Hospital Doctor Employment Contract UK

Responsibilities reflected in the contract

• Assess and manage patients within assigned competence.
• Maintain accurate clinical decisions and handovers.
• Prescribe and request investigations through approved systems.
• Participate in ward, clinic and on-call rotas.
• Seek senior review when complexity exceeds authority.
• Maintain registration, appraisal and required learning.

A realistic working scenario

During an overnight shift, the doctor is asked to perform an unfamiliar procedure without suitable supervision. They stabilise the patient within competence and escalate for senior or specialist support.

Outputs to agree

• timely clinical assessment and treatment
• clear notes, orders and referrals
• safe handover and escalation

Records and evidence

• Assessment and plan.
• Medicine or procedure record.
• Senior review and referral.
• Handover, incident and learning.
• Patient records.
• Clinical notes.

Reporting relationship

Typically reports to Clinical Director, Medical Director, Lead Consultant, Consultant Lead or Clinical Lead. Confirm the employer's actual reporting structure in the builder.

Authority and escalation

• The doctor is accountable for clinical acts within competence and supervision; unfamiliar procedures, resource exceptions and discharge against unresolved risk require senior governance.
• Obtain approval before committing expenditure, changing contractual commitments or making regulated or staffing decisions outside the assigned role.

Tools and systems

• Clinical systems.
• Patient record systems.
• Prescribing systems where authorised.
• Diagnostic or treatment equipment where applicable.

Workplace context

• Clinical consultation rooms, treatment areas, wards or approved patient-facing premises.

Training and certification

• Complete employer-required safeguarding training.
• Complete employer-required health and safety training.

Contract priorities

• grade and supervision
• rota and fatigue
• registration and appraisal
• training and clinical indemnity

Information the employer should prepare

• the specialty, grade and rotation locations
• the normal hours and on-call rota
• the supervision and escalation structure
• the registration and indemnity arrangements
• the study, appraisal and training provisions
• the clinical systems and access permissions