Locum Consultant Plastic Surgeon

North Bristol NHS Trust (NBT) and University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW) have merged as of 1st July 2026 to become Bristol NHS Foundation Trust. This creates an exciting future that brings together the best of both organisations. As a single, strong and sustainable organisation, we will not only be able to deliver better outcomes for our patients and fairer care for our population, but it will also provide greater opportunities for our people.

Bristol NHS Foundation Trust recognise the value of a healthy work-life balance. When applying, speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate flexible working, so your work life fits around your home life.

We particularly welcome applications from Black, Asian and minority ethnic candidates as they are under-represented within the Trust.

Our job adverts may close as soon as sufficient applications have been received. Considering this, if you are interested in this role, please do apply as soon as you can.

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Job Overview

This is a full-time consultant post in the Plastic Surgery Department, offered for a fixed period of 12 months.

The post-holder will be expected to provide limb reconstruction and general plastic surgery. Sub-specialty interest can be discussed according to the requirements of the service and preference of the successful candidate. The successful candidates will join a further 24 consultants who offer plastic surgery and burns service to patients from the northern part of the South West region.

The Burns & Plastic Surgery service is delivered across two sites in Bristol – Southmead Hospital Operating Unit, and the Royal Bristol Hospital for Children, City Hospital Operating Unit. The postholder is expected to deliver care on both sites according to their agreed job plan and the need of the service.

The successful candidate will have regular elective theatre and outpatient capacity and will participate in the Plastic Surgery Service and On-Call rota.

Main duties of the job

The work of the Plastic Surgery Department covers a wide range of congenital and acquired conditions including skin cancer, hand surgery, lower limb trauma, breast reconstruction, head and neck malignancy, sarcoma, burns service and laser therapy. Combined clinics are held in association with other specialists including head and neck surgery, Ortho-Plastics, oncologists and dermatology. Specialist clinics include; hands, pigmented lesions, sarcoma and breast reconstruction.

There are dedicated plastics and burns general anaesthetic operating theatres and three local anaesthetic operating theatres, with 24-hour access to general emergency theatres where out of hours trauma cases are undertaken. The postholder will be provided with secretarial support and office accommodation, which will be shared with other members of the consultant team.

There will be an on-call commitment to delivering an emergency adult and paediatric plastic surgery service and applicants must be able to demonstrate a high level of clinical experience and competence in general plastic surgery. . The department has dedicated emergency plastic surgery beds on Gate 33A, including seven burns unit beds, and shares elective capacity with other specialties on Gate 7A. There is access to ITU and HDU beds.

Working for our organisation

Bristol NHS Foundation Trust brings together more than 28,000 staff to deliver over 160 clinical services across thirteen hospital locations, operating from three main sites at Southmead, Bristol city centre and Weston.

With an annual turnover of 2.6 billion, we are now one of the largest NHS trusts in the United Kingdom.

Within the Bristol NHS Foundation Trust our aim is to offer relevant, values-based and lifelong learning to all of our staff.

For medical staff - new Consultants’ support group with bespoke CPD, Consultant mentoring by trained medical mentors, in-house medical leadership training for aspiring clinical leaders, free appraiser training, regular consultant away days

Our goal is to build a compassionate, accountable and inclusive leadership at all levels, creating a coaching culture through diversity and talent.

Detailed Job Description And Main Responsibilities

A formal job plan will be reviewed between the Post Holder and Specialty Lead within three months after commencement in post. The exact timetable will be flexible, arranged in discussion with the Specialty Lead.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria

• Fellow of Royal College of Surgeons or Equivalent eg FEBOPRAS
• Full Registration with GMC
• Must have CCT or within 6 months of obtaining expected CCT date at the time of interview.
  
  

Desirable criteria

• Higher Academic Qualification (eg MD, PhD or eqiuvalent)
  
  

Research

Essential criteria

• Evidence of involvement in research
• Knowledge of the principles involved in research
  
  

Desirable criteria

• Additional academic experience and qualifications e.g. PhD
• Evidence of publication of peer reviewed academic papers
  
  

Experience

Essential criteria

• Evidence of thorough and broad training and experience in Plastic Surgery
• Minimum of 10 years postgraduate experience including higher surgical / medical training, three years as a Senior Registrar in an approved training post, or equivalent. Part of this period may be in a post of equivalent responsibility and training potential
• Able to take responsibility for delivering service without direct supervision
  
  

Desirable criteria

• Hand Surgery Fellowship in an approved UK or overseas position or demonstrable equivalent experience.
• High-volume lower limb / extremity microsurgery Fellowship in an approved UK or overseas position or demonstrable equivalent experience.
  
