The chief registrar role is a senior leadership role for doctors in hospitals throughout the UK. The role provides protected time for senior resident doctors to practise leadership and quality improvement while remaining in clinical practice.
Chief registrars complete the RCP’s bespoke 10-month development programme to develop the clinical leaders of the future, supporting NHS organisations to deliver the highest quality of treatment and care for patients.
The chief registrar role is a senior leadership role for doctors in hospitals throughout the UK. The role provides protected time for senior resident doctors to practise leadership and quality improvement while remaining in clinical practice.
Chief registrars complete the RCP’s bespoke 10-month development programme to develop the clinical leaders of the future, supporting NHS organisations to deliver the highest quality of treatment and care for patients.
Driving lasting change – the impact of chief registrars
Chief registrars build a vital bridge between senior NHS leaders and the wider workforce. They address local challenges and improvement priorities, collaborating across teams to deliver better outcomes for patients, teams and services, increasing efficiency and reducing costs.
Examples of improvement project outcomes:
- Redesigned pathways, leading to reductions in unnecessary or duplicated tests and patient waiting times.
- Improved education and training opportunities, leading to greater satisfaction with training, improved staff retention and improved patient safety.
- Increased morale, better rota planning and reduced sick leave, leading to reduced locum expenditure.
Examples of chief registrars delivering financial efficiencies for organisations:
- Weekend discharge patient flow improvement, saving £175,000 per year
- Reducing usage of high cost/low clinical value tests, saving £200,000 per year
- Development of a new ambulatory service, saving over 150 bed days with extrapolated savings of £37,500 per year, with no extra cost to the trust
Recruitment and application
Reserve your place on the programme
Trusts that have not yet completed recruitment and resident doctors who haven’t been appointed to role can reserve places via this registration form. This will secure the trust a place on the programme until you are ready to formally apply. Once the form is submitted, we will be in touch within two weeks to discuss next steps and ensure that you are prepared to formally apply.
For organisations ready to appoint and apply
Trusts that have recruited a chief registrar and are ready to formally apply for the programme can download the application form. Please complete all the fields, sign the form and return it to chiefregistrar@rcp.ac.uk. Applications will not be accepted if any fields are incomplete or the form has not signed by a senior trust representative, e.g. medical director, the chief registrar themselves and their locally appointed mentor.
We will review the application and confirm the place on the programme within two weeks of your application.
Key recruitment criteria
- Open to all physician and non-physician specialties
- For doctors who are at ST4+ or equivalent
- Posts must be for a minimum of 12 months
- Doctors in training must have 40–50% of their time protected for chief registrar activities
- The role may be carried out in programme or out of programme (training or experience)
Chief Registrar Programme dates 2026–27
*Cohorts are allocated after applications have been confirmed and are based on the delegates preferred location.
- Module 1 – Day 1: Joint cohort day, Monday 28 September 2026 (London)
- Module 1 – Day 2: Joint cohort day, Tuesday 29 September 2026 (Online)
- Module 2 – Day 1: London cohort 1, Thursday 3 December 2026 (London)
- Module 2 – Day 2: Joint cohort day, Thursday 10 December 2026 (Online)
- Module 3 – Day 1: Joint cohort day, Monday 22 February 2027 (Online)
- Module 3 – Day 2: Joint cohort day, Tuesday 23 February 2027 (Online)
- Module 4 – Day 1: London cohort 1, Monday 19 April 2027 (London)
- Module 4 – Day 2: Joint cohort day, Wednesday 28 April 2027 (Online)
- Module 5 – Day 1: London cohort 1, Monday 7 June 2027 (London)
- Module 5 – Day 2 Final Day: Joint cohort day, Tuesday 6 July 2027 (London)
Note that regardless of cohort allocation, the first and last days of the programme are delivered in person in London.
*Cohorts are allocated after applications have been confirmed and are based on the delegates preferred location.
