Within NHS England, South East Region, the Wessex Local Office is responsible for the planning, development, education, and training of the healthcare and public health workforce across Dorset, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, and Salisbury.

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a forward-thinking and dynamic Consultant to be the new Deputy Head of School of Surgery. The School provides a framework for partnership between NHS England, The Royal College of Surgeons, and local Trusts to ensure the highest standards of specialty training.

This challenging role requires demonstrated leadership in postgraduate education, stakeholder negotiation, and maintaining high standards. The immediate agenda includes supporting the development of existing core and higher training programmes, service transformation, and exploring new training opportunities to enhance current programmes.

The Deputy Head of School is professionally and managerially accountable to the Postgraduate Dean. The Head of School will focus on improving learner supervision, assessment, engagement of faculty, and ensuring effective educational outcomes. The role will also evolve to include workforce transformation, developing multi-professional links, innovative curriculum delivery, and workforce well-being strategies.

While the primary responsibility is to lead and develop the Postgraduate School of Surgery, senior NHS clinicians may have additional roles and projects as agreed with the Postgraduate Dean.

The NHS England Board has outlined its top-level purpose: to lead NHS in England to deliver high-quality services for all. This purpose guides the detailed design work and aims to:

• Improve the health of local populations and reduce health inequalities.
• Make the NHS a great place to work, enabling staff to achieve their potential.
• Ensure the healthcare workforce has the necessary knowledge, skills, values, and behaviors to deliver compassionate, accessible care.
• Optimize the use of digital technology, research, and innovation.
• Deliver value for money.

If you would like to know more or require further information, please visit https://www.england.nhs.uk/.

Colleagues with a contractual office base are expected to spend at least 40% of their time working in person.

Staff recruited from outside the NHS will usually be appointed at the bottom of the pay band.

If successful at interview, an Inter Authority Transfer (IAT) will be conducted via the Electronic Staff Record system (ESR). This process gathers information from your current or previous NHS employer to support onboarding, including statutory and mandatory competencies, Continuous Service Dates (CSD), and annual leave entitlement. You will be able to inform us if you do not consent to this transfer during the recruitment process.

For further details or informal visits, contact:

Name: Simon Sleight
Job title: Head of School of Surgery
Email: england.educatorrecruitment.wx@nhs.net