Locum Consultant Neurologist

Main area Neurology Grade NHS Medical & Dental: Locum Consultant Contract 12 months (Fixed Term) Hours Full time - 10 sessions per week (Full shift) Job ref 381-ME-8260526

Site Smethwick Town Smethwick Salary £113,565 - £150,569 per annum Salary period Yearly Closing 21/10/2026 23:59

Here at Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust we’re committed to recruiting and supporting a diverse workforce and we welcome applications from all parts of the community. We are committed to having a team that is made up of diverse skills, experiences and abilities whilst employing people to our organisation who meet our Trust values of ambition, respect and compassion. With the opening of our new hospital, Midland Metropolitan University Hospital, it’s the coming together of expertise from every corner of our organisation and a show of our commitment to provide better healthcare and create more jobs and so much more. We at the Trust actively encourage Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) and disabled applicants, as well as members of the armed forces community and value the positive impact that difference has on our teams. We are committed to equality and diversity within our workforce.

Job overview

We are seeking a dynamic and forward-thinking Locum Consultant Neurologist to join our friendly and innovative Neurology team at Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust. Based at our new Midland Metropolitan University Hospital (MMUH), this is a fantastic opportunity to help shape and grow a high-quality, integrated neurology service within a single-site acute care model. You will work alongside an experienced and supportive team with a strong teaching, research, and sub-specialist focus. We welcome applicants with a general neurology background and a complementary subspecialty interest—particularly in epilepsy.

Join us as we embark on the next chapter of our service, improving outcomes for a diverse and complex patient population of over 500,000.

Main duties of the job

The successful candidate will provide high-quality outpatient and inpatient neurological care at MMUH, contributing to the delivery and development of general and specialist neurology services. You will work closely with fellow consultants, nurse specialists, neurophysiology and stroke teams, as well as regional colleagues at the Queen Elizabeth Neurosciences Centre.

The role includes supporting specialist clinics, contributing to the neurology/stroke on-call rota, teaching undergraduates and trainees, and participating in audit, clinical governance, and research activities. There is no general internal medicine commitment.

Working for our organisation

Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust (SWB) serves Birmingham and the Black Country – one of the country’s most culturally diverse areas. It’s a friendly and welcoming place – a place where you can belong, and a place where you can grow.

We care for our patients, we care about our population, and we care about our people.

Our values – Ambition, Respect and Compassion – are at the heart of who we are. They guide us every step of the way; how we work with each other, and how we look after our patients and their families; how we respect and value the rich diversity of our team and our community.

Our Trust has always aspired to be more than a hospital, more than a healthcare provider. Our purpose is "Improve the Life Chances and Health Outcomes of our Population." It is what inspires, drives, and unites us every day. It’s what makes us unique.

We want working at SWB to feel like more than just a job. We want our Trust to be a place where you can feel you belong. A place where you feel happy, safe, and rewarded. A place where you can develop your career in whatever way you choose. When we say we’re ‘with you all the way’ we want you to know that we mean it. Visit the SWB website to find out more about our ambitions and people plans.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

This Locum Consultant Neurologist post is based across Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust. Outpatient and administrative work will be primarily based at Sandwell Health Campus and the Birmingham Treatment Centre (BTC), with inpatient responsibilities at the newly opened Midland Metropolitan University Hospital (MMUH).

The Trust is currently undergoing service reconfiguration in line with the Right Care Right Here programme. Consequently, the postholder may be required to work across any of the Trust's sites to support service delivery as models of care evolve.

The Neurology Directorate is a vital component of the Group of Medicine and Emergency Care and is undergoing exciting developments. In October 2024, inpatient neurology services successfully transferred to MMUH as part of a wider reconfiguration alongside stroke and TIA services. Future priorities include embedding new technologies and treatments in Neurology and Neurophysiology and working collaboratively to ensure national standards and performance targets are met.

The successful candidate will also contribute to the shared care of patients in the Neurosciences Unit at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham with whom we have a close working relationship. All Consultants within our team currently participate in a weekly neuroscience MDT meeting as part of our collaborative working with regional partners.

We are particularly interested in appointing a consultant with a sub-specialty interest that complements our existing service. Interests in Epilepsy are desirable, but we welcome candidates with expertise in any area that will support future service development.