- Module 1 – Day 1: Joint cohort day, Monday 28 September 2026 (London)
- Module 1 – Day 2: Joint cohort day, Tuesday 29 September 2026 (Online)
- Module 2 – Day 1: London cohort 2, Friday 4 December 2026 (London)
- Module 2 – Day 2: Joint cohort day, Thursday 10 December 2026 (Online)
- Module 3 – Day 1: Joint cohort day, Monday 22 February 2027 (Online)
- Module 3 – Day 2: Joint cohort day, Tuesday 23 February 2027 (Online)
- Module 4 – Day 1: London cohort 2, Tuesday 20 April 2027 (London)
- Module 4 – Day 2: Joint cohort day, Wednesday 28 April 2027 (Online)
- Module 5 – Day 1: London cohort 2, Tuesday 8 June 2027 (London)
- Module 5 – Day 2 Final Day: Joint cohort day, Tuesday 6 July 2027 (London)
Note that regardless of cohort allocation, the first and last days of the programme are delivered in person in London.
*Cohorts are allocated after applications have been confirmed and are based on the delegates preferred location.
- Module 1 – Day 1: Joint cohort day, Monday 28 September 2026 (London)
- Module 1 – Day 2: Joint cohort day, Tuesday 29 September 2026 (Online)
- Module 2 – Day 1: Liverpool cohort, Monday 7 December 2026 (Liverpool)
- Module 2 – Day 2: Joint cohort day, Thursday 10 December 2026 (Online)
- Module 3 – Day 1: Joint cohort day, Monday 22 February 2027 (Online)
- Module 3 – Day 2: Joint cohort day, Tuesday 23 February 2027 (Online)
- Module 4 – Day 1: Liverpool cohort, Monday 26 April 2027 (Liverpool)
- Module 4 – Day 2: Joint cohort day, Wednesday 28 April 2027 (Online)
- Module 5 – Day 1: Liverpool cohort, Wednesday 16 June 2027 (Liverpool)
- Module 5 – Day 2 Final Day: Joint cohort day, Tuesday 6 July 2027 (London)
Note that regardless of cohort allocation, the first and last days of the programme are delivered in person in London.
*Cohorts are allocated after applications have been confirmed and are based on the delegates preferred location.
- Module 1 – Day 1: Joint cohort day, Monday 28 September 2026 (London)
- Module 1 – Day 2: Joint cohort day, Tuesday 29 September 2026 (Online)
- Module 2 – Day 1: Online cohort, Wednesday 9 December 2026 (Online)
- Module 2 – Day 2: Joint cohort day, Thursday 10 December 2026 (Online)
- Module 3 – Day 1: Joint cohort day, Monday 22 February 2027 (Online)
- Module 3 – Day 2: Joint cohort day, Tuesday 23 February 2027 (Online)
- Module 4 – Day 1: Online cohort, Tuesday 27 April 2027 (Online)
- Module 4 – Day 2: Joint cohort day, Wednesday 28 April 2027 (Online)
- Module 5 – Day 1: Online cohort, Thursday 17 June 2027 (Online)
- Module 5 – Day 2 Final Day: Joint cohort day, Tuesday 6 July 2027 (London)
Note that regardless of cohort allocation, the first and last days of the programme are delivered in person in London.
Programme overview
The 10-month programme consists of five 2-day modules taught by RCP educationalists and experts in quality improvement, both in person and online. Modules are spread over the course of the programme and cover topics such as change management, quality improvement, leadership, influencing and team culture and development.
As a result of participating in the development programme, chief registrars will:
- achieve a deeper understanding of their own and others’ leadership styles
- have the technical knowledge and skills to lead continuous quality improvement
- gain aptitude and confidence as senior leaders
- receive mentorship from a local senior clinical leader and opportunities to connect with the wider RCP community to share best practice and continue the leadership journey.
Hear from a chief registrar
Dr Wakana Teranaka attended the Chief Registrar Programme 2023 – 24. Hear why she decided to join the programme and how the Chief Registrar Programme supported her in her role in the videos below.
- Why did you decide to take on the role of a chief registrar and join the programme?
- How has the Chief Registrar Programme supported you in your role?
- What impact do you think you had in the organisation?
- How did the programme support you to implement a QI project in the workplace?
