Locum Consultant, Obstetrics-Acute Operational Oversight Lead


Company:	Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Salary:	£113,565 - £150,569 Per annum
Hours:	Full-time
Location:	Luton, LU4 0DZ
Job type:	Contract
Posting date:	29 Sept 2026
Closing date:	29 Oct 2026

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Summary

A Vacancy at Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

We are seeking a dynamic and experienced obstetrician to take on a key leadership role in acute operational oversight within the Maternity Service at the Luton and Dunstable Hospital site. This is a pivotal role aimed at enhancing safety, flow and quality of care in our high activity obstetric unit, supporting resident Obstetricians, midwives and operational team in real time clinical decision making and ensuring robust operational performance in all areas of maternity care – delivery suite, triage, day assessment unit and post-natal wards.

Indicative Timetable

The proposed timetable will include:

Post 1

Direct/Supporting

Number of PAs

Antenatal clinic

DCC

2.00

Delivery suite

DCC

0.50

Caesarean section list

DCC

1.75

Antenatal Ward cover

DCC

0.25

Acute Consultant Oversight (ACO)

DCC

3.00

On-call Weekday (17/year) & Weekends (3 Obstetrics)

DCC

1.0

Audit, clinical governance, CPD

SPA

1.5

TOTAL PAs

10.0

Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust provides hospital services to a growing population of around 700,000 people living across Bedfordshire and the surrounding areas across two busy hospital sites in Bedford and Luton. Both hospital sites offer key services such as A&E, Obstetrics-led Maternity and Paediatrics. You will be joining a friendly, high performing Trust committed to ensuring the health and wellbeing of staff. As one of the largest NHS Trusts in our region you will have access to a programme of high quality training and development to help you grow your career. The Trust continues to be committed to delivering the best patient care using the best clinical knowledge and technology.

Our Values

We not only recruit based on qualifications and experience - we recruit individuals who demonstrate the behaviours which underpin our Trusts core values. We achieve this by using values based recruitment. We are dedicated to making our recruitment practices as inclusive as possible for everyone, we are committed to promoting equality and diversity, and creating a culture that values differences.

Please note that vacancies may close prior to the advertised closing date when sufficient number of applications have been received. All new staff will be subject to a probationary period covering first 6 months in post. Travel between hospital sites may be required. Please review all documents attached to ensure you familiarize yourself with all requirements of the job.

Direct Clinical Care:

• To be responsible for the provision of acute Obstetrics and Gynaecology services within Luton & Dunstable Hospital

• Provision of acute services in the following areas of clinical care: Postnatal ward, Day Assessment Unit; Acute Obstetric outliers, Antenatal ward oversight in the afternoons and Triage when needed

• Provide antenatal clinic services running a general or special interest clinic dependant on the skills and expertise of the candidate.

• Provide acute gynaecology services, when needed, to help meet the 14 hour consultant review of patients target

• Provide caesarean section list, at least once a month and according to the needs of the service, teaching and training the Trainee Specialist Registrars, juniors and middle grade Clinical Fellows

• Strive to continuously develop services for obstetrics that are of a consistent high quality for the whole of the patient pathway.

• Provide optimum care which is based on best clinical practise, in order to achieve the best possible outcomes for pregnant women.

• So far as is consistent with the proper discharge of the above duties, the appointee undertakes to deputise from time to time for absent colleagues

Quality and Governance:

· Monitor and respond to clinical activity data and key performance indicators (e.g DDI, Decision Delivery Interval audits, emergency C-section rates, delays in induction or transfer MDT handover compliance, MDT ward round and handover.

· Lead on and contribute to incident reviews, support real-time ‘hot debriefs’ following significant events, support AARs (After Action Review), MDTs or adverse outcomes, as part of learning via our PSIRF approach

· Promote and model adherence to national guidelines, local protocols and best practice standards

· Report incidents on the risk software Inphase

· Be the primary point of contact to review Ultrasound scan rejections to ensure correct pathways are followed for fetal concerns and provide clinical expertise to the US department.

Team Support and Training:

· Provide on-the-floor support to resident doctors, midwives, Sonographers

· Identify and escalate training needs observed during acute care and support the learning environment. Ensuring compliance with statutory training and local training compliance eg CTG and PROMPT.

· Work collaboratively with the Clinical Education supervisor for training needs.

Strategic and Service Development:

· Engage in and lead on audits, research and quality improvement projects.

· Collate thematic service issues to develop service improvements.

This advert closes on Tuesday 13 Oct 2026

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