Get documents about "Application pack
Document Sample
Application pack
Senior Research Fellow (Marie Curie Experienced
Researcher) Fixed term for 18 months
Department of Palliative Care, Policy and
Rehabilitation
Cicely Saunders Institute
School of Medicine
Reference Number: R8/MOH/234/12-JM
Contents
Explanatory notes, including application procedure.
Further particulars, including:
• Information about King’s College London, and the post;
• Job description;
• Person specification;
• Summary of the terms and conditions of service.
Template version: February 2012
Explanatory notes
Please read carefully before completing the application form
Thank you for your enquiry regarding a post at King’s College London. Enclosed is a set of further
particulars for this post. These comprise: a job description and person specification; general
information about the College, School and Department; as well as the main terms and conditions of
the post.
Application procedure
Should you wish to apply for this position, please send the following:
a completed Personal details form and Equal opportunities monitoring form (CTRL + click the link)
a copy of a short statement setting out your reasons for applying for the post and highlighting the
particular skill and experience which you feel you would bring to the role
a copy of a current curriculum vitae, which should include inter alia:
• your full name with title
• details of your present post with date of appointment
• education
- degrees (subject, class, institution, date of award)
- other academic/professional qualifications (subject, level, institution, date of award)
- distinctions other than degrees
• membership of professional and learned societies
• teaching and research experience
• administrative and management experience
• grants obtained
• publications
To email: recruitmentteam3@kcl.ac.uk
Applications should be made electronically in Word or PDF format.
Please ensure you quote reference number R8/MOH/234/12-JL on all correspondence.
Informal enquiries may be made to Lucy Bradley on lucy.bradley@kcl.ac.uk .
Closing date: 24th July 2012
Please advise your referees that they may be contacted and asked to provide a reference at short
notice.
Page 2
Equal opportunities
King's College London recognises that equality of opportunity and the recognition and promotion of
diversity are integral to its academic and economic strengths. The following principles apply in
respect of the College’s commitment to equality and diversity:
To provide and promote equality of opportunity in all areas of its work and activity;
To recognise and develop the diversity of skills and talent within its current and potential
community;
To ensure that all College members and prospective members are treated solely on the basis of their
merits, abilities and potential without receiving any unjustified discrimination or unfavourable
treatment on grounds such as age, disability, marital status, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion
or belief, sex, sexual orientation, trans status, socio-economic status or any other irrelevant
distinction;
To provide and promote a positive working, learning, and social environment which is free from
prejudice, discrimination and any forms of harassment, bullying or victimisation;
To promote good relations between individuals from different groups.
Applicants with disabilities
King's College London is keen to increase the number of disabled people it employs. We therefore
encourage applications from individuals with a disability who are able to carry out the duties of the
post. If you have special needs in relation to your application please contact the Human Resources
Advisor responsible for the administration of the post.
Travel expenses
The College normally reimburses reasonable travel costs to and from interview within the United
Kingdom. Regrettably, only limited contribution to travel costs for applicants from outside the UK
may be available. Please contact the Head of Department before making your reservation.
Response
We very much regret that due to limited resources and the large number of applications we currently
receive, we are only able to inform short listed candidates of the outcome of their application.
If you do not hear from us within four weeks of the closing date, please assume that you have been
unsuccessful on this occasion. We would like to assure you, however, that every application we receive
is considered in detail and a shortlist only drawn up after careful reference to a detailed person
specification.
If therefore, your application is not successful, we hope that you will not be discouraged and will
still apply for other suitable vacancies at King’s College London as and when they are advertised.
Thank you for your interest in King’s College London.
Page 3
Further particulars
The College
King’s College London is one of the top 30 universities in the world (2011/2012 QS international
world rankings), the Sunday Times 'University of the Year 2010/11' and the fourth oldest in England.
A research-led university based in the heart of London, it has nearly 23,500 students (of whom nearly
9,000 are graduate students) from 150 countries and approximately 6,000 employees.
King’s has an outstanding reputation for providing world-class teaching and cutting-edge research.
