Job overview
There is a 12 month (potentially extendible) post starting in October 2025, working as a general surgical registrar at Worthing Hospital and at St Richard’s Hospital, Chichester.
It is a new post to provide middle grade cover across the two hospitals where staffing gaps would otherwise be created owing to less than full time surgeons in training. It will therefore be a varied role and will likely require a degree of flexibility from the appointee, albeit they will be given a well structured timetable of elective and on-call duties across both sites. The elective component will likely be a combination of both Upper GI and Colorectal activity (ward rounds, dedicated theatre time and training, as well as clinics) across both sites.
The appointee will be supported by a named Assigned Education Supervisor (AES) to develop their portfolio and, if appropriate, work towards Royal College of Surgeons examinations. As per national deanery trainees, the appointee will have four times a year Multi-Consultant Reports (MCR) to provide helpful feedback on progress, and where feasible will be able to attend deanery training events/days. The appointee will be encouraged to engage fully with the Intercollegiate Surgical Curriculum Program (ISCP), complete work placed assessments (WBAs) and keep an eLogbook of procedures they are involved with.
Main duties of the job
There will be an approximately 1:8 on-call commitment (just covering general surgery) with the night shifts beyond 11pm being off-site (nearby).
Both General Surgery Departments have a high volume of emergency, colorectal, benign upper GI, and general surgery. St Richard’s Hospital has the largest bariatric service in South East England, and the colorectal service at Worthing Hospital has recently increased in size with the appointment of 4 new consultants to complement the 5 already, and a robot is seemingly imminent.
There are days off post on-call and weekends for appointees to develop their careers, or ideally enjoy everything that the beautiful West Sussex Coastline and South Downs have to offer.
Working for our organisation
At UHSussex, diversity is our strength, and we want you to feel included to help us always put the Patient First. Your uniqueness and experiences will be part of our creative and innovative community where everyone is encouraged to succeed. We have a range of Staff Networks to help break down barriers, and can offer a buddy to help new members settle in. We’re proud to be a Disability Confident Employer (Level 2) and a Veteran Aware Trust.
We treat our patients and staff with the same compassion and empathy we expect for ourselves. We’re here for them when they need us, and we go above and beyond to meet their needs. This can be seen in our Wellbeing Programme for staff which is extensive and designed to support you when you need it, including where possible, flexible working to support work life balance - because we know that to look after others we must first look after ourselves.
As a university trust and a leader in healthcare research, we value learning, teaching and training so that we can be the best that we can be. From the moment you start with us and throughout your career we will help you to grow and develop. We hope that in choosing UHSussex you are choosing a long and happy career where you will be able to see the difference you make and feel valued for all that you do.
We look forward to receiving your application and the start of your journey with UHSussex.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
On call as per rota (reg/middle grade)
Ward cover as per rota
Regular theatre and outpatient sessions as per rota
Rota may change at a shorty notice depending on the needs of the department.
Attending various surgical departmental meetings
Active participation in the Monday am departmental meetings
Person specification
Experience/Qualification
Essential criteria
1. •Postgraduate qualification or appropriate specialist qualification
2. •MRCS
3. •Full GMC Registration with a licence to practice
Desirable criteria
4. •Higher Degree
Clinical Skills and Experience
Essential criteria
5. •Be capable to run a General Surgery on call
6. vidence of having undertaken own development to improve understanding of equalities issues
Knowledge
Desirable criteria
7. •Breadth of experience in and outside specialty
Organisation and Planning
Essential criteria
8. •Experience and ability to work in multi-professional teams
9. •Understanding of: NHS / Clinical governance / Resource constraints
Desirable criteria
10. •Evidence of managerial skills: Achievements / Course attended
Teaching Skills
Essential criteria
11. •Evidence of an interest and commitment to teaching
Desirable criteria
12. •Recognised teaching qualification
Academic and Research
Essential criteria
13. •Evidence of participation in audit
Desirable criteria
14. •Research experience
15. •Publications
16. •Prizes and honours
Career progression
Essential criteria
17. •Appropriate progression of career to date
Personal Attributes
Essential criteria
18. •Evidence of:- Good communication skills both oral and written
Important information for applicants:
A Note on AI Use in Applications
We value the individuality and authenticity that each candidate brings to the application process. While AI tools are increasingly accessible, we strongly discourage their use in completing your application. Your responses should reflect your own voice, experiences, and motivations—elements that are essential to a fair and accurate evaluation.
Applications that rely heavily on AI-generated content may misrepresent your abilities and could result in your application being rejected. We encourage you to take the time to present your genuine self, as this helps us better understand your potential and ensures a transparent selection process.
Closing Adverts Early: In the event of exceptional interest, we may close adverts earlier than specified.
Some of our adverts are capped for a limited number of applications; therefore, the advert will close once the cap has been reached. We therefore encourage you to submit your application as soon as possible if you are interested in the position to prevent you from missing out on applying for the opportunity.
Flexible Working: If you would like to explore potential options regarding flexible working please speak with the appropriate recruiting/line manager.
DBS Checks: As part of our commitment to a safe working environment, we undertake a Disclosure and Barring Service check on all new employees where the role is eligible for a criminal record check. We make offers in line with the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1975.
Skilled Worker Visa: Applications for Skilled Worker sponsorship are welcome for the roles that meet the Visa and Immigrations eligibility criteria. For further information please visit the gov.uk website searching for Skilled Worker. It is your responsibility as the applicant to ensure that you meet this criteria.
UHSussex reserves the right to close the role early if we receive a high volume of applications