Job Advert
Salaried – Clinical Lead GP Rapid Cancer Diagnostic Service
Part time - 16 hours per week
Fixed term for 12 months
Salary Scale - £118,911 per annum pro rata
Are you a GP looking to grow and develop your clinical and leadership skills whilst developing an important part of the Forth Valley Cancer Strategy? Then this post is for you. We are launching a Rapid Cancer Diagnostic Service in Forth Valley and are looking for an expert medical generalist to lead the service and a small team.
Compelling evidence has emerged in recent years from Rapid Diagnostic Centres (RDCS), based on the Danish model, and continue to be embedded across NHS England and NHS Wales. They offer a timely, often one-stop environment for clinically complex patients with potentially serious non-specific symptoms suspicious of cancer, such as weight loss, fatigue, nausea and abdominal pain. In NHS Scotland, around 60% of cancers are diagnosed through an urgent suspicion of cancer (USC) route, therefore the remainder of cancers come through alternative routes (for example, routine or urgent referrals from primary care or presentation via Accident and Emergency). An interim report was published November 2022 with a final report, assessing the first two years of RCDSs in NHS Scotland published February 2024. Full details of the study objectives, design, setting and methods can be found in the University of Strathclyde’s report. The evaluation of Scotland’s RCDSs to date shows that the model delivers a quality service at speed, and is highly valued by both patients and staff. Evaluation efforts have shown that the RCDS model in Scotland is cost effective, comparing favorably to findings from other similar countries, with one of the report’s authors reflecting that “RCDSs should be used as an exemplar for cancer care with learning embedded across all pathways” (Professor Robert van der Meer).
There is a Scottish Government commitment to achieve equitable access to a RCDS across Scotland by Spring 2026. As of July 2024, there are five RCDSs live in NHS Scotland – NHS Ayrshire & Arran, NHS Dumfries & Galloway, NHS Fife, NHS Borders and NHS Lanarkshire.
Applicants will have completed GP training.
Informal enquiries should be directed by email to:
Dr Rachel Green, GP Clinical Lead for Cancer and Palliative Care, rachel.green3@nhs.scot
Dr Oliver Milling-Smith, Lead Cancer Clinician for Forth Valley, oliver.millingsmith@nhs.scot
Karen Bonnar, Cancer Manager, karen.bonnar@nhs.scot
Reference number: 198676
Closing date: 10th November 2024
Interview date: To be confirmed
NHS Forth Valley is an equal opportunities employer.
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.