdair Miller, Consultant Physician – alasdair.miller@nhs.scot or
Anna Lamont, Executive Medical Director – anna.lamont@nhs.scot
To find out more about living and working in Orkney go to www.orkney.com or www.orkneycommunities.co.uk and learn more about NHS Orkney at www.ohb.scot.nhs.uk.
This post is subject to a PVG Scheme Record check.