Job summary
This post is for a Microsurgery Fellow in Plastic Surgery.

Fixed term: 12 months (Split into two 6 month appointments)

This is a whole-time fixed term post offering an exciting opportunity for a highly motivated Surgeon looking to progress their career in microsurgery to join a dynamic, rapidly expanding team delivering multidisciplinary acute care from the Mersey Regional Burns and Plastic Surgery unit at Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals.

Main duties of the job
Applications are invited from individuals seeking specialist training in breast reconstruction with a focus on microsurgical reconstruction.

The Plastic Surgery Department at MWLT performs around 170 free flap breast reconstructions per year.

There is also a significant non-microsurgical breast reconstructive workload including asymmetry correction, congenital, breast reduction, revisional breast surgery and subtotal breast reconstruction carried out in the department.

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.

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.

Closing date: 26 November 2026

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

Advertising date: 4th November 2026
Shortlisting date: 30th November 2026
Proposed Interview date: 16th December 2026 (Via Teams)

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

Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential

• Applicants must hold full registration with the GMC at the time of application
• MBBS or equivalent medical qualifications
• Microsurgery course
• FRCS (plast) or equivalent
• ATLS
• Completion of a recognised Plastic Surgery Training Programme

Knowledge
Essential

• Knowledge/experience of managing plastic surgery patients
• Evidence of active participation in audit
• Evidence of commitment to microsurgical breast reconstruction as a career

Desirable

• Evidence and an understanding of research
• Evidence of contributing to teaching and learning of others

Skills
Essential

• Communication skills, capacity to communicate effectively and sensitively to others, able to discuss treatment options with patients in a way they can understand

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.

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: Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
Address: Whiston Hospital, Warrington Road, Prescot, L35 5DR, United Kingdom
Employer's website: https://www.merseywestlancs.nhs.uk/

Contact for questions about the job:
Consultant Plastic Surgeon, Rieka Taghizadeh, rieka.taghizadeh@merseywestlancs.nhs.uk, 01514301262

Pay scheme: Hospital medical and dental staff
Grade: Doctor - other
Contract: Fixed term
Duration: 12 months
Working pattern: Full-time
Reference number: 409-8293384

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