Job summary
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 berequired to complete a presentation relevant to the role with the topic unseen until the interview day as part of this process.
Main duties of the job
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.
About us
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
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please ensure you have read through the attached Job Description 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.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please ensure you have read through the attached Job Description 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.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Registered General Nurse or Operating Department Practitioner
- Surgical First Assistant Course or equivalent Theatre experience, or willing to work towards the SFA course parts 1 & 2 within 12 months (Annex 21)
- Educated to degree level, or equivalent Theatre experience (5yrs +)
- Evidence of continued professional development
Desirable
- Enhanced Plastic Surgery Surgical Skills Course, or working towards
- Recognised teaching qualification
- Leadership Course
- Advanced or Intermediate Life Support Training
Knowledge
Essential
- Clinical supervision and clinical education experience
- Advanced clinical knowledge in field of Plastic Surgery
- Knowledge of legal and ethical issues surrounding extended roles
- Knowledge of strategic issues which influence area of practice at a local/national level
- Knowledge of change management
Desirable
- Post registration experience in plastic reconstructive surgical environment
Skills
Essential
- Excellent clinical skills
- Excellent organisational and time management skills
- Excellent communication skills
- Presentation skills
- Leadership and management skills
- Ability to prioritise effectively
- Ability to research outcomes to Clinical and Surgical problems
- Ability to work as autonomously using own initiative, and as part of a multi-disciplinary team
- Computer literate
- Ability to identify own learning needs and professional development in liaison with B&P Clinical Director & Directorate Manager
- Ability to assist in facilitating a learning environment conductive to the acquisition of further knowledge and skills
- Ability to share knowledge and expertise with other areas
- Ability to contribute to the development of teaching strategies appropriate to the learning needs of junior medical staff/colleagues
Other
Essential
- Flexible approach to working pattern across the plastic surgery service
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Registered General Nurse or Operating Department Practitioner
- Surgical First Assistant Course or equivalent Theatre experience, or willing to work towards the SFA course parts 1 & 2 within 12 months (Annex 21)
- Educated to degree level, or equivalent Theatre experience (5yrs +)
- Evidence of continued professional development
Desirable
- Enhanced Plastic Surgery Surgical Skills Course, or working towards
- Recognised teaching qualification
- Leadership Course
- Advanced or Intermediate Life Support Training
Knowledge
Essential
- Clinical supervision and clinical education experience
- Advanced clinical knowledge in field of Plastic Surgery
- Knowledge of legal and ethical issues surrounding extended roles
- Knowledge of strategic issues which influence area of practice at a local/national level
- Knowledge of change management
Desirable
- Post registration experience in plastic reconstructive surgical environment
Skills
Essential
- Excellent clinical skills
- Excellent organisational and time management skills
- Excellent communication skills
- Presentation skills
- Leadership and management skills
- Ability to prioritise effectively
- Ability to research outcomes to Clinical and Surgical problems
- Ability to work as autonomously using own initiative, and as part of a multi-disciplinary team
- Computer literate
- Ability to identify own learning needs and professional development in liaison with B&P Clinical Director & Directorate Manager
- Ability to assist in facilitating a learning environment conductive to the acquisition of further knowledge and skills
- Ability to share knowledge and expertise with other areas
- Ability to contribute to the development of teaching strategies appropriate to the learning needs of junior medical staff/colleagues
Other
Essential
- Flexible approach to working pattern across the plastic surgery service
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Additional information
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
