Job summary
- Main area
- General Surgery
- Grade
- Specialty Trainee (ST3-5)
- Contract
- 6 months (6 months Fixed Term - Starting October 2025)
- Hours
- Full time - 40 hours per week (Plus additional rota hours)
- Job ref
- 210-2025-372
- Employer
- Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Countess of Chester Hospital
- Town
- Chester
- Salary
- £61,825 - £70,425 pa
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 08/06/2025 23:59
Employer heading

General Surgery Trust ST3+
Specialty Trainee (ST3-5)
Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, staff pride themselves on not only leading through clinical excellence, but also by creating an environment where all staff are valued and appreciated. To achieve this, the Trust has embarked on an exciting new strategy focused on continuous improvement.
Our vision is to improve the lives of our community and provide excellence in healthcare, through partnership and innovation
Our High Performance Culture will support everyone to be the best version of themselves by being true to our Trust vision, values and behaviours.
We welcome applications from colleagues from our local and neighbouring communities of all backgrounds and identities, who are currently under-represented within our region such as Black, Asian, Minority ethnic and those with disabilities.
As a region we are reviewing the way we work, and exploring how new working practices that support flexible working can create a positive work-life balance. As part of our recruitment process we will explore how our inclusive employment policies, flexible working, staff engagement forums, Trust facilities and services can be of mutual benefit.
Job overview
Working Full time : 40 hours per week
Fixed term 6 months Starting October 2025.
An exciting opportunity has arisen for highly motivated team player to join our well established General Surgery Department at The Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, welcoming applications for an ST3+ to join the team.
The successful candidate will be expected to participate in an on-call rota and must hold full registration with the GMC with a licence to practice.
This post is not recognised for training purposes; however the Trust will ensure teaching to a high standard to assist the successful applicant in progressing further.
Main duties of the job
The post offers a wide variety of general surgery, both elective and emergency.
The post holder will be responsible to the appropriate Consultants for admitting cases, the conduct of ward investigations and for pre and post-operative care. They will also be responsible for arranging theatre lists and will participate in operative surgery, the extent of their involvement being commensurate with experience and ability. The post holder will attend and assist at General Surgery Outpatient Clinics.
The post-holder will be expected to attend the rolling half days and take part in audit and case presentation. Log books of the surgical operations performed will be mandatory (Log Book for RCS England).
Research opportunities may be possible for suitable interested post holders.
Working for our organisation
The Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust provides services to West Cheshire and to Welsh patients covered by Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board. The Trust works collaboratively within the wider Cheshire and Merseyside Health and Care Partnership. Its services are provided from three locations:
- The Countess of Chester Hospital: providing 438 general and acute beds
- Ellesmere Port Hospital: providing 56 beds as a rehabilitation, intermediate and outpatient facility
- Tarporley War Memorial Hospital: a base for community services which serve the local rural population.
The Trust employs over 6258 staff (headcount) which includes temporary bank staff and provides acute emergency and elective services, primary care direct access services and obstetric services to a population of approximately 407,000. This includes 357,000 residents in Chester and West Cheshire which includes Ellesmere Port and Neston as well as the Deeside area of Flintshire which has a population of approximately 50,000.
The Trust is a busy district general hospital and in 2022/2023, there were more than 503,342 patient attendances (inpatient, outpatient and diagnostic) ranging from a simple outpatient appointment to major cancer surgery. This is an increase of nearly 10,000 compared to the previous year when there were 494,387 patient attendances.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
See Job Description for further details.
Recruitment selection processes are based on competence (see Person specification) and values.
Please note applicants will be required to pay for their DBS check. Costs will be deducted from their salary over the first three months of employment.
You are encouraged to enrol for the DBS Update Service. A small annual fee of £16 per year applies.
New entrants to the NHS will commence on the minimum of the scale stated above.
Applicants are advised to apply early as if a large number of applications are received for this post, we reserve the right to close the vacancy prior to the advertised date.
Good luck with your application.
Person specification
Qualifications & Skills
Essential criteria
- GMC Registered with a licence to practice
- MB BS (or equivalent)
- Evidence of career progression towards a higher degree.
- NIHR Good Clinical
Eligibility
Essential criteria
- Eligible for full registration with the GMC at time of appointment and hold a current licence to practice.
- OR Evidence of current employment in a UKFPO affiliated Foundation Programme
- OR 12 months experience after full GMC registration or equivalent and evidence of achievement of Foundation competences from a UKFPO affiliated Foundation Programme or equivalent in line with GMC standards/Good Medical Practice including:
- Make the care or your patient your first concern.
- Protect and promote the health of patients and of the public.
- Provide a good standard of practice and care.
- Treat patients as individuals and respect their dignity.
- Work in partnership with patients.
- Be honest and open and act with integrity.
- Eligibility to work in the UK.
- Not previously relinquished, released or removed from a Core Surgical training programme except under exceptional circumstances.
Patient Focused Skills
Essential criteria
- Empathy, understanding, listening skills, patience
- Social skills appropriate to different types of client.
Fitness to Practice
Essential criteria
- Is up to date and fit to practise safely.
Communication Skills
Essential criteria
- Excellent written and spoken communications
- Ability to build rapport & work with others
Language Skills
Essential criteria
- All applicants to have demonstrable skills in written and spoken English adequate to enable effective communication about medical topics with patients and colleagues demonstrated by one of the following: That applicants have undertaken undergraduate medical training in English; or
- Have achieved the following scores in the academic lnternational English Language Testing System (IELTS) in a single sitting within 24 months at time of application – Overall 7, Speaking 7, Listening 7, Reading 7, Writing 7.
Applicant requirements
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Chris McFaul
- Job title
- Consultant
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 01244363223
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