Job Description

Wirral University Teaching Hospital is proud and excited to be the Cheshire and South Mersey Elective hub for elective recovery. Our development on our Clatterbridge Hospital site has commissioned 4 operating theatres, a 35 bedded phased recovery unit and associated inpatient beds. Clatterbridge Hospital currently has 6 operating theatres and a minor procedure room within the Perioperative Medicine Directorate. Operating theatres are managed with the Directorate of Perioperative Medicine. The directorate has over 440 staff and supports services including:



Pre-operative Assessment



Surgical Elective Admissions Lounge (SEAL) at the Arrowe Park Hospital site



Acute & Chronic Pain services



Operating Theatres



3 Phase recovery



Clatterbridge Hospital (CGH) Day Ward



Department of Anaesthesia



Sterile Services Department



Surgical Inpatient Ward (M2) CGH Site.



This is an exciting development on the site and to support delivery, we are looking for motivated, innovative, and patient focused staff to join our surgical assistant team. We have a dynamic plan to support regional activity in specialisms such as Orthopaedics, Breast, General Surgery, Plastics, and Urology with future developments including a robot to support urology cancer delivery on site.



We will consider a trainee surgical first assistant if trainee criteria and experience are met.



Interviews will be held on the 6th October 2025.



The role of the surgical first assistant is to provide skilled surgical assistance throughout the perioperative journey of our patients . Working as part of the perioperative multi disciplinary team the surgical first assistant under the direction of senior medical teams and perioperative leaders will provide optimal surgical assistance across a number of specialisms to the highest standards of care.



We are looking for a qualified Surgical first assistant to support delivery of patient care, and welcome applications from existing perioperative practitioners (Nurse and ODP ) who are looking to develop into surgical first assistants. This role will cover surgical assisting in :



Orthopaedics, General Surgery, Urology, Gynaecology, Breast & Plastic Surgery



There will be cross site expectation - APH & CGH



This role also encompasses scrub duties, as required.



All new colleagues can expect to receive a warm and friendly Wirral welcome from the very first time they make contact with us. We are described as "competent and caring staff" by our patients.



Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is situated on The Wirral peninsula which has a stunning coastline and beautiful countryside surroundings, with great activities for its residents.



We are one of the largest and busiest acute Trusts in the North West of England, comprising of the Wirral's only Emergency Department. We provide a high quality range of acute care services and employ over 6,000 staff, who serve a population of approximately 400,000 people across Wirral, Ellesmere Port, Neston, North Wales and the wider North West footprint.



We have approximately 855 beds trust-wide and our financial turnover is in excess of 337m.



The Wirral is easily accessible with excellent transport links including motorway, train, bus or ferry and within easy reach to the major cities of Liverpool, Chester and Manchester as well as neighbouring North Wales.



We can support practitioners to gain the skills they need to develop both their leadership and clinical journeys. We are able to offer you education and training (role specific) in



Advanced Life Support



Paediatric Life Support

Post registration Degree pathways in:

Healthcare leadership and management



Perioperative care of the patient



Care Certification



Quality Assessment Framework in clinical support activities



Modern Apprentices - both registered and unregistered



Masters Level education (course dependent)



Mentorship



Preceptorship



The successful candidate will be supported into their new role with a preceptorship pack for new starters, a period of supervised practice for registered practitioners and a local training programme for all staff who start within perioperative medicine. The directorate is supported by a dedicated perioperative education team who will provide induction, guidance, and support during your career at WUTH.



For further information about the Surgical First Assistant role available with WUTH, please see Job overview & attached Job description.