Who is a clinical academic?
Clinical Academic
Because of their links to the NHS, clinical academic terms and conditions of employment are more complicated than those of other higher education academics.
What is a clinical academic?
A clinical academic would normally:
- have a substantive academic contract of employment with an HEI
- be required, as a condition of their employment, to hold GMC or GDC registration
- and, where relevant, a licence to practise
Many clinical academics provide services and/or have patient contact with a partner NHS body. Their contract of employment for this work is called an 'honorary contract'. Sometimes the clinical academic will work with more than one NHS body and have several honorary contracts.
The Medical Sciences Divisional Office administers the HR processes for clinical academics for the following staff groups:
- Clinical Professorships in conjunction with an honorary Consultant contract with the relevant NHS Trust and in association with an Oxford College (in collaboration with the Senior Appointments Office, the Registrar’s Office and the Vice-Chancellor’s Office.)
- Associate Professorships (clinical) in conjunction with an honorary Consultant contract with the relevant NHS Trust and in association with an Oxford College
- Clinical Lecturerships in conjunction with an honorary contract with the relevant NHS Trust
- Academic Clinical Lecturerships in conjunction with an honorary contract with the relevant NHS Trust
The Medical Sciences Division liaises with the following NHS Trusts for its HE staff:
- The Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (incorporating the John Radcliffe Hospital, the Churchill Hospital, the Horton General Hospital and the Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre
- The Oxford Health Foundation NHS Trust
- NHS England (for Clinical Academic GPs and previously known as Primary Care Trusts (PCTs))
- Public Health England (for Public Health Academics. Public Health England has been replaced by UK Health Security Agency and Office for Health Improvement and Disparities)
You can access useful information on CATCH which is a Clinical Academic Training and Careers Hub.