Person specification

Qualifications:

• Entry on the Specialist Register in Neurology (or CCT expected within 6 months from the date of interview)

Clinical Experience:

• Clinical training and experience equivalent to that required for gaining CCT in Neurology
• Special interest that complements the existing consultants
• Special interest in MS, Epilepsy or Movement Disorders

Management and Administrative Experience:

• Ability to organise and prioritise workload effectively

Clinical Effectiveness

• Experience of conducting clinical audit

Teaching and Training experience:

• Ability to teach clinical skills to medical and nursing staff and other disciplines
• Formal training in teaching

Research, Innovation and Service Improvement Experience:

• Ability to apply research outcomes to clinical problems
• Knowledge and experience of the application of information technology to Neurology
• Publications in relevant peer-reviewed journals in the last five years.
• Evidence of having undertaken original research

Other Requirements:

• Full GMC Registration with Licence to Practise

The four partner Trusts of the Black Country Provider Collaborative (Dudley Group NHS FT, Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust, Sandwell & West Birmingham NHS Trust, and Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust) are actively working in partnership to deliver a collective vision focused on providing better, faster and safer care to the population of the Black Country and beyond.

To support this vision, we are (where appropriate and safe to do so) actively looking at new models of care which: better protect elective / planned care service delivery across the system by organising on a 'hot and cold' arrangement; consider the optimal use of resources through consolidation and specialisation, and seek to reduce unwarranted variance, level up / standardise care through a 'Networked Service Solution' approach across the four sites.

Against this context, although this post is hosted by Sandwell & West Birmingham NHS Trust, there may be an expectation to work flexibly across the four partner Trusts to better meet patient and service needs.

As a major employer in the Black Country and West Birmingham region we are committed to supporting all employees to achieve a healthy work life balance. We want the Black Country and West Birmingham region to be the best place to work and as such will consider all requests to work flexibly taking into account personal and individual circumstances alongside the needs of the service. We encourage all prospective applicants to discuss their individual circumstances with the Recruiting Manager as part of the on-boarding process.

Healthcare services have a significant impact on the environment. We are committed to embedding sustainable practices. We expect all colleagues to support the delivery of our Green Strategic Plan and to drive positive changes in their department by joining our Green Impact programme.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Name Dr David Nicholl
Job title Clinical Lead & Consultant in Neurology
Email address david.nicholl@nhs.net
Telephone number 0121 554 3801
Additional information

The Locum Consultant Neurologist will be expected to:

• Collaborate in the strategic development and maintenance of Neurology services in line with Trust objectives and the wider system vision.
• Provide routine and emergency Neurology services, in conjunction with consultant colleagues, including participation in the neurology/stroke on-call rota and mutual cover for annual, study, and professional leave.
• Offer specialist consultation and advisory support to medical colleagues across other specialties within the Trust.
• Develop and lead a sub-specialty interest that aligns with departmental needs and complements the current service portfolio.
• Contribute to service development, introducing new techniques or pathways that meet identified clinical needs, within available resources.
• Supervise and support junior medical staff, participating in their appraisal and professional development alongside consultant colleagues.
• Support teaching and training for medical students, junior doctors, specialist nurses, general practitioners, and allied health professionals.
• Provide education and assessment for specialist registrars, including those on rotation from regional deanery programmes.
• Engage in cross-specialty working, contributing to MDTs, clinical meetings, and the broader postgraduate education programme within the Trust.
• Maintain strong links with local GPs, supporting integrated care and effective communication across the interface between primary and secondary care.
• Participate in and lead research activity, aligned with the priorities of the Clinical Group and Trust, within available resources.
• Contribute to the continuous improvement of neurology services, including:
  • Developing treatment guidelines
  • Promoting greater awareness and understanding of neurological conditions in primary care
  • Participating in departmental and Trust-wide clinical audit and quality improvement initiatives
  • Contributing to incident reporting and learning systems
  • Attending and contributing to the Trust’s Clinical Governance Programme
  • Leading or participating in the development of clinical policies and pathways
• Maintain continuing professional development (CPD) in line with Royal College requirements. The Trust supports CPD through study leave, funding, and access to education events, in agreement with the Clinical Director and Group Director.