Locum Consultant Spinal Surgeon

Job Overview

University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust is delighted to offer a fantastic opportunity to work with us. Please see below for detailed job description of the role.

University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust is one of the country’s largest teaching hospitals. It provides specialised services to a population of over three million across the southern counties of England including the Isle of Wight and the Channel Islands. We provide a wide range of specialist adult and paediatric services. We are seeking a skilled spinal surgeon to deliver high‑quality complex spinal care, ensuring safe, patient‑centred treatment for patients requiring both elective and emergency spinal surgery.

The Spinal Service at UHS brings together both neurosurgical and orthopaedic trained consultants, working as an integrated team to deliver spinal care and the full breadth of spinal expertise for our patients.

As one of the largest acute teaching Trusts in England, we offer learning and development opportunities to help you achieve the career you aspire to. UHS is rated ‘Good’ by the CQC and in the latest national NHS Staff Survey, we were in the top 10 acute trusts for staff engagement and for staff recommending the hospital as a place to work or receive care.

We support flexible working and will consider requests taking into account the needs of the service. UHS employees are able to access a range of NHS discounts, are entitled to a minimum of 35 days paid holiday (pro rata), and we offer a generous pension scheme. Southampton is an attractive place to live and work situated on the south coast, with an international airport and direct trains to London.

The New Forest National Park and beaches of the Jurassic coast are also right on our doorstep. The city offers living costs 20% lower than London and 14 schools rated outstanding by Ofsted.

What you’ll do

This is a full‑time post as a Locum Consultant Spinal Surgeon; there is the option of subspecialisation depending on the candidate’s area of experience and needs of the department. The essential skills required by the post holder will be in the management of the emergency patients, and ability to safely instrument all regions of the spine. The department has separate rotas for spinal surgery, adult cranial neurosurgery, and paediatric neurosurgery.

The spinal on‑call team are expected to be able to initiate the management of paediatric emergency patients with ongoing support from the specialist paediatric spinal surgical team. The purpose of this role is to deliver specialist complex spinal surgery, providing high quality elective and emergency care within the Spinal Service  will participate in the 1:8 spinal on call rota. Alongside advanced surgical expertise, the role requires compassion, sound clinical judgement and a collaborative approach.

The service aims to foster a positive, supportive and forward‑looking team culture, and the post holder will contribute to shaping this environment and driving continuous improvement. Working closely within the multidisciplinary team, the post holder will help ensure seamless patient pathways and consistently high standards of care. Through clinical leadership, service development and a commitment to patient‑centred practice, they will support UHS in delivering excellence in complex spinal surgery.

You will be fellowship trained in spinal surgery in a nationally approved fellowship. This role will develop research, clinical trials and education in spinal surgery and you will be expected to be qualified and experienced in delivering on this entire portfolio. Further details are available in the person specification.

The successful candidate will be employed under the terms and conditions of service for Consultants (England) 2003. Proposed interview date: 25th February 2026. This Final date to receive applications on or before 11th February 2026.

Essential criteria

• MBBS or equivalent medical qualification
• GMC…