In the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise for British universities, 23 departments were ranked in
the top quartile of British universities; over half of our academic staff work in departments that are in
the top 10 per cent in the UK in their field and can thus be classed as world leading. The College is in
the top seven UK universities for research earnings and has an overall annual income of nearly £525
million.
There are nine Schools of Study:
Arts & Humanities
Biomedical Sciences
Dental Institute
Institute of Psychiatry
Law
Medicine
Natural & Mathematical Sciences
Florence Nightingale School of Nursing & Midwifery
Social Science & Public Policy
King's has a particularly distinguished reputation in the humanities, law, the sciences (including a
wide range of health areas such as psychiatry, medicine, nursing and dentistry) and social sciences
including international affairs. It has played a major role in many of the advances that have shaped
modern life, such as the discovery of the structure of DNA and research that led to the development of
radio, television, mobile phones and radar. It is the largest centre for the education of healthcare
professionals in Europe; no university has more Medical Research Council Centres.
King's College London and Guy's and St Thomas', King's College Hospital and South London and
Maudsley NHS Foundation Trusts are part of King's Health Partners. King's Health Partners
Academic Health Sciences Centre (AHSC) is a pioneering global collaboration between one of the
world's leading research-led universities and three of London's most successful NHS Foundation
Trusts, including leading teaching hospitals and comprehensive mental health services. For more
information, visit: www.kingshealthpartners.org.
The School
The School of Medicine is one of the largest medical schools in the UK and is committed to pursuing
excellence in research and teaching. The School of Medicine has a population of over 2,000
undergraduate and postgraduate students. The School consists of 9 cross-School research divisions
populated by over 600 staff, with a research income of over £32M.
The School is located across four hospital campuses in South London. Each campus has its own
distinctive character and this diversity is an attractive feature of the School for our staff and students,
particularly undergraduates. The School’s two major partner trusts, King’s College Hospital NHS
Foundation Trust (KCH) and Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust (GST) have 1,000,000
patient contacts a year combined. Their specialist services include cancer, cardiothoracic, renal,
haematology, children’s services (GST); liver disease and transplantation, foetal medicine,
neuroscience, cardiology (KCH).
Based on UCAS application figures, King’s College London continues to be the most popular choice
for undergraduate medicine in the UK. The School has the largest number of entry routes to medicine
in the UK contributing to a diverse undergraduate population. The School is in its fifth year of
Page 4
offering the flagship Extended Medical Degree programme, the UK’s first widening access to
medicine programme. And, since 2004, has admitted the graduate students to the four year MBBS
programme. The School has a vibrant postgraduate community encompassing taught and research
degrees, with around 400 students.
The School’s research profile has benefited from significant investment since 2001, in staff and
infrastructure, further enhancing King’s international reputation in biomedical research. King’s is
ranked fourth nationally in terms of MRC application success rate by percentage of grants awarded,
and in 2006 was one of six universities selected by the MRC to sign a Strategic Partnership
Agreement. King's has also been successful in joint bids with its partner NHS Trusts for Department
of Health Research Centres of Excellence, and the College joined the global elite in medical research
as part of a Global Medical Excellence Cluster.
The investment programme has included the £7M committed to laboratories to support the School’s
infection and immunity programme, and significant investment at St Thomas’ in newly refurbished
laboratories for the integrated, cross-disciplinary Imaging Sciences Division. The £30m James Black
Centre opened in 2007 at the Denmark Hill Campus provides an international centre focussed on
stem-cell research in cardiovascular disease, organ transplantation and neurodegenerative disease.
The Cicely Saunders Institute opened in May 2010, also on the Denmark Hill campus – the world’s
first purpose built Institute for palliative care. An Institute of Clinical Neurosciences has also been
established on that campus, to co-exist alongside Trust neuroscience clinical service.
The Department
The Department of Palliative Care and Policy was created with the appointment of Professor Irene J
Higginson in October 1996. Joined in 2004 by colleagues in rehabilitation medicine, the work of the
Department of Palliative Care, Policy and Rehabilitation spans palliative care and rehabilitation,
tacking applied research into many of the important neglected problems within health care which are
faced today.
