Job summary
This is an exciting opportunity for a Consultant Anaesthetist to join a specialist orthopaedic hospital providing high-quality anaesthetic and perioperative care across a broad range of services.

The successful applicant will have a special interest in regional anaesthesia and will be expected to support the delivery and development of high-quality regional anaesthetic techniques for orthopaedic surgery, including acute pain management and enhanced recovery pathways. Applicants should be able to demonstrate substantial experience in ultrasound-guided regional anaesthesia and perioperative care for patients undergoing major orthopaedic surgery.

Applications are particularly welcomed from candidates with experience in specialist orthopaedic practice, including paediatric orthopaedics and/or orthopaedic oncology. An additional interest in perioperative critical care would be highly valued.

Where candidates are otherwise closely matched, preference may be given to applicants who can demonstrate additional capability in perioperative critical care, paediatric orthopaedic anaesthesia, orthopaedic oncology anaesthesia, or development of specialist regional anaesthesia pathways relevant to the Trust's clinical services.

Consultant Anaesthetist Interviews
Including applications in this round will take place on 3rd December 2026.

Main duties of the job
This full time post comprises 8.5 PA for direct clinical care with 1.5 supporting professional activities (SPA) with the opportunity to progress to 2.5 for specific activities which are agreed upon between the consultant and their clinical manager.

We encourage all potential candidates to come to the site for an informal visit.

The On-Call commitment for the post is low frequency.

Job responsibilities
We are looking for a highly motivated colleague with an interest in orthopaedic anaesthesia to provide anaesthesia and peri-operative care for all aspects of orthopaedic surgery. The post is permanent and whole-time, comprising 10 Programmed Activities (PAs): 8.5 PAs of Direct Clinical Care and 1.5 PAs of Supporting Professional Activities (SPA).

The post will involve all aspects of peri-operative anaesthetic care for orthopaedic and spinal surgery and the post holder will be expected to:

• Ensure effective and open communication with anaesthetic and surgical colleagues.
• Take part in all aspects of pre-, intra- and post-operative anaesthetic care for both inpatient and day case orthopaedic surgery.
• Demonstrate a degree of flexibility in their working patterns, as demanded by a consultant-based service.
• Take part in the anaesthetic on-call rota. This is currently 1:16, though this may be subject to change.
• Provide in-theatre and formal training for rotating specialist registrars, Anaesthetic Fellows, nurses, ODPs and colleagues.
• Assess patients fitness for surgery within the pre-op clinic, both directly and indirectly by supervising nursing colleagues.

The on-call commitment for the post will be between 1:12 and 1:16 (currently anticipated to be 1:16 but flexible to allow individuals to come off the on-call rota for a variety of reasons if necessary).

There may be opportunities, subject to service need and agreement with collaborating organisations, to maintain and further develop experience in other specialties and acute surgical practice through working arrangements with neighbouring trusts, thereby supporting both individual professional development and wider service resilience.

The vast majority of trauma and emergency work is carried out on scheduled lists, leaving very little out-of-hours work. The on-call team provides anaesthesia for out-of-hours cases and manages the Critical Care Unit. The successful candidate will be expected to live within a reasonable distance of the hospital.

Person Specification
Registration

• Essential: Full GMC registration with licence to practise; Entry on the GMC Specialist Register for Anaesthesia, or within 6 months of award of CCT (or equivalent) at the date of interview
• Desirable: FCICM or equivalent recognised qualification

Clinical Experience and Skills

• Essential: Broad-based training and experience in elective and emergency anaesthesia across a range of surgical specialties, including adult orthopaedic surgery
• Essential: Ability to undertake independent consultant anaesthetic practice safely and effectively, including participation in the consultant on-call rota
• Essential: Experience in anaesthesia for major orthopaedic surgery, including arthroplasty, limb surgery, spinal surgery, deformity correction, or complex reconstruction as relevant to the service
• Essential: Demonstrable interest and experience in regional anaesthesia for orthopaedic surgery, including regular practice of ultrasound-guided peripheral nerve blocks and neuraxial techniques, evidenced by logbook, fellowship, rota role, or portfolio
• Essential: Experience in perioperative assessment, optimisation and management of patients undergoing major orthopaedic surgery, including those with significant co-morbidity and frailty
• Essential: Understanding of the perioperative needs of children undergoing orthopaedic surgery, including age-appropriate assessment, consent, analgesia and communication
• Essential: Understanding of the perioperative needs of patients undergoing orthopaedic oncology surgery, including major tumour resection, reconstruction, blood conservation and multidisciplinary planning
• Desirable: Fellowship or equivalent focused training in regional anaesthesia
• Desirable: Experience providing anaesthesia for paediatric orthopaedic surgery in a specialist setting
• Desirable: Experience providing anaesthesia for orthopaedic oncology surgery, including major limb salvage, pelvic surgery, or complex reconstructive procedures
• Desirable: Experience in acute pain services, block room working, enhanced recovery programmes, or development of orthopaedic regional anaesthesia pathways
• Desirable: Demonstrable interest in perioperative critical care, evidenced by FCICM, substantive ICU experience, enhanced care work, outreach, perioperative optimisation, or high-risk surgical pathway development

Teaching

• Essential: Experience of teaching medical students and/or postgraduate trainees
• Essential: Ability to provide effective teaching in theatre, perioperative settings, simulation, courses, or departmental teaching programmes
• Desirable: Formal training or qualification in medical education
• Desirable: Experience as an educational supervisor, clinical supervisor, simulation faculty member, or faculty for regional anaesthesia or perioperative courses

Audit and Quality Improvement

• Essential: Evidence of participation in clinical audit and/or quality improvement activity, with completion of a full cycle or demonstrable measurable change
• Essential: Understanding of clinical governance, patient safety, incident review and risk management within the NHS
• Essential: Evidence of reflective practice and engagement with appraisal, revalidation and continuing professional development
• Desirable: Evidence of leading audit, quality improvement, guideline, protocol, or pathway development resulting in sustained service improvement
• Desirable: Publications or presentations in anaesthesia, regional anaesthesia, perioperative medicine, paediatric orthopaedics, orthopaedic oncology, or critical care
• Desirable: Experience contributing to perioperative pathways for orthopaedic, paediatric orthopaedic, or orthopaedic oncology patients

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.

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

Employer details
Employer name: Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Address: The Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital NHSFT, Oswestry, SY10 7AG, United Kingdom
Employer's website: https://www.rjah.nhs.uk/

For questions about the job, contact: Clinical Lead Anaesthetics, Paul Hughes, paul.hughes28@nhs.net

Closing date: 17 November 2026
Reference number: 224-PA20250602835-1-A
Pay scheme: Hospital medical and dental staff
Grade: Consultant
Contract: Permanent
Working pattern: Full-time