  

Clinical Skills and Knowledge

Essential criteria

• Specialist knowledge, training and interest in management of limb reconstruction.
• Training in diagnosis and treatment of routine plastic surgery conditions
• Experience and training in surgical management of common, non-specialised conditions in children.
  
  

Desirable criteria

• Broad range of IT skills
  
  

Clinical Governance and Audit

Essential criteria

• Understanding of clinical governance and the individual responsibilities it implies
• Knowledge of the principles of clinical audit and evidence of participation
• Evidence of recent and regular engagement with continuing professional development (CPD)
• Positive approach to evidence-based practice
  
  

Teaching and Training

Essential criteria

• Experience of teaching medical students and AHP’s
• Experience of supervising trainees
• Knowledge of teaching to a multidisciplinary team
  
  

Desirable criteria

• Formal teaching / education qualification
• Educational supervisor training completed
  
  

Management and Leadership

Essential criteria

• Ability to organise efficient and smooth running of a specialist service
• Ability to cope with and effectively organise the workload of a consultant
• Ability to practice independently as a consultant
• Evidence of management training and evidence of learning from it
• Ability to take on responsibility and show evidence of leadership
• Ability to work under pressure and cope with setbacks
  
  

Desirable criteria

• Evidence of management/leadership experience and/or qualifications and courses
  
  

Interpersonal and Communication Skills

Essential criteria

• Ability to communicate effectively with patients, relatives, clinical colleagues, support staff and other colleagues
• Good knowledge of, and ability to use, spoken and written English
• Ability to present effectively to an audience, using a variety of methods, and to respond to questions and queries
• Ability to develop effective working relationships on an individual and multi professional basis with all levels of staff both within and across divisions
• Ability to be a flexible team member
  
  

Other

Essential criteria

• Meets professional health requirements
• Agreement to travel to and work in other Bristol NHS Foundation Trust sites necessitated by the role
• Ability to adapt and respond to changing circumstances
• Awareness of personal limitations
  
  

Desirable criteria

• Additional professional responsibilities at local, regional or national levels
• Trained as a Consultant Appraiser
  
  

We hope that you will decide to join us and become part of this exciting journey, helping us to shape our future together.

• As an equal opportunities employer actively working towards a diverse workforce we aim to recruit and retain a workforce which represents the rich diversity of the local population at all levels and are committed to designing our services around the needs of individual patients and those around them. Anonymous information will be used from your application to ensure we’re meeting our pledge.
• The Trust is committed to investing in and caring for all our staff. We will support you in maintaining and improving your health and wellbeing, as well as your career development through management and training support - developing exceptional people for exceptional careers.
• BFT is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people, and vulnerable adults.
• To comply with Part 7 of the Immigration Act 2016 all applicants must be able to speak fluent English to an appropriate standard which will be assessed at Interview.
• If you require sponsorship for a visa to work in the UK, to avoid disappointment, please check to ensure you are eligible under the UKVI points based system.
• The Trust uses electronic new starter forms on Trac to collect personal details. Information collected is securely stored and used to set up the employee record on the ESR HR system.
• By applying for this post, you are agreeing to Bristol NHS Foundation Trust transferring the information contained in this application to its preferred applicant management system. If you are offered a job, information will also be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Records system.
• Please be aware of scams – unless specified above, we will only communicate with you via @recruit.trac.jobs or nhs.net e-mails and we will never ask you for any payments.
  
  

Important

Please note that if you apply for a position with this Trust, you may be contacted via Trac or via email. This includes invites for job interviews. We therefore recommend that you regularly check your Trac account and email accounts. We may also contact you by texting the mobile number, if provided, on the application form.

Due to the high number of applications that are received for some posts we may close this vacancy before the advertised closing date. Therefore, please apply for this post as soon as you can, if you are interested and you meet the requirements of the Person Specification

Only those candidates who clearly demonstrate how they meet the person specification will be shortlisted for this job.

As a guide interviews should usually take place within 3 weeks of the closing date.

When providing employment reference details, please provide correct work-related email addresses so references can be sought promptly when we are looking to progress your application. Your referee must all be known to you in a line manager or professional lead capacity.