Locum Consultant Histopathologist

Job overview

Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is seeking to appoint a 12-month 10PA fixed term Consultant Histopathologist for maternity cover. The core service requirement for this post is diagnostic expertise in gastrointestinal pathology, and we particularly welcome applicants able to support these high-volume and clinically critical services. Experience in other subspecialties and non-gynaecological cytology is welcome.

The gynaecological pathology service is based at Cheltenham General Hospital and supports a large and well-established clinical service. This includes secondary and tertiary gynaecological cancer services to a population of approximately 1.4 million, covering Herefordshire, Powys and Worcestershire, as well as diagnostic, unit-level and tertiary management for the local Gloucestershire population of 652,000. The post therefore offers an opportunity to work within a busy, regionally significant service with strong MDT engagement.

The successful applicant will join a supportive, UKAS-accredited Cellular Pathology Department with established digital pathology since 2025.

Job description

The successful candidate will:

• Provide high-quality diagnostic reporting, with a core contribution to gastrointestinal pathology, supporting both local and regional cancer services.
• Support additional subspecialty areas aligned with experience and departmental need, including dermatopathology, urological, lung, GI or head & neck pathology and non-gynaecological cytology.
• Participate in cut-up, supported by experienced dissection practitioners.
• Attend and contribute to MDT meetings, including regional and tertiary gynaecological cancer MDTs as appropriate.
• Take part in the department's longstanding second-signing process for quality assurance.
• Use the digital pathology service fully.
• Contribute to service development, audit and clinical governance in line with Trust policies.

Job responsibilities

Clinical duties

• Histopathology reporting across a range of specimen types.
• Subspecialty reporting with emphasis on gastrointestinal pathology, including work supporting regional cancer services.
• Support additional subspecialty areas and/or non-gynaecological cytology aligned with experience and departmental need.
• MDT preparation and attendance.
• Participation in secondsigning and intradepartmental consultation.

Training, teaching and departmental culture

The department has an active and supportive training culture:

• Consultants are expected to support postgraduate histopathology trainees.
• Regular undergraduate teaching is delivered, with medical students attending structured halfday sessions.
• The department offers taster sessions for resident doctors considering a career in histopathology.
• Formal Educational Supervisor roles are allocated separately, but all consultants are expected to contribute to the educational environment.

Laboratory and departmental responsibilities

• Participation in the cutup rota with expert dissection practitioner support.
• Full engagement with digital pathology workflows, including remote reporting.
• Contribution to audit, service improvement, clinical governance and teaching.

Qualifications

• Full GMC registration with licence to practise.
• GMC Specialist Register for histopathology.
• Commitment to delivering a highquality cellular pathology service.

About the organisation

Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is the largest provider within the SWAG Cancer Alliance and delivers high-quality emergency, elective and specialist care across a wide range of services. The Cellular Pathology Department is based at Cheltenham General Hospital and supports both local and regional specialist clinical services, including tertiary gynaecological oncology.

Cheltenham is consistently rated as one of the best places to live in the UK, offering excellent schools, a vibrant cultural scene, green spaces and easy access to the Cotswolds.

The department has a strong culture of subspecialisation, a fully implemented digital pathology service, and an expanding Molecular Pathology Service, supporting modern diagnostics and flexible working.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Full registration (can we have a license to practice) with general medical Council (GMC).

Desirable

• Teaching qualification
• FRCPath or equivalent qualification
• Higher degree
• Teaching qualification

Knowledge and Skills

Essential

• Experience in devising, conducting and applying audit results
• Familiar with clinical governance
• Awareness of current relevant developments within the NHS

Desirable

• Training in evidence-based practice
• Ability to apply research outcomes to clinical problems

Clinical/Experience

Essential

• Proven clinical skills in cellular pathology
• Willing and able to work with colleagues in management and other specialities to ensure the delivery of a high quality, safe and reliable service
• Familiar with clinical governance
• A willingness to accept responsibility
• Awareness of current relevant developments within the NHS
• Determination to play a full part in the future development of the service
• Interest in teaching

Desirable

• Experience of clinical governance
• Experience of teaching of hospital and professional staff at all levels

Personal Attributes

Essential

• Ability to work co-operatively as a team member
• Flexibility and willingness to share clinical responsibility
• An understanding of the wider healthcare environment in which Cellular Pathology operates.
• Conscientiousness
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Ability to communicate effectively with clinical, academic and managerial colleagues and with all grades of laboratory, clerical and ancillary staff
• Ability to self-motivate

Desirable

• Ability to think laterally
• Ability to respond quickly to change

Supporting documents

• Job Description.pdf (PDF, 320 KB)