Surgical First Assistant - Trauma & Orthopaedics
Job summary
Surgical First Assistant Full time (including evenings and weekends) - 37.5 hours per week An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced Surgical First Assistant to join the Trauma and Orthopaedic Team at Mersey & West Lancashire NHS Teaching Hospitals. 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 a passion, drive, adaptability and resilience to cope with change within the Trust and wider NHS. This role will include evening and potentially weekend working as well as assisting on theatre lists across all MWL Hospital sites depending on service need. An Enhanced DBS with barred lists for both Adults & Children is required for the post. Please note the JD and PS are sbuject to AfC review
Main duties of the job
The post holder will assist in all aspects of Trauma and Orthopaedics and provide specialist perioperative expertise in the Surgical First Assistantrole, facilitating evidence based patient centred care for patients undergoing surgery. You will assist with the co-ordination and smooth running of the Trauma and Orthopaedic operating sessions by liaising with theatre and otherpersonnel as appropriate to maintain safe levels of patient care throughout the surgical procedure. This role will include evening and potentially weekend working as well as assisting on theatre lists across all MWL Hospital sites depending on service need.
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 responsibilities
Please ensure you have read through the attached Job Description and Person Specification before submitting your application. Advertising date: 20th October 2026 Closing date: 28th October 2026 Shortlisting date: 30th October 2026 Proposed Interview date: 15th November 2026 Please note, this post may close earlier than advertised if a sufficient number of applications are received.
Person Specification
Qualifications · Essential
Registered General Nurse or Operating Department Practitioner Surgical First Assistant Course (Part 1, Part 2 & Enhanced Surgical Skills Course) Educated to degree level or equivalent theatre experience Evidence of continued professional development
Desirable
Mentorship Course Leadership Course Advanced or Intermediate Life Support Training Enhanced Orthopaedic Surgical Skills course, or working towards Knowledge &
Experience · Essential
Substantial years post registration experience in Orthopaedic Surgical Environment Clinical supervision and clinical education experience Advanced clinical knowledge in field of Orthopaedics 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
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 SCP/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 Excellent problem solving/conflict resolution skills
Other · Essential
Flexible approach to working pattern (including evening and weekend working)
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).
