Job summary
Job title: Consultant Trauma & Orthopaedic Surgeon, Orthopaedic Spine
Contract: Permanent.
Hours: Full-time, 10 PAs.
Salary: £113,565 to £150,569 per annum pro rata
Interview Date: 17 December 2026

We are looking for a fellowship-trained orthopaedic spinal surgeon to develop and lead our spinal service as part of our forward-thinking and expanding Trauma and Orthopaedic department at Milton Keynes University Hospital. This post is one of four new Consultant Trauma & Orthopaedic posts, alongside Hip & Knee Arthroplasty, Shoulder & Elbow (with an interest in Upper Limb Trauma) and Children's Orthopaedics.

You will join a team of two other established consultants to provide elective degenerative spinal surgery for the lumbar and cervical spine, and manage urgent spinal conditions as required, working with radiology, pain medicine, therapies and the regional spinal centre in Oxford.

The post includes general orthopaedic trauma on call, adult and paediatric, currently 1 in 12. The job plan on appointment is 10 PAs, split 8 DCC : 2 SPA.

MKUH is a University Teaching Hospital in partnership with the University of Buckingham, with undergraduate teaching delivered through the Buckingham and Oxford medical schools.

MKUH works in a network with Oxford University Hospitals for complex work, including major trauma, sarcoma and, through the Oxford Bone Infection Unit, complex infection work.

Main duties of the job

• Provide elective spinal outpatient, theatre and inpatient care, including lumbar and cervical decompression, discectomy and instrumented surgery.
• Manage urgent spinal conditions presenting during the working week (for example, cauda equina work-up, spinal infection and insufficiency vertebral fractures), working with radiology, neurosurgical and regional spinal colleagues. Spinal emergencies requiring operative stabilisation are transferred to Oxford University Hospitals.
• Contribute to the spinal MDT and pathway with radiology, pain medicine, physiotherapy and rehabilitation services.
• Contribute to the British Spine Registry and to audit and outcome monitoring.
• Share general trauma on call, adult and paediatric (1 in 12).
• Teach and supervise students and doctors in training, and act as named educational supervisor where appropriate.
• Take part in annual job planning, appraisal and revalidation, with support from the New Consultant Development Programme and a named mentor.

Informal visits and discussions are welcome and encouraged after shortlisting. We expect the post to start from the candidate's first availability, with flexibility for notice periods and for those completing training.

We support flexible working and welcome applications from people who wish to work less than full time or job-share. Applications are welcome from doctors within six months of their CCT date at the time of interview.

About us
Milton Keynes University Hospital, in proud partnership with the University of Buckingham, is a University Teaching Hospital committed to advancing patient care through cutting-edge research and education. With a "Good" rating from the CQC and significant investment underway, this is an exciting time to join our team and grow your career.

As a medium sized general hospital, we provide a full range of general medical and surgical services, including a busy Emergency Department, Maternity, and Paediatrics. As the population of our city and surrounding areas continues to grow rapidly, we are expanding and enhancing our facilities to meet rising demand and improve access to care for all our communities.

We are also proud to offer a growing portfolio of specialist services. In January 2025 we opened our state-of-the-art Radiotherapy Centre, bringing advanced cancer treatment closer to home. Our services also include neonatology, specialist surgical care, and a wide range of diagnostics, supported by the new Community Diagnostic Centre at Whitehouse Health Centre. We have just opened the Oak Wards - a new ward block featuring two 24-bed wards.

Further investment is underway, including the recently approved Women and Children's Centre, set to open by 2030.

Visit our website to explore the latest news and opportunities at MKUH.

Person Specification
Essential

• Full GMC registration with a licence to practise
• On the GMC Specialist Register for Trauma & Orthopaedic Surgery, or eligible and within 6 months of CCT date at the date of interview
• FRCS (Tr & Orth) or equivalent
• Able to take part in general trauma on call, adult and paediatric, at 1 in 12 (1 in 24 less than full time), with recent adult and paediatric trauma experience
• Fluent spoken and written English
• Completed nationally recognised spinal fellowship (minimum 6 months; 12 months preferred) post CCT/CESR
• Logbook showing independent lumbar and cervical degenerative surgery; competent in instrumented spinal surgery
• Experience of managing urgent spinal conditions (for example cauda equina, spinal infection and insufficiency vertebral fractures), in line with a regional pathway
• Broad independent experience of adult orthopaedic trauma, including hip fracture surgery; experience of managing common paediatric fractures, with commitment to maintain this competence through induction and CPD
• Ability to practise independently as a consultant
• Participation in audit and QI; understanding of clinical governance
• Understanding of research methods and critical appraisal
• Experience of teaching and supervising doctors in training and students
• Understanding of the NHS and resource constraints; effective team working

Desirable

• Second fellowship or additional complex spinal training; teaching or leadership qualification
• Navigation or minimally invasive surgery; experience of dual consultant or complex operating
• Experience of leading a spinal MDT and working with pain and rehabilitation services; active engagement with the British Spine Registry
• Major trauma centre experience; consultant level on-call experience
• Consultant or equivalent level experience
• Led a completed audit or QI project that changed practice; registry experience
• Peer-reviewed publications; national presentations; ability to supervise research
• Formal educational role
• Formal leadership training; led a service change or pathway

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. 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.

UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website.

Employer details
Employer name: Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Address: Orthopaedics - Med Staff (Dept), Milton Keynes, MK6 5LD, United Kingdom
Employer's website: https://www.mkuh.nhs.uk/working-at-mkuh

For questions about the job, contact: Clinical Lead, Mr Richard Craig, Richard.craig@mkuh.nhs.uk

Reference number: 430-SURG26-933A
Closing date: 25 November 2026
Apply through our website.