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East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust

Locum Consultant Spinal Surgeon

The closing date is 16 December 2025

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Job summary

We are inviting applications for a full time, Locum Consultant in Spinal Surgery to join our team at Ipswich Hospital for a 12 month fixed term post.

  • The Ipswich Hospital Spinal Unit is a modern, profitable and nationally recognised unit, fully integrated with the Pain Service and with Primary Care.
  • There are currently eight substantive spinal surgeons supported by six full-time spinal nurse specialists/Surgical Care Practitioners, three spinal fellows and two specialist registrars from the Anglian Rotation.
  • The spinal unit is one of three Specialist Spinal Hub Units in the East of England.
  • The unit runs a 24/7 consultant led on-call service with access to all imaging as required.
  • All outcome data is entered on the British Spine Registry with administrative support
  • The unit is part of the region-wide East of England Spinal Network which includes both orthopaedic and neurosurgical spinal surgeons.
  • The Spinal Unit covers Suffolk, North East Essex and Mid Essex and is expanding into the surrounding areas providing specialist and non-specialist spinal services. The new Consultant will further the development of an already first class spinal service.
  • The unit is actively involved in local, regional & national research

Main duties of the job

The Job Plan for this post will be reviewed annually, following an Appraisal Meeting. The Job Plan will be a prospective agreement that sets out a Consultant's duties, responsibilities and objectives for the coming year. It should cover all aspects of a Consultant's professional practice including clinical work, teaching, research, education and managerial responsibilities. It should provide a clear schedule of commitments, both internal and external. In addition, it should include personal objectives, including details of their link to wider service objectives and details of the support required by the Consultant to fulfil the job plan and the objectives.

About us

We are ESNEFT and we provide hospital and community health services to almost one million people across east Suffolk and north Essex. Our dedicated staff deliver care from acute hospitals in Colchester and Ipswich, community hospitals, surgeries, community clinics and in patients' own homes.We are one of the largest NHS organisation in England, employing more than 12,000 staff.

We pride ourselves on supporting our staff. We offer a wide range of training and development opportunities, as well as flexible working options.Along with supporting you to achieve your career goals we offer a generous pension scheme, unsocial hours payments (where applicable), 27 days annual leave on commencement (pro rata) and access to a range of NHS discounts. Our Staff Health and Wellbeing programme offer a variety of services.

Our philosophy is that Time Matters to everyone. Across the Trust, we concentrate on improving the things we do and removing those which cause time delays for our staff and patients.

We are investing in our commitment to Time Matters with a partnership with leading electronic patient record (EPR) supplier Epic. This digital transformation will bring what's widely regarded as the world's best EPR system to ESNEFT, transforming life in hospital for staff and patients.

If you are passionate about patient care and want to develop your skills and knowledge, then we want to hear from you.

Find out about living and working here - www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkPu7HphU8A

Details

Date posted

18 November 2025

Pay scheme

Hospital medical and dental staff

Grade

Consultant

Salary

£109,725 to £145,478 a year per annum

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

12 months

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

432-MI2770

Job locations

Ipswich Hospital

Heath Road

Ipswich

IP4 5PD


Job description

Job responsibilities

The appointee will:

  • Take his/her share of the Consultant clinical responsibilities within the Department. The precise allocation of session time will be agreed with Consultant colleagues but it is envisaged that two Spinal Clinics per week will be held. There will be one all day operating theatre session per week and a Departmental weekly MDT meeting.
  • Share in the rota of Consultant cover for Spinal Surgery. The successful candidate will be involved on the spinal on-call service.

Be required to use the medical equipment and consumables already in use within the department.

Job description

Job responsibilities

The appointee will:

  • Take his/her share of the Consultant clinical responsibilities within the Department. The precise allocation of session time will be agreed with Consultant colleagues but it is envisaged that two Spinal Clinics per week will be held. There will be one all day operating theatre session per week and a Departmental weekly MDT meeting.
  • Share in the rota of Consultant cover for Spinal Surgery. The successful candidate will be involved on the spinal on-call service.

Be required to use the medical equipment and consumables already in use within the department.

Person Specification

Essential

Essential

  • Full GMC registration with a license to practice
  • MB ChB or equivalent
  • FRCS Tr & Orth or Neurosurgery
  • Fellowship trained in Spinal Surgery
  • At date of appointment should have completed not less than 60 months Higher Specialist Training in T & O
  • Excellent knowledge and skills in management of spinal Surgery and Trauma
  • High degree of technical operative skills in spinal surgery
  • Ability to take on managerial responsibility
  • Ability to lead and teach junior staff and students
  • MRCS/FRCS teaching experience
  • Ability to apply outcomes of clinical research

Desirable

  • Experience in anterior lumbar & anterior thoracic spinal surgery
  • Experience in spinal reconstructive work for trauma, tumour & infection
Person Specification

Essential

Essential

  • Full GMC registration with a license to practice
  • MB ChB or equivalent
  • FRCS Tr & Orth or Neurosurgery
  • Fellowship trained in Spinal Surgery
  • At date of appointment should have completed not less than 60 months Higher Specialist Training in T & O
  • Excellent knowledge and skills in management of spinal Surgery and Trauma
  • High degree of technical operative skills in spinal surgery
  • Ability to take on managerial responsibility
  • Ability to lead and teach junior staff and students
  • MRCS/FRCS teaching experience
  • Ability to apply outcomes of clinical research

Desirable

  • Experience in anterior lumbar & anterior thoracic spinal surgery
  • Experience in spinal reconstructive work for trauma, tumour & infection

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

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).

Employer details

Employer name

East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Ipswich Hospital

Heath Road

Ipswich

IP4 5PD


Employer's website

https://www.esneft.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Ipswich Hospital

Heath Road

Ipswich

IP4 5PD


Employer's website

https://www.esneft.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Consultant Spinal Surgeons

Mr Alastair Hudd & Mr David Cumming

Alastair.Hudd@esneft.nhs.uk

01473702032

Details

Date posted

18 November 2025

Pay scheme

Hospital medical and dental staff

Grade

Consultant

Salary

£109,725 to £145,478 a year per annum

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

12 months

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

432-MI2770

Job locations

Ipswich Hospital

Heath Road

Ipswich

IP4 5PD


Supporting documents

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