The department is based within the School of Medicine. Formally located in the Clinical Academic
Group of Cancer, Haematology, Palliative Care, Rehabilitation Medicine, Therapies and Cellular
Pathology (which includes the Thames Cancer Registry, Professor Möller and Dr Elizabeth Davies, and
Professor Amanda Ramirez) it has strong links to and associate membership of the Health Care
Research Institute (led by Prof Thornicroft and which includes social scientists and epidemiologists,
linking in particular with Dr Morgan), the Institute of Psychiatry (especially Professors Hotopf and
McCrone) and several other departments and divisions.
Members of the department work in or are linked to all three hospital trusts associated with this School
of Medicine. The department has an active programme of research in palliative care, policy and
rehabilitation.
Research programmes include:
Evaluations of palliative care services; including support for carers, new models of care for
people with diseases other than cancer, e.g. multiple sclerosis, older people, HIV/AIDS. A new
international programme includes the evaluation of palliative care in African countries;
Systematic literature reviews and meta-analysis into service and treatment effectiveness;
Longitudinal study of experience among patients with different diseases, e.g. cancer and
Parkinson’s disease;
Development and validation of scales to measure need and outcome (results) of palliative care
- including scales for national use such as the Palliative care Outcome Scale;
Needs of underserved groups, very elderly, different ethnic backgrounds;
Epidemiology of and evaluation of treatments for breathlessness and other common
symptoms;
Page 5
Assessment of the demographic, socio-economic and clinical variables associated with place of
death in advanced cancer.
The department has a strong national and international profile, having conducted work for a range of
governments and statutory and charitable organisations, in many countries and for the World Health
Organization (WHO). In 2009 it was accredited with WHO Collaborating Centre Status and has an
active agreed programme with the WHO including technical support and advice.
The research programmes seek to be of the highest quality possible. The department is active in
seeking external peer-review funding for research grants in palliative care from the NHS Research
and Development programme, charities and many others, including international funders.
The department now has over 50 staff from a wide range of disciplines. It includes three clinical
professors (Higginson, Turner-Stokes and Wade), two readers (Harding, Siegert), one clinical senior
lecturer (Murtagh), two senior lecturers (Hall and Koffman), as well as senior research fellows
(Bausewein), research fellows, assistants and associates. It is closely linked with a wide range of NHS
and voluntary local services, some of whom have honorary attachments – e.g. six
consultants/honorary senior lecturers (Edmonds, Burman, Prentice, Barclay, Booth, Beynon) and
especially with the clinical departments at both King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and
Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust where there are around 40 clinical staff (combined).
There are monthly researcher development meetings, monthly research skills development
workshops, journal clubs (joint with the hospital clinical teams – one KCH and one GSTT), a
programme of monthly workshops featuring presentations from invited and distinguished
internationally and nationally recognised speakers, and other ad hoc academic meetings and visitors
e.g. previously there was a seminar on handling missing data (including Professors Fayers and Kaasa,
Drs Dewey and Costantini) and visits and seminars by Professor Harvey Chochinov and Dr Sandy
Decker.
The department has led or participated in prestigious national and international research
collaboratives. These include: the National Cancer Research Institute Supportive and Palliative
Cancer Care Collaborative (COMPASS) and two European Community Collaboratives (one on
measurement in End of Life Care, led by Harding called PRISMA, and one on symptoms with
Higginson and Hotopf (IoP) leading on depression guidelines).
In 2010 the department moved into the new Cicely Saunders Institute of Palliative Care which brings
together in even more improved facilities related academic and clinical staff, working in palliative
care and rehabilitation. The new Institute strengthens the ability to conduct clinical trials and multi-
professional funding, as well as being a hub for much of the international leadership in palliative care.
It co-locates academic and clinical teams to improve integration.
The new Academic Health Sciences Centre (AHSC) is founded by King’s Healthcare Partners (which
includes King’s College London, King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and the Guy’s and St
Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust). This AHSC is now one of five AHSCs accredited by the
Government. The aim of this centre is to further enhance clinical academic working and the rapid
translation of research funding into practice. As part of this a palliative care and rehabilitation
medicine clinical academic division has already been formed and is meeting regularly across all sites
to consider ways to improve and contribute to this.
Education in palliative care
The department is active in undergraduate and postgraduate education.
