The award winning South West Endoscopy Training Academy is seeking an outstanding clinical leader to take on the role of Endoscopy Lead/Clinical Director.
This is an exciting opportunity to shape the future of endoscopy training across the South West, building on the successful work the academy and its team has delivered since its formation in 2021 in ensuring high-quality, equitable, and sustainable training pathways for the region wide endoscopy workforce.
The Academy forms part of the national Endoscopy Training Academy programme, supporting the delivery of world-class endoscopy education and workforce development. The Clinical Director will provide strategic leadership, professional oversight, and expert clinical guidance to ensure that training delivery remains aligned with national standards, regional needs, and the long-term workforce strategy.
This post is offered at up to 0.3 WTE, with opportunities for flexible distribution across one or more consultants, and areas of focus, depending on skills, experience, and interest. Applicants from any relevant endoscopy-performing specialty (including gastroenterology, colorectal surgery, upper GI surgery, general surgery, or related fields) are welcome.
The postholder provides senior clinical and strategic leadership for the South West Endoscopy Training Academy (SWETA), setting direction for high-quality, sustainable training aligned to national standards, regional workforce priorities, and service demands. Working in partnership with NHS England, JAG, legacy Health Education England programmes, the South West Endoscopy Network, and local Trusts, the role ensures a coordinated, system-wide approach to workforce development and represents SWETA at regional and national forums.
The role supports delivery of training, simulation, and endoscopist development pathways, ensuring robust clinical governance, quality assurance, and consistency across sites. It promotes safety, excellence, and adherence to national standards.
The postholder leads stakeholder engagement, building effective relationships with Trusts, training centres, clinical leads, trainees, and professional bodies, while promoting innovation, research, and staff development.
In addition, the role supports expansion and accreditation of training sites, faculty development, and standardised assessment processes, while championing equitable access to training. It leads key workforce initiatives, including immersion training, bowel cancer accreditation, and outreach programmes to increase workforce capacity and capability.
Our staff bring expertise across clinical, operational, commissioning, technology, data science, cyber security, software engineering, education, and commercial specialisms — enabling us to design and deliver high-quality NHS services.
We lead the NHS in England by:
Enabling local systems and providers to improve the health of their people and patients and reduce health inequalities
Making the NHS a great place to work, where people can develop and make a difference
Working collaboratively to ensure our healthcare workforce has the right knowledge, skills, values and behaviours to deliver accessible, compassionate care
Optimising the use of digital technology, research, and innovation
Delivering value for money
Earlier this year, the Government announced that NHS England will gradually merge with the Department of Health and Social Care, to create a smaller, more strategic centre that reduces duplication and waste.
If successful at interview, we will initiate an Inter Authority Transfer (IAT) via the Electronic Staff Record (ESR). This retrieves key data from your current or previous NHS employer to support onboarding, including competency status, Continuous Service Dates (CSD), and annual leave entitlement. You may opt out at any stage of the process.
Colleagues with a contractual office base are expected to spend, on average, at least 40% of their time working in-person.
Strategic Leadership
Provide clinical leadership for the South West Endoscopy Training Academy, shaping strategic direction and long-term delivery models.
Work in partnership with NHS England regional workforce teams, the Joint Advisory Group (JAG), Health Education England legacy programmes, and local Trusts.
Ensure training aligns with national standards, regional workforce priorities, and emerging service demands.
Operational Oversight
Support the Academy programme leads and wider leadership team to deliver training programmes, simulation learning, and endoscopist development pathways.
Lead on clinical quality assurance and governance for Academy activity.
Promote consistency, safety, and excellence across training sites.
Stakeholder Engagement
Build strong collaborative relationships with Trusts, training centres, clinical leads, trainees, and professional bodies.
Represent the South West Academy at regional and national meetings.
Promote innovation, research involvement, and staff development.
Workforce & Education Leadership
Support expansion and accreditation of training sites.
Contribute to faculty development and standardised assessment processes.
Lead initiatives that improve equity of access to training across the region.
- Applicants to specify which above area of responsibility is of most interest.
** Applicants will receive Senior clinical leadership support/mentoring from the previous role holder.
You can find further details about the role, including key responsibilities and accountabilities, alongside the organisational structure and person specification in the attached Job Description and other supporting documents.
Secondments
Applicants from within the NHS will be offered on a secondment basis only, agreement should be obtained from their employer prior to submitting the application.
