Consultant Radiologist

Job Purpose To provide expert diagnostic imaging and clinical leadership at the Diagnostics & Imaging Center, and to oversee the safe, efficient and high-quality delivery of all unit activities. The Consultant Radiologist supervises staff, ensures compliance with clinical, safety, regulatory, accreditation and research standards, and contributes to the excellence of radiology practice through research, audit, education and training. Responsibilities Roles & Responsibilities 1. Clinical Practice and Reporting • Act as the subject-matter expert for diagnostic imaging and provide general clinical duties of a Consultant Radiologist. • Perform, interpret and report on radiological examinations and procedures, including MRI, CT, ultrasound (including Doppler), bone mineral densitometry (DXA), and general radiography, and image-guided procedures within the scope of competence. • Review imaging requests for clinical justification and appropriateness (using evidence-based appropriateness criteria); approve, modify or decline requests and select the most appropriate examination and protocol. • Establish, approve and periodically review imaging protocols for all modalities, including contrast and research-specific protocols. • Supervise, verify and approve radiology reports issued by the Diagnostic Imaging Center, ensuring they are accurate, clear, structured where appropriate, and issued within agreed turnaround times. • Communicate critical and unexpected findings to the referring clinician promptly and document this in line with the critical results policy. • Provide continuous consultative support to referring physicians and medical staff across DDI and participate in multidisciplinary meetings. • Apply knowledge of imaging relevant to diabetes and metabolic disease (e.g., body composition, hepatic fat quantification, vascular and diabetic-foot imaging) in clinical and research work. 2. Patient Safety • Radiation safety: ensure justification and optimization of all ionizing radiation examinations; oversee dose monitoring against diagnostic reference levels; ensure pregnancy screening and compliance with Kuwait Ministry of Health radiation protection regulations, in coordination with the Radiation Protection Department. • MRI safety: oversee MRI safety zoning, patient and staff screening, and decisions on implants and devices, in line with recognized MR safety guidance. • Contrast safety: oversee contrast screening (renal function, allergy history, metformin and other diabetes-related risks), administration under appropriate supervision, and management of contrast reactions and extravasation. • Ensure availability of resuscitation equipment and drugs in the Diagnostic Imaging Center and lead the clinical response to medical emergencies in the unit. • Ensure informed consent is obtained and documented for procedures requiring it. • Report, investigate and follow up on incidents and near-misses, and ensure corrective and preventive actions are implemented. • Ensure compliance with infection prevention and control practices with the respective unit. 3. Leadership, Supervision and Operational Oversight • Provide clinical and operational oversight of all activities and ensure implementation of operational policies and procedures. • Supervise, direct and support staff, including radiologists, radiographers/technologists, sonographers, nurses and administrative staff. • Plan duty rosters, coverage and on-call arrangements to meet service demand and supervise on-call duties as required. • Conduct or contribute to staff performance appraisals, competency assessments and privileging of radiology staff. • Participate in interview panels to ensure selection of the best possible candidates for appointments in the department. • Monitor workload, waiting times, scheduling efficiency and utilization of equipment, and take action to address bottlenecks. • Oversee equipment performance, preventive maintenance, quality control and vendor service contracts, and ensure timely escalation of faults. • Oversee the safe and effective use of RIS/PACS, image storage, retrieval, and data integrity. • Contribute to strategic and operational planning for the department, including manpower, equipment, facilities, the annual budget estimate and running costs. • Organize and chair professional meetings within the department and coordinate with other units (including Clinical Operations) to improve patient care, in consultation with the Head of Unit. • Deputize for the Head of Unit when delegated and assist with administrative work. 4. Quality, Governance and Accreditation • Lead the Diagnostic Imaging Center quality assurance and improvement program, including clinical audits, radiologist peer reviews, and discrepancy meetings. • Define, monitor, and report on key performance indicators to the Head of Unit and relevant committees. • Ensure policies, procedures and practices meet internationally recognized accreditation standards adopted by DDI (e.g., Accreditation Canada International), and support accreditation surveys and audits. • Ensure compliance with documented clinical standards, policies and procedures to maintain a consistently high standard of care. • Keep policies and procedures current and aligned with best practice and regulatory requirements. 5. Research Imaging • Promote, encourage and participate in research activities, including acting as principal investigator, co-investigator or study radiologist as required. • Review study protocols and imaging manuals for feasibility, and advise on imaging methodology, acquisition parameters, standardization and quantitative endpoints. • Ensure research imaging is performed and reported according to the approved protocol, ICH Good Clinical Practice (GCP), ethics committee approvals and sponsor requirements, including blinded or independent reads where specified. • Ensure research participants have given valid informed consent before research imaging is performed, and that research and clinical imaging are clearly separated in scheduling, reporting and billing. • Oversee the management and communication of incidental findings in research participants according to the approved protocol and DDI policy. • Education and Qualifications • MBBS or equivalent medical degree from a recognized university. • Specialist qualification in Diagnostic Radiology from a recognized university or board (e.g., Fellowship, American Board, Canadian Board, FRCR, Arab Board, Kuwait Board, or a Ph.D. or equivalent), recognized by the Kuwait Ministry of Health. • Sub-specialty fellowship training (e.g., body, musculoskeletal, cardiovascular imaging or MRI) is desirable. Licensure and Certifications • Valid license to practice as a Consultant Radiologist in the State of Kuwait, or eligibility to obtain it before starting. • Basic Life Support (BLS) and Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) from the American Heart Association, kept current. • ICH Good Clinical Practice (GCP) certificate, or completion within three months of appointment and renewal as required. • Radiation protection training, as required by national regulations. Experience • +15 yrs, 5 yrs mgt exp, 9 yrs