There are eight PhD students in the department.
Page 6
A multi-professional Masters programme in palliative care is now in its 10th year. This is an
innovative programme, which was rated as exemplary by the recent national inspections of teaching
quality. The course is evidence-based and draws on the research activity of the department, and links
with local clinical service. The course has around 35-40 new students each year, who attend full time
or part time over one or two years respectively. The course in taught in two-week blocks, plus
assignments and a research project tutored by members of the department. Course participants,
doctors, nurses and other professionals, are attracted from the UK, Europe, the USA, Asia and many
other countries, and often become the future leaders of the field in their own work settings.
King’s College London is one of the largest providers of medical undergraduate education in Europe
with an annual student intake of 450-480 medical students each year. There is a vertically integrated
palliative care programme – with workshops and lectures throughout the whole course, and three
SSMs. The undergraduate programme in palliative care is one of the most comprehensive in the
country and is highly evaluated by students.
Further information is available on the department’s website, www.csi.kcl.ac.uk, and in the tri-annual report, which can be
downloaded from this site.
The Post
We are seeking a committed person to join the Cicely Saunders Institute, part of the School of
Medicine at King’s College London, to work with the Head of Department, Professor Irene Higginson
and Reader in Palliative Care, Dr Richard Harding, along with other staff members. The person
appointed will take a role in contributing to a consortium which has been awarded European
Commission funding under Marie Curie Actions of Framework Programme 7. The consortium has
developed an Initial Training Network (EURO IMPACT) within palliative care which has enabled 12
early stage researchers to improve their research skills, join established research teams and enhance
their career prospects. EURO IMPACT is now employing an experienced researcher at King’s College
London to join the team. The EURO IMPACT training network consists of 6 European universities
and aims to develop a multi-disciplinary, multi-professional and intersectorial education and
research training network which will improve palliative care in Europe. EURO IMPACT was launched
on the 1st December 2010 and will run for four years.
Applications are invited from enthusiastic individuals with excellent research skills and who have the
drive and innovation to be able to contribute to a guideline on symptom assessment and clinical
application of complex symptom assessment; and to contribute to the development of research in
palliative and end-of-life care. The aim is to develop an evidence based guideline on the clinical
applicability of symptom assessment using the scientific output of the different PhD students already
working in the project together with conducting original research, and working with experts in this
field. Guideline development will follow standard methods, and involved the other organisations in
EURO IMPACT.
Other key opportunities include: to undertake research in the field of palliative and end-of-life care in
a European context, to prepare reports and scientific publications, to assist in the dissemination of
results, and to represent the project and department and to attend and provide research training
specific to the project.
Candidates should be in the first 5 years (full-time equivalent) of their research career AND either
already in possession of a doctoral degree, independently of the time taken to acquire it OR having at
least 4 years of research experience (full-time equivalent) after obtaining the degree which formally
allows you to embark on a doctorate in the country in which the degree/diploma was obtained or in
the country where the initial training activities are provided. Experience of palliative and end-of-life
care settings would be desirable. The candidate should also have good knowledge of research
methods, be comfortable liaising with staff across disciplines and be prepared to undertake some
travel across Europe, to include working for 3 months in Norway. There are eligibility criteria based
on country of residence and time spent working within research which will need to be addressed prior
to taking up the appointment.
Page 7
The post is available for 18 months from 1st June 2012.
Background to the programme:
The European Intersectorial and Multidisciplinary Palliative Care Research Training aims to develop
a multidisciplinary, multi-professional and intersectorial educational and research training
framework in Europe, aimed at monitoring and improving the quality of palliative care in Europe.
The project is a European Union 7th Framework Programme (2010 - 2014)—Marie Curie Initial
Training Network. The consortium of EURO IMPACT involves 9 partners from 6 European countries,
representing a manifold of disciplines and professions. EURO IMPACT will:
Bridge the gap between individual researcher institutes involved in palliative research training
in Europe
Build the basis for further development of a EU platform for palliative care PhD research
training
Increase the international mobility of palliative care researchers across Europe.
