Job Description

Full Time- 37.5 hours (over 4 days, work pattern will be agreed with the successful post holder on appointment)



Permanent



An exciting opportunity has arisen to join the Mersey Regional Plastic Surgery Team as a Surgical First Assistant at Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals with a base location at Whiston Hospital and weekly theatre commitments Southport Hospital.



Appropriate training and mentorship will be offered by Consultant Colleagues to ensure you become fully competent in the role.

The successful candidate will be expected to demonstrate skills in communication, co-ordination of care and an ability to work flexibly within a multi-disciplinary team. Providing excellent patient experience is critical for all our patients and you will play a key role in ensuring that experience is optimised through accessible and effective communication with compassion and empathy.



Self-motivation is essential along with passion, drive, adaptability and resilience to cope with periods of change within the Hospital Trust and wider NHS.



Interviews for this position will be competency based, and applicants will be required to complete a presentation relevant to the role with the topic unseen until the interview day as part of this process.



To assess, plan, implement and evaluate specialist treatment and care to patients; promoting independence and autonomy; working within a multi-disciplinary team.



To provide highly specialised surgical assistance in all aspects of Plastic Surgery to Consultant Surgeons and junior medical staff in the operating theatres



To understand advanced surgical techniques and make professional and clinical decisions for which the surgical first assistant is accountable.



To have an advanced knowledge of anatomy and physiology.



To have an advanced knowledge of current elective and emergency surgical techniques and equipment required to achieve the optimal outcomes in surgery.



To understand the principles of surgical technique required for plastic surgery.



Assist with the co-ordination and smooth running of the operating session by liaising with theatre and other personnel as appropriate.To ensure patients are aware of your involvement in their care by visiting them pre and post operatively.



Advance own clinical knowledge, skill and competence based on current evidence through advanced educational programmes.



Provide highly specialist advice to others regarding the management and care of patients/service users.



To demonstrate clinical effectiveness by use of evidence-based practice and outcome measures.



Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust serves a population of over 600,000 with a workforce of over 10,500 dedicated and skilled staff across 21 sites.



We strongly believe that the communities we serve should all have access to Five Star Patient Care.

Our services:

Acute Care



Providing emergency and maternity services at Whiston, Southport and Ormskirk hospitals, and medical and surgical specialties across all our sites.



Primary Care



Providing primary care services at Marshalls Cross Medical Centre situated in St Helens Hospital.



Community Services



Providing adult community services for St Helens and a wheelchair service in Chorley, South Ribble, and West Lancashire. Our inpatient unit at Newton Community Hospital is where patients needing acute hospital beds can continue rehabilitation. We also provide urgent care at our Urgent Treatment Centre located in St Helens town centre.



Specialist Regional Services



We provide the Mersey Regional Burns & Plastic Surgery Unit at Whiston Hospital and the Spinal Injuries Unit at Southport Hospital to more than 4 million people across the whole of Merseyside, West Lancashire, Cheshire, Isle of Man and North Wales.

Achievements:

Rated Outstanding by CQC Inspection August 2018

Top 100 places to work in the NHS (NHS Employers & Health Service Journal)

National Preceptorship Accreditation (2023) for Nursing & AHP Preceptorship Programme



Please ensure you have read through the attached and Person Specification before submitting your application.

Advertising date:

11th June 2025

Closing date:

22nJune 2025

Shortlisting date:

23rd June 2025

Proposed Interview date:

10th July 2025



Please note, this post may close earlier than advertised if a sufficient number of applications are received.



For further information please contact B&P Matron Nicola Weadock on 0151 430 1159, Mr David Bell, Clinical Director for Burns & Plastic Surgery on 0151 430 1262 or Tracey Walker, Directorate Manager for Burns & Plastic Surgery on 0151 430 1159.



An Enhanced DBS Certificate with the checking of both the Children's and Adults' Barred Lists is required for this post.