Scottish Clinical Leadership Fellowship Programme

On 1 April 2026, NSS and NES became one national organisation, focused on continuity today and a stronger, more connected service for tomorrow.

As part of this transformation, NHS National Services Scotland (NSS) and NHS Education for Scotland (NES) have joined to form a new organisation: Public Services Delivery Scotland (PSD Scotland). This new organisation will play a pivotal role in supporting the renewal and ensuring the long-term sustainability of health and care services across Scotland.

 SCOTTISH CLINICAL LEADERSHIP FELLOWSHIP PROGRAMME 

 Public Services Delivery Scotland (PSD Scotland) is the national health board with statutory functions for providing, co-ordinating, developing, funding and advising on education, training and workforce development for the NHS, and, in partnership with SSSC, for social care staff. We are a national organisation with a significant regional presence in Scotland and have a national role in both undergraduate and postgraduate education and training, as well as continuing professional development.

Programme Details:  

PSD Scotland, in partnership with host organisations, is pleased to announce that recruitment for Cohort 17, commencing in August 2027, is open.

This year, our host organisation partners include -

• The Scottish Government 
• Public Services Delivery Scotland (Legacy NSS and NES)
• Territorial Health Boards 
• Royal Colleges 
• General Medical Council 
• Medical Schools
• CfSD
  
  

These one-year posts are an integral part of NHS Scotland’s approach to developing management and leadership capacity. Fellows will have a bespoke opportunity to build leadership capabilities and contribute to contemporary health and care-related activities. The programme aims to provide NHS Scotland with a cadre of doctors and dentists who are committed to living and working in Scotland and who have enhanced skills to offer leadership in their workplaces and, potentially, at national and international levels.

As part of the core programme, supportive mentoring and coaching will be available.

Eligibility and Requirements: 

We are looking for highly motivated doctors and dentists from all clinical backgrounds and experience levels. The fellowship is open to doctors and dentists from across the UK who are committed to developing their careers within, and contributing to, NHS Scotland.

We particularly welcome applications from groups that have been under-represented in previous cohorts, including International Medical Graduates (IMGs), Specialty and Specialist (SAS) doctors, and GPs within the first five years after completing training.

Resident doctors must have successfully completed CT2/ST2 (or equivalent) at the time of starting the post. Dental specialty trainees must have completed two years of dental specialty training or equivalent.

For International Medical Graduates: PSD Scotland can act as a visa sponsor if a transfer of sponsorship is required.

For further information, please contact: 

Doctors: 

Greg Logan, SCLF Operational Lead – greg.logan4@nhs.scot

Dentists: 

Jan Clarkson, Associate Postgraduate Dental Dean j.e.clarkson@dundee.ac.uk

Ailsa Morrison, Associate Postgraduate Dental Dean Ailsa.Morrison@nhs.scot

 We recognise that previously underrepresented groups of doctors may benefit from sessions to support them in their applications. Therefore, arrangements can be made for potential applicants to discuss the fellowship with current or previous post-holders.

 Applications are to be made online for the above noted positions. For further information please refer to the Job Information Pack and Application Pack below. 

If you have any queries or encounter any difficulties, please contact Anne.bell@nhs.scot 

Interviews will be held remotely on 25th and 26th January 2027.

• Please be advised that if you are successful in being offered the role following the recruitment process, you will be expected to attend the office prior to your start date to complete face-to-face pre-employment checks. If you require any adjustments to support this, please let us know.
• To work in the United Kingdom, there is a legal requirement for an individual to demonstrate that they have the relevant permission to work in the country. This permission is, without exception, granted by the UK Visa and Immigrations Service.
  
  

As part of the pre-employment checks for a preferred candidate, NHS Scotland Boards will check your entitlement to work in the UK. It can be evidenced through a number of routes including specific types of visa as well as EU settled and pre-settled status. To find out more about these routes of permission, please refer to the GOV.UK website here. 

For specific types of post, if you do not have the necessary eligibility to work in the UK, it might be possible (though not guaranteed) to secure sponsorship via a UK Skilled Worker/Health & Care Worker Visa. However, this is only possible if the employer is a licenced Sponsor, and if the post does not fall below the current minimum salary threshold or ‘going rate’. Further information on these criteria can be found here.

It is ESSENTIAL that you have checked that you either already have an appropriate right to work in the UK or that the post would be eligible to be sponsored BEFORE submitting your application form.

If you have any queries regarding the NHS Scotland National Recruitment Portal or the recruitment process, please don't hesitate to contact our recruitment partners, the East Region Recruitment Service, at: EoS.ERRS@nhs.scot