Page 8
Job description
Post title Senior Research Fellow (Marie Curie Experienced Researcher)
Department/Division/Directorate Department of Palliative Care, Policy and Rehabilitation
Responsible for N/A
Responsible to Professor Irene Higginson and Dr Richard Harding
Role purpose
The aim is to develop an evidence based guideline on the clinical applicability of symptom assessment
using the scientific output of the different PhD students already working in the project together with
conducting original research, and working with experts in this field. Guideline development will
follow standard methods, and involve the other organisations in EURO IMPACT.
Other key opportunities include: to undertake research in the field of palliative and end-of-life care in
a European context, to prepare reports and scientific publications, to assist in the dissemination of
results, and to represent the project and department, and to attend and provide research training
specific to the project.
Role outline - main responsibilities
Key objectives
The post holder will be employed within the academic Cicely Saunders Institute and will work closely
with partners across Europe. The post holder will be responsible for the day-to-day conduct of all
research tasks and ensuring that data are managed in timely fashion and to high ethical and scientific
standards. The post holder will work closely with partners across EURO IMPACT, and will be
responsible for development and delivery of analysis plans and a personal training programme The
post holder will be expected to form good working relationships with the EURO IMPACT partners, to
meet College requirements for study at PhD level, for the preparation of manuscripts, and to draft
reports. The researcher will also be expected to engage fully in the academic life of the Department,
participating in the range of academic and Departmental activities.
The main duties and responsibilities are as follows:
To develop symptom assessment guidelines
To collate, manage, analyse and report data in line with the EURO IMPACT programme
To conduct research in the field of palliative and end-of-life care in a European context
To write papers for peer reviewed journals and contribute to joint dissemination products that
will profoundly impact palliative care and policy at EU level
To travel to partner EURO IMPACT sites to liaise on project objectives
To participate in training activities as required by the EURO IMPACT programme
To collaborate with other junior and senior researchers across Europe
To keep up to date in developments in the field of the palliative care and co-ordination of care
and share this information with colleagues, project investigators and managers.
To work flexibly and in collaboration with staff at KCL and other relevant organizations,
involved in the projects.
To maintain strict confidentiality of any patient / family / staff information and work within
the terms of the data protection act.
To actively participate in departmental staff meetings, researchers' seminars, journal clubs and
other development, appraisal and team building exercises and the general administrative
Page 9
duties within the department, taking items to the agenda where appropriate.
To undertake any other duties consistent with the grade of the post, as agreed with Dr Richard
Harding/Professor Irene Higginson. This may include assisting on other studies as required
and representing the project at meetings or conferences.
Communication & networking
The postholder will need to communicate with partners across EURO IMPACT
Good communication skills will be essential to facilitate partner networking
Decision making, planning & problem solving
Decision making, planning and problem solving will be undertaken in collaboration with Dr
Harding and Professor Higginson.
Analysis & research
Data analysis of existing datasets (and new datasets where appropriate) is an essential and core role
Team work, teaching & learning support
The postholder is expected to work as part of an overall team, collaborating with the research team
in terms of data collection and analysis.
Supervision and skills development is an essential and required element of the post, and will be
provided by partners across the network.
Sensory/physical demands & work environment
The post holder should be able to work closely with patients with palliative care needs and
experience where necessary, and to work with data generated from this population.
Specific Aspects - indicate frequency D (daily), W (weekly), M (monthly) where
applicable:
Intensive Display Screen Equipment work W Direct patient contact involving exposure prone
(eg. data entry or digital microscopy): procedures (EPP):
Heavy manual handling: Direct patient contact, no EPP
Highly repetitive tasks (eg. pipetting or re- Work with patient specimens (eg. blood or tissue
shelving books): samples):
Shift work, night work or call-out duties: Work with GM organisms or biological agents
that may pose a hazard to human health:
Work involving risk of exposure to Hazards which require health surveillance eg.
environmental or human pathogens (eg in respiratory sensitisers (allergens, substances with
waste streams or soils): risk phrase R42, wood dust etc) or loud noise:
Driving vehicles on College business: Food handling or preparation:
Work at height (eg. ladders, scaffolds etc) Work in confined spaces (eg. sump rooms, etc)
Pastoral care
The ability to deal with any distress of patients and carers will be important.
Provide and receive peer support with other members of the department, as appropriate, following
research activity involving sensitive topics.
Organisational chart
The postholder will be supervised day to day by Dr Harding or Professor Higginson and/or their
elected supervisors.
Page 10
Special requirements
Researchers should be prepared to be based in another country than the country of residence and to
travel across Europe to partner sites as requested.
You will be required to work irregular hours in accordance with the needs of the role.
Information of a confidential nature must be kept strictly confidential and should never be
disclosed either inside or outside work. It should be noted that breach of confidentiality is a serious
offence which may lead to dismissal.
General
All staff are expected to adhere to King’s policies and procedures.
Date
28 June 2012
Please note
This job description reflects the core activities of the role and as the College and the post-holder
develop there will inevitably be changes in the emphasis of duties. It is expected that the post-holder
recognise this and adopt a flexible approach to work and be willing to participate in training.
If changes to the job become significant, the job description should be reviewed formally by the
post-holder and line manger. The Human Resources department should then be consulted as to the
implications of the proposed changes.
Page 11
Person specification
Eligibility to work in the United Kingdom
International applications will be considered for this position. If you do not have permission to enter,
remain and work in the United Kingdom you will need to pass a points-based immigration
assessment. Before you apply for this job you must ascertain whether you have sufficient points to
qualify under Tier 1 (Post study work) and/or Tier 2(General) schemes1. If you do not have sufficient
points please do not apply as you will not be granted permission to enter the United Kingdom. Click
on the following link to the points calculator: Border & Immigration Agency Points-based calculator.
At the interview you will be asked to furnish the panel with the details of the route (Tier 1 (Post
study work) and/or Tier 2 (General) you would be eligible to follow. Please note that should you have
sufficient points this does not mean your application will be successful. In the event your application
is successful there is no guarantee that your application for a visa will be granted, in which event the
offer will be withdrawn.
E D
Criteria S E
HOW IDENTIFIED
AND ASSESSED
S S
E I AP Application
N R
T A
AS Assessment
I B I Interview
A L P Presentation
L E R References
Education/qualification and training
A PhD in health or social science or similar subject AP
Postgraduate training in research methods relevant to palliative
AP
care
Clinical or related training sufficient to understand the value of
AP
symptom assessment, and clinical practice
Knowledge/skills
Understanding of a range of research methodologies AP/ I/AS
Understanding of palliative and end-of-life care, including clinical
AP/ I
services
Understanding of systematic literature reviewing AP/ I
Critical appraisal and literature reviewing relevant to palliative
AP/ I
care
Experience of data from difficult/distressing/sensitive situations AP/ I
Excellent research-related computing skills – competent in word
processing, familiar with reference management databases (e.g.
AP/ I/ AS
ENDNote, RefMan), and packages to support data analysis (e.g.
NVivo, SPSS, STATA), with ability to be self supporting
Excellent presentation and communication skills (written and oral) AP/ I
Experience
In first five years of research experience AP
Proven research experience – conducting research study projects
either independently or as part of a team at various stages from AP/ I
protocol development to funding application to dissemination,
Page 12
including qualitative research methods
Proven experience and understanding of a range of research
AP/ I
methodologies
Experience of conducting literature reviews AP/ I
Experience of preparing clinical guidelines AP/ I
Experience of recruiting and interviewing patients, caregivers
AP/ I
and/or health professionals
Demonstrable experience of writing scientific reports or papers AP/ I
Experience of pan-European research AP/ I
Teaching experience AP/ I
History of peer-review publication AP/ I
Clinical (or related) experience, in any professional background AP/ I
Personal characteristics/other requirements
In line with the grant conditions, applicants must not have resided
or carried out their main activity (work, study etc.) in the UK for
more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately prior to their AP/I
recruitment (short stays such as holidays are not taken into
account).
Reliability and punctuality I/ R
Personal commitment to methodological excellence I
Ability to work under pressure and meet competing deadlines AP/ I
The ability to work independently without direct supervision AP/ I
Ability to manage and prioritise workloads appropriately AP/ I
Flexible and adaptable AP/ I / R
The ability to be proactive and show initiative in proposing and
AP/ I
carrying out appropriate developments
Willingness to undertake responsibility and to seek help
AP/ I
appropriately
Ability to grasp new information and learn new skills quickly AP/ I
Ability to synthesise a large amount of data into a practical format AP/ I/ AS
Ability to maintain confidentiality AP / I
Ability to work as part of a team AP/ I / R
Commitment to high quality research AP/ I
Commitment to palliative and end of life care AP/ I
Ability to handle data on potentially distressing topics AP/ I
Commitment to equal opportunities AP/ I
Ability and willingness to travel to EURO IMPACT partners across
I
Europe
1There are two classifications – Tier 1 (Post study work) and Tier 2 (General). Highly skilled migrants are
encouraged to apply under the Tier 2 route, however this is dependent on King’s College London at its sole
discretion issuing you with a Certificate of Sponsorship.
Page 13
Summary of terms and conditions of service
This appointment is made under the King’s College London Terms and Conditions of Service for Non-
Academic staff a copy of which is available from the Human Resources department on request.
Period of Appointment Fixed-term contract for 18 months
Probation Six months
Salary £45,930 - £55,536 per annum
Annual leave 27 working days. Staff receive four additional closure days. Notification as
to how these days are taken is circulated at the start of the academic year.
Superannuation
This appointment is superannuable under the USS pension scheme. Staff already superannuated
under the NHS Superannuation Scheme may opt to remain in that scheme provided an application to
do so is received by the NHS scheme trustees within three months of appointment to King’s College
London. Alternatively staff may opt to participate in SERPS or take out a personal pension. Please
note that the College does not provide an employer's contribution towards a private pension plan.
The College operates PensionsPlus by which individuals increase their take home pay by reducing
their NI contributions. Staff who join the USS pension scheme will automatically be entered into
PensionsPlus (provided you would benefit from doing so). As a result your salary will be reduced so
that you receive the PensionsPlus salary and a payment is made into your pension scheme instead.
NB - NHS Superannuation Scheme: Medical Schools are classed as “Direction Employers” and
some benefits of the NHS Scheme are not available to Direction members.
For further information please contact Ms Pauline Job, Payroll & Pensions Manager, King’s College
London, James Clerk Maxwell Building, 57 Waterloo Road, London SE1 8WA.
Medical
All appointments to King’s are subject to Occupational Health clearance. Should you be offered this
post you will be sent an Occupational Health Questionnaire along with your contract of employment.
When the Occupational Health Department have evaluated your questionnaire and declared that you
are fit for appointment, your appointment will be formally confirmed.
Confidentiality
In the course of your work you may have access to personal or confidential information which must
not be disclosed or made available to any other person unless in the performance of your duties or
with specific permission from your Head of School/Department/Division. (In particular if your work
involves the handling of clinical samples and/or patient data, NHS policies for the maintenance of
security and confidentiality of NHS systems and data must be observed). Breaches in confidentiality
may lead to disciplinary action.
Training and Education
King’s College London recognises the importance of training in achieving its objective of pursuing
excellence in teaching, research and clinical practice through the activities of its staff. We are
committed to providing training for all members of staff so that they can perform their jobs effectively
and offering them opportunities for further development. Most training and development will occur
"on the job" and formal training opportunities are also available within King’s College London
associated hospitals trusts and through other external organisations.
All members of staff with teaching responsibilities are encouraged to obtain formal recognition of
their professional expertise in teaching. It is the normal expectation that staff new to teaching in
higher education will register for the Post Graduate Certificate in Academic Practice (PGCAP) unless
they already possess a teaching qualification in higher education. The PGCAP is taught and managed
Page 14
by the King's Learning Institute (KLI); information about the certificate and other programmes run
by KLI can be found in their web site www.kcl.ac.uk/kli.
No Smoking Policy
King’s College London is committed to maintaining a healthy environment for staff, students and
visitors. Therefore, please note that smoking is not permitted in any of the College buildings or in
College vehicles. Smoking is also not permitted immediately outside the entrances to College
buildings or near to windows and air intake units. Staff working at associated NHS trust sites or other
premises should adhere to whatever policy is in place at these locations.
Page 15
